Members of the Senedd for Gwynedd Maldwyn, Siân Gwenllian MS, Elwyn Vaughan MS and Mabon ap Gwynfor MS visited the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) on Friday to learn more about the organisations work and future.
Building Partnerships for Wales’ Future
During the visit, which took place during the new Welsh government’s first 100 days in office, CAT staff provided an overview of the organisation’s work, highlighting its role as an environmental education charity, sustainability education provision, and community engagement in Wales. Discussions explored opportunities to strengthen relationships with the newly elected Members and how CAT’s expertise, educational programmes and on-the-ground experience could support the Welsh Government’s ambitions to tackle the climate and nature emergencies while creating opportunities for skills development, green jobs and sustainable economic growth.
Progress on CAT’s Major Projects
The Members also received an update on Troi’r Llanw / Turning the Tide, CAT’s new community-led climate action project funded by £1.5 million from the National Lottery Community Fund. The project supports communities across Wales to take practical action on climate change and build resilience through locally led solutions.
Discussions also covered recent milestones in CAT’s flagship redevelopment project, Cynefin: Green Heart of Wales, which aims to transform CAT’s facilities and strengthen its role as a nationally significant centre for sustainability education, innovation and community action for generations to come.
A Tour of CAT in Action
For more than 50 years, CAT has provided inspiration, education and training in practical climate solutions from its Llwyngwern Quarry home in Mid-Wales, which the Members had the opportunity to tour. They visited CAT’s gardens to meet current residential volunteers and observed live student build projects currently being undertaken by students on CAT’s Masters in Sustainable Architecture, viewing the breadth of CAT’s work in action.
Rhiannon Turner, Trustee at the Centre for Alternative Technology, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Siân Gwenllian MS, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS and Elwyn Vaughan MS to CAT so early in this Senedd term and begin what we hope will be a productive relationship with the new Welsh Government.”
“Today’s discussions reflected the strong alignment between the Welsh Government’s priorities and the work already taking place here at CAT. We feel confident these conversations will develop into practical commitments that benefit the region and beyond.”
Siân Gwenllian MS said:
“It was a pleasure to visit the Centre for Alternative Technology and learn more about its pioneering work to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. It’s a real source of pride that Gwynedd Maldwyn is home to an organisation with an international reputation for sustainability, innovation and green skills, and I look forward to supporting its work in the years ahead.”
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:
“Seeing how CAT combines education, innovation and community engagement to develop practical solutions to the climate and nature emergencies was incredibly encouraging, and it shows the important role organisations like this can play in building a more sustainable future for Wales.”
Elwyn Vaughan MS said:
“Having previously served as a councillor in Powys, I have long been aware of the pioneering work carried out by the Centre for Alternative Technology and the positive contribution it makes to our communities. Its Troi’r Llanw / Turning the Tide project is a fantastic example of how meaningful climate action must be rooted in local communities, empowering people to develop solutions from the ground up and ensuring that everyone has a role to play in tackling the climate and nature emergencies.”
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180 sustainability graduates celebrated their achievements at CAT’s 2026 Graduation in mid-Wales, marking the next step towards a green career that will make a difference.
On Saturday 27 June, we welcomed graduates, families, friends, and staff for a warm and inspiring celebration of achievement, community, and hope for the future.
Held against the stunning backdrop of CAT’s eco-centre in mid-Wales, the 2026 Graduation Ceremony marked a significant milestone for 180 postgraduate students completing degrees in sustainability. With sunshine overhead and a strong sense of shared purpose, the day was filled with pride, reflection, and stories of transformation.
Celebrating the Next Generation of Sustainability Leaders
CAT graduates traveled from across the UK and beyond to celebrate their achievements in fields including sustainability and adaptation, renewable energy, sustainable architecture, food systems, and ecology.
Opening the ceremony, CAT Trustee Tim Brewer reflected on the dedication it takes to reach this moment and emphasised the unique and lasting impact of studying at CAT:
“Reaching this point is no small achievement. It represents dedication, perseverance, and a deep commitment, not just to your studies, but to the bigger challenges we all face… You should be incredibly proud. What you learn here goes far beyond textbooks or lectures. It’s about understanding systems, building solutions, and being part of something that genuinely matters.”
This year’s graduates are already putting their learning into action in inspiring and practical ways. Among them are:
Amy Isted, who has launched a retrofit consultancy, Sustain Change, and is contributing to national work on scaling retrofit solutions.
Sahrah Wilding, progressing research into land use through the creation of a nut woodland in Powys.
