Pressing ahead with 2030 net zero targets across the Welsh public sector could cost more than £13billion, shocking data shared with GB News has revealed.
The figures indicate the policy cost could equate to almost £10,000 per household across 1.4 million homes if Labour’s current plans in Wales remain in place.
Research conducted by the Taxpayers’ Alliance suggests achieving the 2030 goal would require annual emissions reductions of 19.2 per cent, a pace not managed in 99 per cent of the public sector between 2020 and 2024.
The only area to record cuts exceeding 20 per cent over the four-year period in Wales was waste management, where emissions fell by 35 per cent.
Meanwhile, waste accounts for just 0.5 per cent of overall public sector emissions.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice, who was appointed as Nigel Farage’s Shadow Energy Secretary last week, said: “This net zero madness is squandering billions of taxpayers’ money in Wales on targets that are unrealistic and economically reckless.
“Britain is sitting on a vast energy treasure and unlocking it would slash bills, protect jobs, strengthen our energy security and drive real growth.
“Reform UK will scrap this failed net zero experiment and put British energy first.”
Eluned Morgan is pushing ahead with Wales’s net zero push
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PA
The report states that as of January 2026, detailed cost estimates for reaching net zero could be identified for only eight public sector groups, despite there being a minimum of 48 public bodies operating in Wales.
The Welsh Senedd became the first parliament in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2019.
Since then, Wales has expanded its climate commitments, including a bold pledge to reach net zero targets across the public sector by 2030.
In response, Shimeon Lee, policy analyst of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Welsh taxpayers will be looking for their government to urgently take the foot off the gas when it comes to net zero in the public sector.
Richard Tice heaped pressure on Welsh Labour to drop its net zero measures
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GETTY“It’s clear that regardless of the intentions behind the policy, there is no plan to achieve it, and certainly no plan which won’t end up hitting households in their pockets. It is a completely unrealistic, unachievable, and unaffordable ambition.”
Mr Lee fumed: “This 2030 target needs to be withdrawn, with any new target supported by a fully costed and funded plan which doesn’t put any additional pressure on Welsh taxpayers.”
The analysis estimates that cutting emissions from public sector buildings would cost around £18,220 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).
Reducing non-building emissions is estimated to cost between £340 and £2,864 per tCO2e.
The Welsh Senedd became the first parliament in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2019
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PAResponding to the findings, Shadow Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “The NHS is on its knees under Welsh Labour and people’s energy bills have gone up by almost £200 under Ed Miliband – yet taxpayers are being made to spend billions of pounds to meet net zero targets while China steams ahead to build more coal power plants than ever before.
“Whether it’s for growth, the cost of living, public spending or our national security, we need to end this obsession with Net Zero and make electricity cheap.”
Ms Coutinho added: “The Conservatives’ Cheap Power Plan would cut everybody’s electricity bill by 20 per cent and save the public sector over £350 million a year without costing the taxpayer a penny.”
GB News has approached the Welsh Government for comment.