Flintshire County Council's Climate Change Committee is holding an inquiry into the aims of the Clwyd Pension Fund (CPF) Investment Strategy to become net zero carbon.
View the CPFs Investment strategy.
The Committee is keen to hear from professionals, members of the CPF and members of the public.
To help you provide relevant feedback, that will inform its work, the Committee has produced a number of questions which are intended to guide you when putting together your submission. You do not have to use these questions to help you write your submission if you don’t want to, and you don’t have to answer all of them.
Written submissions should be clear and concise and kept to a maximum of 2000 words. If within your response you would like to attach documents, please be advised that there is a 20MB size limit for attachments.
The Committee may wish to invite you to speak at one of its meetings. If you would like to get involved in this way, please include your contact details, and if you are responding in a professional capacity, the organisation you work for and your job title. If this is not something you would like to take part in please make that clear in your submission.
Your contact information will be held by Flintshire’s climate change team. The data will not be shared with any other third parties and will only be used to contact you as described above. Your email address will be retained only until the inquiry has been completed. If at any stage you would like us to remove your email address and stop receiving information, please email us at climatechange@flintshire.gov.uk
For more information on your personal data rights please read our privacy notice
- Do you think the Clwyd Pension Fund (CPF) is right to reduce its investments in carbon-intensive industries?
- Do you believe that the CPF’s target (net-zero by 2045) is too late, too soon, or correct?
- Do you believe that a faster target to reach net-zero is achievable? If so, what year would you suggest?
- Do you believe that reducing investment in fossil fuel companies (those whose primary business is the extraction or trading of fossil fuels) is likely to affect the value of the CPF’s portfolio positively or negatively in the short term (next 24 months), medium term (next ten years) and long term (next 30 years) if done in line with an earlier target for net zero, such as 2030, relative to a more gradual reduction in line with the current target of 2045? How confident are you in your forecast? Please assume that receipts from any fossil fuel investments sold are reinvested in proportion with the CPF’s current investments excluding these companies.
- Some local government pension funds in the UK have adopted faster decarbonisation pathways. Do you have any evidence that these have been successful or unsuccessful in delivering (a) on reducing carbon emissions, and (b) in sustaining the value of the fund?
- Do you believe that the CPF should adopt a clear definition of what is meant by net zero in the context of a pension fund? If so, what do you think this definition should read?
- Do you believe that fund members are likely to support or oppose a faster reduction in fossil fuel investments? What are you basing this assessment on? If you are replying in your capacity as someone whose pension is managed by the CPF, we are particularly keen to hear your own view.
- Do you feel that investing in fossil fuel companies gives the CPF influence or leverage over these companies’ operations, especially in encouraging a reduction in carbon emissions? If so, what is your evidence for this?
- Would you be willing to speak to the committee (give oral evidence) if asked?
In addition to your written submission we would also like to ask you to provide some information about yourself using the equalities monitoring form. This is completely voluntary and you cannot be personally identified from the answers you give. The answers you give to these questions will be used to help us understand how many people from different groups respond, for example how many women, men, young people, older people, disabled people etc.
If you have any questions about the inquiry or your submission please contact climatechange@flintshire.gov.uk
Written submissions should be submitted by no later than 4 August 2023.
If you are unable to access email please send written submissions to:
c/o Climate Change team, Flintshire County Council, Ty Dewi Sant, Ewloe. CH5 3FF
If you need additional support completing your submission please visit one of our Connects Centres.