Richard Clay, co-founder of community energy organisation Power Up Casnewydd in Newport.
Emma Speekenbrink, working in sustainable public-sector construction projects, helping embed sustainability from the earliest design stages.
Nora Ramakers, supporting ecological community projects across Europe, bringing people together through food and land-based initiatives.
CLAASH, a collective of architecture graduates whose design-build work has already reached thousands, including a major project for the National Gallery’s bicentenary.
Their stories highlight how the knowledge, skills, and values developed at CAT translate into real-world impact, through communities, collaboration, and action on the climate and biodiversity crises.
Inspiration from the Global Stage
This year’s keynote speaker, Nick Bridge CMG, brought a global perspective to the celebration. With a distinguished 30-year career in diplomacy — including serving as the UK Special Representative for Climate Change, Nick Bridge has been at the forefront of international climate policy and negotiation.
Addressing the graduating cohort, he spoke about the urgency of the climate challenge and the vital role of skilled, committed individuals in driving forward change. His message encouraged graduates to carry forward their knowledge with confidence, working across sectors and borders to accelerate meaningful action.
His address was a powerful reminder that while the challenges ahead are complex, the collective efforts of individuals and communities remain one of the most powerful forces for change.
More Than a Graduation
The ceremony included speeches from staff and students, the formal presentation of certificates, including representatives from CAT’s validating partners, the University of East London and Liverpool John Moores University, and moments of celebration shared with loved ones.
Guests enjoyed a delicious plant-based meal, live music, and the opportunity to explore CAT’s unique site, a living, working example of sustainable solutions in practice.
The day was not only a celebration of academic achievement, but also of the strong community that defines the Graduate School of the Environment student experience.
Shaping the Future Together
As the Class of 2026 steps into the next chapter of their journeys, they join a global network of more than 3,000 CAT graduates working to address the climate and biodiversity emergency.
In his closing remarks, Tim Brewer shared a message of optimism:
“The challenges we face are complex… but what gives me real optimism is seeing groups like you, people with the knowledge, the skills, and the determination to do something about it.”
With their creativity, commitment, and collective energy, this year’s graduates embody the kind of leadership needed to build a more just and sustainable future. Congratulations to all our graduates, we look forward to seeing what you do next.
Inspired to find out more about studying at Graduate School course at CAT?
There is still time to apply for September 2026 entry to our postgraduate programmes.
As the last week of baking hot sunshine in May tipped into a wet and rainy start to June, we caught up with previous CAT volunteer Shaun Dunford, who had returned to CAT with a friend to volunteer for two weeks.
What followed was a heartwarming recollection of his time at CAT, and what he got up to in the CAT gardens.
Interested in Volunteering?
Volunteers are what helped create CAT in the early 70’s and to this day, they continue to be an invaluable part of the CAT family. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming the latest addition to a flourishing network of changemakers, there are many different ways that you can volunteer with us at CAT.
From coming along as a day or week volunteer to joining as a 6-month residential volunteer in our gardens or woodlands and natural resources teams, whatever your preference…we’d love for you to get in touch.
Keep up to date with all the latest activities, events and online resources by signing up to our emails and following us on social media. And if you’d like to get involved and support our work, we’d love to welcome you as a CAT member.
How resilient is our food supply? What practical steps can we take to become more resilient to food supply disruption? Rachel Tuckett tells us how the Dyfed Powys Civil Food Resilience Project is working collaboratively with people across the region to answer these questions.
What Is Food Resilience?
For decades, the UK’s understanding of food resilience has been dominated by questions of supply. Government-level thinking has tended to focus on whether the supply chains are robust, how logistical pinch-points can be eased and whether imports will continue to arrive on time.
But this supply-side focus is increasingly recognised as only part of the story. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw only too clearly that food resilience is about the demand side too: food supply can be intact, but access to that food may be compromised by inability to travel ‘the final mile’, by socially induced panic buying, or by swiftly changing food prices. Recent work by Professor Tim Lang challenges the supply-side focus directly. His 2025 report to the UK’s National Preparedness Commission makes the case for ‘civil food resilience’, a resilience that is primarily about people. He explores questions of access, distribution, and the capacity of communities themselves to withstand food shocks.
In other words, food resilience is both systemic and civil. It includes:
Supply chains – how food is grown, processed, transported, and stocked.
Distribution and logistics – how food reaches shops, schools, hospitals, food banks, and households.
People and communities – how prepared we are, individually and collectively, to adapt when shocks occur.
This shift in thinking reframes food resilience as a whole-system challenge involving everyone – government, producers, suppliers, community groups, and households.
