Speaker proposes network of green parliaments on visit to London and Cardiff

Catalan parliament speaker Josep Rull will propose an initiative to create a network of decarbonized legislative bodies in Europe during his trip to Westminster in London and the Senedd (Welsh parliament) in Cardiff.

Rull is leading a delegation from the Catalan parliament bureau on a visit to the two parliaments on this week to exchange experiences on climate action.

The Senedd has set itself the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality in the coming years, a goal that, according to Rull, will be easier there than in Catalonia, given that much of the Welsh legislative headquarters is new and was built with a zero footprint in mind.

The trip will also serve to explain "what Catalonia is as a nation."

Rull avoided naming specific parliaments that could join the initiative, but said that the Catalan chamber has "very good harmony" with places such as Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

He hopes that both London and Wales will join the initiative.

Pointing out similarities between Wales and Catalonia, the initiative will be proposed, Rull said, "from two nations that do not have a state, but that are capable of ambitious thinking to change the world and to respond to the great challenges that the planet has."

Rull announced that during the current term, they hope to prepare an action plan to decarbonize the Catalan parliament, considering that in the future the chamber could occupy new spaces. However, Rull assured that plenary sessions of the Catalan parliament "will always be held in the historic building".

The purpose of the visit to the UK, Rull said, is "to explain what Catalonia is as a nation, what situation it is in at the moment, and also for in-depth work on climate action and the energy transition".

The Bureau delegation will visit the Welsh parliament in Cardiff on Wednesday, including a meeting with the Lllywydd (speaker), Elin Jones.

On Thursday, they will visit the UK parliament, including meetings with the first and second deputy speakers of the House of Commons, Nusrat Ghani and Caroline Nokes.