Wales to Cease Road Construction Projects in Bid to Achieve Net Zero Emissions

"The Labour-led Welsh government is to freeze new road-building projects as part of its plans to tackle the climate emergency, and an external panel will review all proposed schemes," reports Steven Morris.

Wales has reduced its emissions by 31 percent since 1990, according to the article, but more action is necessary to reach the nation's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Transportation contributes 17 percent of the nation's carbon emissions.

"We need a shift away from spending money on projects that encourage more people to drive, and spend more money on maintaining our roads and investing in real alternatives that give people a meaningful choice," says Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, as quoted in the article.

The article lists a few project plans that will be put on hold, before the review of all road building projects is complete. "The review is expected to consider how the devolved government can shift spending towards better maintaining existing roads rather than building new ones, and to look at all proposed road investments, whether funded directly by the Welsh government or indirectly by grants," reports Morris.

The news about the Welsh government's aggressive climate action came the same week as details emerged about a bipartisan infrastructure financing bill in Washington, D.C. that would spend $579 billion, which advocates are criticizing as too strongly focused on road spending and failing to live up to the promise of the Biden's administration's proposed American Jobs Plan.