The Current State of Food Resilience in the UK
The UK’s food system is built on a fragile just–in–time model. At any point, major urban centres like London are estimated to hold as little as 24 hours of food. While rural regions may look different, they remain deeply dependent on long, centralised supply chains.
The UK typically imports around 60% of its food, much of it from regions already experiencing climate disruption. This reliance means that droughts, floods, pests, and shifting growing seasons overseas quickly translate into gaps on our shelves and price increases at home.
And a changing climate is only one type of risk. Our food system faces multiple vulnerabilities:
Cyberattacks on logistics networks
Labour shortages, as starkly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic
Energy disruptions affecting refrigeration, transport, and processing
Extreme weather impacts on crops, transport routes, and access
Food safety incidents requiring rapid response
Industry professionals consistently describe the system as “more fragile than we readily admit.” Tim Lang’s research, based on interviews across the food sector, highlights how awareness of that fragility has grown but action has lagged far behind.
What Risks Are Today’s Food Systems Under?
Risk is no longer hypothetical. People across the UK have already experienced:
Flooding cutting off transport routes
Storm–related power cuts disrupting refrigeration and access
Pandemic-related supply chain breakdowns
Media and social media increasing panic-buying likelihood
Price volatility driven by geopolitical tension and climate impacts
These events are neither extreme nor unlikely. They are recurring, sometimes compounding, and unevenly distributed across regions. What remains unknown is not whether further shocks will come, but where, when, and how they will intersect.
A resilient food system must therefore be able to cope with multiple overlapping stresses – not just isolated incidents.
Floods in Crickhowell caused by Storm Dennis, 2020 – climate change is causing increased flooding and storm damage across the UK. Credit: Peter Rhys Williams / Shutterstock.
The Local Scenario: Food Resilience in Dyfed-Powys
The Dyfed-Powys region (Powys, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire) demonstrates a unique double identity in the food system. We’re both at the beginning and the end of the supply chain.
On one hand, communities in Powys, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire sit at the end of very long supply chains. Food must enter the UK, reach national distribution centres, navigate regional logistics networks, and then travel considerable distances to reach rural stores – after which many residents must still travel significant distances to get it.
On the other hand, the region is rich in food production, from livestock to horticulture. Yet much of this locally produced food, particularly meat and dairy, is exported with only a fraction retained for local consumers. This is beginning to prompt serious discussions within Welsh Government and local partnerships about shortening supply chains and keeping more locally produced food available for local people.
During the pandemic, mutual aid groups sprang up across the region. Communities mobilised food deliveries, supported vulnerable neighbours, and improvised new distribution channels. These experiences demonstrated both the weaknesses of the existing system and the power of organised civil action.
A Welsh Opportunity: Regional Food Partnerships and New Government Investment
Wales is uniquely well positioned to lead a transformation in food resilience. Every one of its 22 counties has a local food partnership, formal structures that bring together growers, distributors, community organisations, councils, and citizens to collaborate on food system change.
In 2025, Welsh Government published the Wales Community Food Strategy, setting out a vision for a fairer, more resilient, and more sustainable food system. To support its implementation, it launched the Collaborative Grant Scheme for Local Food Partnerships, enabling partnerships to work together on shared challenges and opportunities.
While the funding emerged partly from underspend, its impact has been significant. Crucially, it has empowered regions to:
Build collaborative projects
Share learning and innovation
Strengthen local infrastructure
Explore new models of localised food resilience
The Dyfed-Powys region seized this opportunity, forming a collaboration between Powys, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. Inspired by Tim Lang’s work, they asked ‘How can we turn these national findings into practical action at regional level?’.
The Dyfed Powys Civil Food Resilience Project
The regional collaboration commissioned two major strands of research:
Research by Miller Research – a rapid but wide-ranging analysis of food resilience across the region.
A participatory innovation process led by CAT’s Innovation Lab – gathering diverse voices from across the food system to test, challenge, and deepen the research findings.
The event hosted at CAT formed the heart of this participatory approach. Around 70 participants attended two workshops (one online and one in person), representing the entire food system:
Growers and farmers
Wholesalers and logistics professionals
Retailers
Food banks and community food groups
Policy makers and local authorities
Researchers and educators
The aim was twofold:
1. Understand the Current State
Participants examined the findings from Miller Research, discussing where vulnerabilities lie today and which groups are most exposed.
2. Explore Future Scenarios
Using CAT’s Innovation Lab methodology, participants worked through plausible shock scenarios—power cuts, extreme weather, supply disruptions, labour shortages—and assessed what readiness (or lack thereof) looks like on the ground.
