Let’s make every week climate week

The Centre for Alternative Technology along with Renew Wales and Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales are supporting the Welsh Government’s Climate Week being held online from 2-5 November.

‘Wales Climate Week’ brings people across Wales together to tackle key climate issues and to mark a year until the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 and the new All Wales Low Carbon Delivery Plan. Set in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, geopolitical upheaval and the increasing need to ensure social and environmental justice, countries across the world must come together, raise their ambition and drive action.

The online series of free events includes digital, live broadcasts and interactive events from national and global policy makers, pioneers and innovators, discussing and interrogating the actions for tackling the climate emergency in the context of a global pandemic.

Zero carbon solutions

Director of Renew Wales, Kate Hamilton explained: “As our communities respond with courage and compassion to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can also begin to gather the skills we need to help rebuild in a way that is resilient and fair, and which helps us on the path to zero carbon.”

Rhodri Thomas, Principal Consultant from Cynnal Cymru said: “To avoid the catastrophe of global heating we need bold, imaginative action from a wide range of citizens every week of the year…. and it’s happening. Renew Wales, Cynnal Cymru and the Centre for Alternative Technology have been at the heart of the change for many years and we are increasingly working together to support massive change.”

Sarah Jenkinson, Head of Policy for CAT said: “Once again, Wales is showing real leadership. Hosting Wales Climate Week, at the time when the UK was meant to be hosting the international climate conference in Glasgow, is an excellent opportunity to bring everyone together to talk about how Wales can reach zero carbon emissions and share our inspirational case studies of communities taking action.“

Building on our foundations

So far in response to the growing climate emergency, our three organisations have helped increase awareness and action through the following activities:

• CAT has awarded over 2000 postgraduate degrees in sustainability and, since lockdown in March, trained 550 people in Zero Carbon Britain.
• Renew has supported 446 community groups to create climate change action plans, made over 130 community buildings more energy efficient and invested £1 million in grass-roots organisations.
• Cynnal Cymru has trained over 400 employed people in Carbon Literacy, and established Carbon Literacy consortiums with 27 Welsh housing associations, Flexis, TUC Cymru and Museum Wales. This has accelerated under lockdown with courses moving online, offering accessible, collaborative learning across Wales and the UK.

But we recognise we all need to do more together and build on this momentum and we need your support to ensure every week is climate week.

Take Action Now

• Sign up for Carbon Literacy and Zero Carbon Britain training – learn how you can take decisive positive action
• Work with others – join or create a climate action group in your community
• Invest in community energy shares
• Use your voice to speak out
• Be informed of decisions and plans locally and how it will affect your area
• Travel wisely – use public transport more, cycle, walk, car share, less polluting car….
• Eat sustainably – local fresh produce, grow your own, organic and pesticide fee, eat less meat
• Reduce your waste – reuse stuff, get it repaired, donate it, up cycle it….or don’t buy in the first place…
• Watch what you buy – be savvy, ethical, plastic free, Fairtrade, recycled

Related Topics

• Climate Change
• Energy