UKIP South Wales East AM Mark Reckless has been appointed chair of the National Assembly for Wales’ Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.
Caerphilly-based Mr Reckless had faced a petition, signed by 7,000 people, calling for him to stand down.
The petition claimed that UKIP as a party did not believe that climate change was caused by human factors.
UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill said in 2015: “We don’t agree that man is responsible for changing the climate.
“We think it’s hubris and we also think that governments have realised this is a great way of taxing people and people will say ‘thank you for taxing us because you’re going to save the world’.”
However, Mr Reckless said he does believe that human activity is responsible for climate change.
He told BBC Wales: “I believe it’s likely that man-made activity is warming the world. Human activity is probably a factor in climate change.
“I’ve invited the petitioners to meet me. I’m happy to hear their concerns and explain my personal position.
“My approach to chairing the committee will be evidence-led and I will represent the views of the committee as a whole.”
As Mark was elected to the seat Lindsay Whittle, who was a regular contributor to this paper, once held I look forward to reading a frequent blog from him in the Observer.
It will be very interesting to be upated on the work of this committee and to hear Mark’s views on events as they occur. As we are now leaving the EU the Assembly will have to becme less parochial, less EU centric and, instead, engage with the world. I am looking foward to it.