The energy in the room was powerful. Many participants said it was the first time they had been able to speak openly about the real risks facing the food system. The process surfaced:
High levels of local expertise
Shared concerns across sectors
Real appetite for coordinated regional action
Examples of missed opportunities to link local production with local need
Concrete barriers that communities face in accessing food during shocks
Perhaps most importantly, it highlighted the enormous potential of civil food resilience – the capacity already present in communities, if supported and connected.
What happened following the workshop at CAT
On 16 March, the four local food partnerships met at a Food Security Summit in Aberystwyth to share findings from the research and innovation lab workshops, gather wider input, and begin shaping a roadmap for regional action.
Although the current project runs only until the end of the financial year, there is strong ambition to secure additional investment. The hope is to:
Implement recommendations from the research
Strengthen local food distribution networks
Build long-term collaboration between counties
Test new resilience approaches across more regions
Develop civil-led preparedness strategies
Continue scenario-based planning and innovation
Why was CAT so well placed to support this work?
Our unique combination of expertise made CAT the ideal convener.
1. Innovation Lab Methodology
CAT has deep experience designing participatory, whole-systems processes that help diverse groups navigate complexity. This was the primary reason the partners approached CAT for the ability to bring people together in a constructive, structured, and empowering way.
2. A History of Food in CAT’s Sustainability Vision
Food has long played a role in CAT’s thinking – from the early community who lived and grew food on site, to the development of postgraduate programmes in food systems and sustainability.
CAT’s site provides an environment where people can think differently, step out of day-to-day pressures, and work collectively on long-term challenges.
Keep up to date with all the latest activities, events and online resources by signing up to our emails and following us on social media. And if you’d like to get involved and support our work, we’d love to welcome you as a CAT member.
This World Environment Day, the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is proud to announce the launch of a major new three-year climate action project, Troi’r Llanw/Turning the Tide.
Thanks to National Lottery players, Troi’r Llanw/Turning the Tide has received £1,499,800 over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. The project aims to normalise community-led climate work, ensure marginalised voices shape environmental decisions, and help people feel empowered in the face of the climate crisis. The project is led by the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) alongside Cwmpas, Youth Cymru, Mentrau Iaith Cymru, and Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST).
A Wales-wide approach to community-led climate action
The project, which directly links with this year’s World Environment Day theme (A Global Call for Climate Action), aims to influence community-led climate action by delivering a Wales-wide (bilingual) programme to promote climate action. It will link community initiatives to share innovations and good practice, create and support a peer network of environmental champions, and disseminate results to inform Welsh and UK-level policy and practice.
To achieve this, partners will deliver an integrated programme of awareness raising, capacity building, co-production, and systems change approaches. It will also provide technical advice and tailored support, practical help for climate focused social enterprises, and an information and advice hub, while nurturing environmental champions and a learning network, hosting an annual gathering and learning conference, and driving evaluative research and policy engagement.
Ultimately, the project aims to strengthen climate literacy and awareness, build capacity for action and support community-led projects while promoting a just and fair transition to a more sustainable future. By sharing stories of successful local action, and encouraging policy dialogue, it will work to ensure that community perspectives influence decision makers. The initiative aims to draw on the strengths and networks of its delivery partners to reach target communities and guide people from everyday conversations to sustained climate action and wider policy impact.
This comes from the Climate Action Fund, a long-term commitment to support communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in positive environmental action.
Over the next three years, the project will directly engage thousands of people across Wales, supporting communities in rural, urban and coastal areas, with a particular focus on those facing social, economic and environmental disadvantage enabling them to turn ideas into practical solutions – from community energy and food projects to skills development, nature recovery and low-carbon innovation.
Civic Square community group on a tour of the CAT site. Photo by Dan Griffiths
Strong partnerships reaching diverse communities
Amanda Smith, Head of Learning and Education at CAT and Project Lead, said:
“Troi’r Llanw / Turning the Tide, thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund, brings together the strengths of organisations across Wales to make climate action more accessible, relevant and achievable for everyone. At CAT, we are uniquely placed to lead this ambitious programme by bringing over 50 years of experience in climate education, community engagement and practical solutions, but we know that real change happens when we work in partnership. By combining our expertise with the deep community connections of our partners, we can reach a wider and more diverse range of people, supporting communities to build the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to turn ideas into lasting, local action.”
Through this project, CAT will provide strategic leadership, climate expertise, training and technical support — helping communities move from initial engagement to sustained, practical action.
