Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change
Welsh Government cabinet minister
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change (Welsh: Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd) was a member of the Cabinet in the Welsh Government. The most recent officeholder was Huw Irranca-Davies from March 2024 to May 2026.
| Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change of Wales | |
|---|---|
| Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Newid Hinsawdd (Welsh) | |
 | |
| Welsh Government | |
| Style | Welsh Cabinet Secretary |
| Status | Cabinet Secretary |
| Abbreviation | Secretary |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | the Senedd and the First Minister of Wales |
| Seat | Cardiff |
| Nominator | First Minister of Wales |
| Appointer | The Crown |
| Term length | Five years Subject to elections to the Senedd which take place every five years |
| First holder | Julie James MS |
| Website | gov |
Ministers
| Name | Picture | Entered office | Left office | Other offices held | Political party | Government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister for Climate Change | ||||||||
| Julie James | .jpg) |
13 May 2021 | 20 March 2024 | Labour | Second Drakeford government | [1][2] | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change | ||||||||
| Huw Irranca-Davies | .jpg) |
May 2026 | 12 May 2026 | Labour | Gething government | [3] | ||
Responsibilities
The post's responsibilities were:[4]
- Climate change, natural resources and energy responsibilities
- Marine and freshwater planning, biodiversity, conservation and licensing
- Ensuring land policy is used optimally and most versatile, advise on the restoration of mineral sites, Agricultural Land Classification and implementing EIA (Agriculture) Regulations
- Energy policy, which includes small and medium-scale energy production, domestic energy and energy efficiency
- Renewable energy in Wales
- Climate change, addressed with carbon budgets and emission reduction targets
- Natural resources management, including oversight and implementation of the Environment (Wales) Act, as well as overseeing Natural Resources Wales
- Cross-cutting mitigation and adaption measures relating to climate change, including the involvement of water, flooding (and coastal) risk, land drainage, and controlling marine and air pollution.
- Coal tip safety in Wales
- Water
- Forestry policy and legislation, including restocking and the monitoring of the health of trees, and "forest reproductive material"
- National Forest for Wales
- Biodiversity policy, including the Nature Recovery Plan's implementation
- Sustainable use of resources, and waste management
- Managing the quality of the local environment, including litter, fly-tipping, the Deposit Return Scheme, noise policy and regulation
- National Parks
- Leading allotment and urban green infrastructure strategy
- Community Green Spaces
- Countryside, coast, right of way, and waterways/water bodies access
- Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty[5]