Photo by Mohamed Hassan
Working in partnership alongside Cwmpas, Youth Cymru, Mentrau Iaith Cymru, and Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST) will enable the project to reach communities right across Wales inspiring and enabling them to take practical, locally-led action on climate change – ensuring that those most affected by climate impacts are at the heart of the response.
“Mentrau Iaith Cymru is excited to be part of this important project to empower communities to take action for the climate. Stimulating Welsh-medium discussions in our communities is something Mentrau Iaith Cymru are passionate about. We look forward to fostering new partnerships through the project for the benefit of our communities.”
“We are delighted to be part of the Troi’r Llanw / Turning the Tide project, working with our partners to reach communities across Wales and inspiring them to take practical, local-led action on climate change.
At Cwmpas, we believe everyone in Wales can help to build a fairer, greener economy and a more equal society. That is why it is so important that communities feel empowered to get involved, make decisions that reflect their local priorities, and take practical action, especially in response to the climate emergency and the need to reduce our carbon impact. We are proud to be a part of this project and look forward to supporting Welsh communities to turn their innovative ideas into meaningful action.”
“We are grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund and to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) for this important opportunity to be part of the Troi’r Llanw / Turning the Tide partnership.
At EYST, we see every day how climate change and environmental challenges intersect with wider inequalities facing our communities. Through this project, we will work closely with young people, families and community groups across Wales to raise awareness, build skills and inspire action that is rooted in cultural values and community strengths. By creating safe spaces for dialogue, delivering hands-on learning and supporting local environmental champions, we aim to ensure that those often underrepresented in climate conversations are not only included, but empowered to lead change in their communities. We believe it is all our responsibility to leave a positive environmental footprint and a lasting legacy for future generations.”
Together, these partners bring extensive grassroots networks, trusted relationships and deep expertise in working with communities who are often underrepresented in climate conversations. This collaborative approach ensures the project can meet people where they are, connecting climate action to everyday concerns such as jobs, energy costs, health and community wellbeing.
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We recently caught up with CAT Graduate Janet Tuppen to hear how she is putting the skills she learned while studying at CAT into action.
Janet Tuppen studied a Masters at CAT in order to pursue a career change, and the MSc in Sustainability and Ecology enabled her to move from the media and radio industry into the environmental sector.
She is now working with the Chilterns National Landscape as a Project Support Officer for Mend the Gap, a project dedicated to enhancing the landscape and working with local communities.
During our recent Graduate School Symposium, we caught up with Janet to hear how she’s putting the skills she learnt at CAT into action.
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Last year, after our first-ever week-long Regenerative Futures – Architecture Summer School, Dr Carl Meddings reflected on how it went and how students envisioned a regenerative future for the Dyfi Biosphere.
In July last year, we held our first Architecture Summer School, on the theme of regenerative futures, and chose the Dyfi Biosphere as the focus.
As an environmental education centre dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change, we offer a wide range of Masters-level courses including a Masters in Sustainable Architecture (M.Arch) for students training to be architects.
Building on the success of that course, last year’s Summer School was aimed at undergraduate architecture students who wanted to broaden their understanding of regenerative practices, localism, heritage significance, community resilience, biodiversity and habitat diversity, and the fundamental interconnectedness of human and more-than-human systems. And what better place to explore these ideas than the Dyfi Biosphere?
In the end, we had more than architecture students in attendance. Of the fourteen people who joined the course, two were just doing their A levels and another two had travelled from Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, where they are currently nurturing their own regenerative farm.
Being there
The group travelled around the Biosphere, starting at CAT in the (very rainy) Celtic Rainforest and ending at (a very windy) Borth. Together we visited the Taj Mahal Community Hub in Machynlleth where we met Sandra Bendelow and heard all about the wide range of community activities and opportunities that they support.
We travelled, via The Dyfi Wildlife project (to see the Ospreys and their fledglings) to Coetir Anian where we met Cian Llywelyn who was able to tell us about the gentle, careful work that they are doing and show us the buildings at Bwlch Corog, which are themselves a really lovely and interesting study in sustainability, given that they’re largely built from materials sourced within the site itself. Our final destination was Borth and Ynyslas, where the summer school attendees explored the town and its precarious connection to both the sea and the land.
Being gentle
On return to CAT, we discussed ideas for the future of the Dyfi Biosphere through a Three Horizons workshop developed by CAT’s own Innovation Lab and Zero Carbon Hub. This is designed to enhance and provoke positive, critical futures thinking, and students were invited to contemplate a future where ‘By 2050 the Dyfi biosphere is a place where gentle interventions have guided a thriving local community and a healthy ecosystem’.
This was followed by a Deep Mapping exercise run by tutors on the M.Arch Sustainable Architecture course, exploring creative expressions of the future by asking participants to develop ‘gentle catalysts for resilience’ for human and more-than-human occupants of the area.
Final outputs from participants included proposals for:
Recipes for local food, sourced, cooked and beautifully served for all to share,
A mobile community centre in a converted bus, scheduled to travel from place to place as community needs dictate
An event taking place in 2050 – being the imagined 25th anniversary of a festival called Cymorth Borth, that celebrates the communal resilience and mutual support for the inhabitants of Borth and Beyond in the face of the impacts of climate change,
A prototype for a community shelter and living room (based on an extended telephone booth) designed to provide positive mental health support and guidance
A food library to promote community gathering, food production, education, sharing and nourishment
A methodology for community engagement drawing on stories and shared experiences, histories and narratives – that are always richer than any map can contain.
“Everyone was welcoming and kind, and it was amazing to have such interesting conversations and do such interesting work as a result of that. The celebratory nature of the product at the end, which I guess, since the ‘catalyst’ was rooted in care, was also really refreshing.” Ashleigh Rizza – participant
CAT offers the only rural-based and sustainability-focused architecture course in the UK. We define sustainable architecture through fully acknowledging the impact of humanity on our planet and the need to act now. We provide the tools for our students to create architecture and healthy places that are appropriate for a world where eco-centric values are held as equal to anthropocentric ones.
Thanks must go to the many people that helped make the week so special, including
Following the success of last year’s Architecture Summer School, we are excited to welcome this year’s participants to site for a week of creative, collaborative and place-based learning.
Dr Carl Meddings is the Programme Leader for CAT’s MArch: Sustainable Architecture course. He is an architect and educator with a passion for educating architects in a rapidly changing cultural and professional environment. His design ethos is rooted in critical regionalism; the exploration of appropriate architecture that is culturally, socially and environmentally responsive. He has taught at all levels from first-year undergraduate to final year masters level and beyond.
Images: Myfi Fenwick, Ashleigh Rizza.
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In the words of James Baldwin, “Nothing can be changed until it is faced”. Renowned writer, researcher and keynote speaker at our upcoming annual conference, Mike Berners-Lee reflects on how we can face the failure of climate action to date, what we can do about it, and on how CAT has helped serve as inspiration.
CAT was where, as a teenager, I encountered my first straw house; first compost loo and probably my first wind turbine. I went back several times for inspiration over the next few years. So it was wonderful to be back again in November for the first time in over a decade, and to have a chance to talk about my book to an audience that really cares about the issues I’m trying to address.
I wrote A Climate of Truth because I’d been working on climate and sustainability for a couple of decades, and in that time, I had seen the world accelerating in the wrong direction. This was despite all my efforts, and the efforts of so many others – many of them absolute heroes in my eyes.
Mike Berners-Lee’s book A Climate of Truth is available in our online ecostore.
But between us all, we have to face the fact that humanity is degrading climate and nature by a larger amount every year. I’m not saying this to be depressing but because, in the words of James Baldwin, “Nothing can be changed until it is faced”.
By facing our failure to date, we give ourselves a dramatically higher chance of doing better in the future. In fact, we can turn that failure into the essential learning that paves the way to doing much better.
The National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature
Just after my talk at CAT, I chaired the National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature at the Central Hall in Westminster. We brought together around 1,000 people, including 15% of all MPs and a similar number of peers. We put them in front of nine briefings from some of the UK’s, or even the world’s, top experts in their fields. They heard about crises in nature, climate, tipping points; the implications for extreme weather, food insecurity, health, and national security – not just globally, but right here in the UK.
Paul Behrens looked at our food and farming system and what actions we can take to be future-fit. The climate that gave us reliable harvests is gone – three of the five worst cereal harvests on record have occurred this decade. A food system transformation is unavoidable – and beneficial. By leading the transition now we can avoid being forced into it later by food shocks, rising prices and instability.
A running theme was how everything is connected to everything else, and part of the power of the event was to join the issues together. The biggest threat to the economy comes not from single elements of the polycrisis or individual events, but from how these are likely to reinforce each other.
We heard from Professor Hugh Montgomery that the main health threat turns out not to be from heat strokes, but arises because in a collapsed economy, there is no health service. The national security threat arises from an increasingly desperate world. Another theme was the central role of misinformation in blocking our progress so far.
Facing the problem
There were some very stark messages, but the overall sense was one of rising excitement in the room. Was that weird? Not really. Here’s why.
Firstly, there was a widespread sense of relief to have the problem looked fully in the eye; by doing so, we transformed it from something too awful to look at into something we could take on. Most people get it, deep down, that our society and our politics is heading in the wrong direction and largely ignoring the problem, so it was refreshing to hear this called out.
Secondly, everyone in the room saw how everyone else also understood what was going on. When I asked for a show of hands to see who thought the problem was as serious as they’d heard, who thought it was worse, and who thought it had been exaggerated, not a single hand went up to say that things had been exaggerated. The same thing happened at CAT. In fact, it is the same picture at every talk I do, to every kind of audience. There is robust evidence to say that all over the world, most people want to see far more action on climate change, but they don’t realise that the people around them feel the same. This leads to everyone waiting for everyone else to make the first move.
The third reason for so much energy in the room was a sense that, despite our failure so far, there is real hope that we can do better.
How can we do better?
To do so, a top priority is to put straight the misinformation that has been blocking almost everything. As Hugh Montgomerry said, drawing on his years running emergency responses in a central London hospital; “I know what an emergency looks like. This is one, but we are not treating it like one.”
So the immediate call to action is for a government-backed national information campaign on the climate and nature emergency. Every MP can sign up to this, and everyone reading this piece can urge their MP to support that campaign. Please do go to www.NEBriefing.org to see how you can help.
A film is also being produced, and workshops and film screenings will be taking place up and down the UK. Please feel very free to help organise one of these events as well.
Inspiring action
This takes me back to the central message of my book. If we want to start getting somewhere on the issues that matter most for humans in 2026; climate, nature, inequality, health, AI, democracy and much, much more, we need to understand the reasons behind the reasons why, for example, 30 climate COPs have failed to stop the rate of emissions from rising as if those conferences had never happened.
Why did we almost open up a new coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria when the arguments for it were not just wrong but knowingly bogus? Why are we talking about new oil and gas fields in the North Sea? Why has the global plastics treaty got nowhere?
The common thread is dishonesty in our politics, media and businesses. Examples include industry lobbying and misinformation, a press largely owned by nefarious billionaires who use their platform to talk the public into doing things in support of their own vested interests, and politicians who have routinely got away with saying things (not just lies) which are intended to make the public believe things that they themselves don’t believe to be the case.
We have to lay down some principles of what honesty looks like in public life and insist on them as baseline standards. If a politician misleads us once, it tells us all we ever need to know about their fitness for the role. If a media source is owned by a billionaire with a nefarious track record, that is all you need to know not to trust it.
In the UK, and elsewhere, we have been careless over standards of honesty in public life and the media. As a result, we now face a flat out fight against fascism. The US has lost that fight, with dark repercussions for years ahead. But in the UK, we still stand on the brink with everything to play for. We need to wake up now.
When I first encountered CAT, it was a source of huge inspiration to me as the cutting edge of green technology. CAT has transformed wonderfully, into not just a place of green technology, but into a centre of cutting-edge future thinking. It continues to inspire future generations.
If you are reading this article, it is because you care about this stuff. If you haven’t already, please do roll up your sleeves to face the emergency.
About the author
Mike Berners-Lee is a professor at Lancaster University, the founder of Small World Consulting and the author of books including There is No Planet B and A Climate of Truth. He is also a keynote speaker at CAT’s 2026 Conference.
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This week marks an important moment for CAT as we take a significant step forward in our long-term capital redevelopment project ‘Cynefin: Green Heart of Wales’.
We have formally submitted planning applications for two key early elements of the project: the new build Quarry Cottages accommodation and the renovation of the Straw Bale Theatre.
These applications are the first visible signs of a transformational programme of work designed to secure CAT’s future as a world leading centre for environmental education.
Drawing by Haworth Tompkins
A staged project, with staged funding
Cynefin is supported by the Mid Wales Growth Deal, with funding approved for its initial phase. Future phases will be subject to further approvals before any additional funding is committed. As a multi-stage capital project, progression is phased, with each stage moving forward only once the required match funding has been secured.
This structure means that alongside the Growth Deal support, CAT must work with a wide range of partners, donors, trusts, and funders. Each brings a slightly different focus, but all share a commitment to CAT’s mission: enabling people to learn the skills and solutions needed for a thriving, sustainable future.
We know that this comes shortly after our urgent fundraising appeal and we want to be clear about the distinction. That appeal was about keeping CAT running day to day to bridge a short-term gap in funding as we reach the end of the financial year. The Growth Deal project, by contrast, is capital only funding (for physical infrastructure) that cannot be used for operational costs. These two funding streams serve different purposes, but both are vital to CAT’s long-term resilience.
The Design
CAT have been working alongside Stirling prize-winning architects Haworth Tompkins on the designs for the restoration and extension to the quarry cottages and retrofit of the Straw Bale theatre. As co-founders of Architects Declare, Haworth Tompkins advocate sustainable and regenerative approaches to design and are thrilled to reach this important juncture for Project Cynefin.
More details on their exciting work with CAT will be shared in due course.
What’s included in this phase?
Quarry Cottages: new sustainable accommodation
At the heart of this first stage is the redevelopment of CAT’s historic Quarry Cottages – a once‑lived‑in corner of the old slate quarry that will become a purpose-built haven for learning groups.
Designed as a site within a site, the new and transformed Quarry Cottages will offer groups their own safe, self‑contained space: separate enough to feel like a retreat, yet richly connected to the wider CAT landscape, its woodlands, and its teaching spaces.
Drawing on CAT’s expertise in exemplar sustainable building practices, the development will honour the spirit and history of the original quarry workers’ cottages while working to transform them into vibrant, accessible accommodation that reflects the very best of cutting‑edge building standards.
Nestled gently into the hillside and surrounded by nature on all sides, the cottages will provide a place where visiting schools, universities, CAT Students and community groups can stay, connect deeply with the environment around them, and reflect on their learning at the end of each day.
The Quarry Cottages will offer an immersive overnight stay for guests based in a ‘site within a site’ that combines rich Celtic rainforest ecology, industrial and post-industrial site history and a microcosm of the holistic, practical approach to sustainability that is the basis of CAT’s vision and mission.
This will mark a significant step forward in CAT’s ability to welcome more learners to CAT’s unique living laboratory – in comfort, safety, and direct connection with the land beneath their feet.
Drawing by Haworth Tompkins
Straw Bale Theatre: a refreshed exemplar classroom
The retrofit of CAT’s much-loved Straw Bale Theatre will breathe new life into this iconic natural building, transforming it into a modern, vibrant learning hub.
As a home base for visiting schools, many of whom travel long distances for immersive days at CAT, the reimagined Straw Bale Theatre will provide a welcoming, flexible classroom space that supports experiential, hands-on learning. Its overhaul will ensure we can continue delivering high-quality education during phases of the wider campus redevelopment progress.
Outside, a new outdoor classroom nestled between wild gardens, ponds, and woodland will offer a safe, stimulating space for play, exploration, and discovery. This natural learning environment will expand CAT’s capacity to bring more children into nature-rich experiences that foster curiosity, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
Together, the refreshed Straw Bale Theatre and its adjoining outdoor classroom will form a cornerstone of CAT’s educational offer – a place where thousands of young people can connect with climate solutions, sustainable living, and the natural world in deeply memorable ways.
Drawing by Haworth Tompkins
Laying foundations for CAT’s future
Submitting these planning applications marks the beginning of the visible stages of a long term, carefully sequenced project. There is much work still to do, including securing the match funding needed to unlock each stage, but this progress represents a hopeful and energising step forward.
Starting with our accommodation provision and learning spaces have been prioritised to support the continuation of our crucial teaching and on-site engagement while broader and more impactful developments take place in the future.
With the support of our community, partners, and funders, Cynefin will help CAT continue to inspire, educate, and support the changemakers of the future.
Future stages of work will reopen the CAT site to day visitors as a leading educational visitor attraction and provide exemplar and cutting-edge learning facilities for CAT’s learners of all types.
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We are delighted to announce a new Postgraduate Bursary for Welsh students, this National Scholarship Week. Funded by the Ashley Family Foundation, this new bursary will support students with a connection to Wales to study at CAT’s internationally recognised Graduate School of the Environment.
From September 2026, the bursary will help remove financial barriers to postgraduate study in sustainability, climate action, and environmental leadership.
What is the new CAT Postgraduate Bursary?
The new bursary will provide £9,000 in tuition costs to a new full time postgraduate student starting their studies at CAT in September 2026.
The funding is available to students enrolling on one of CAT’s Master’s degrees.
Have lived and/or studied in Wales within the last five years, and
Are passionate about creating positive environmental and social change.
The aim is to support talented individuals who may otherwise be unable to access postgraduate education due to financial constraints.
Empowering the Next Generation of Welsh Changemakers
The new partnership between CAT and the Ashley Family Foundation reflects shared commitments to education, sustainability, and supporting opportunities for people across Wales, particularly those who may face obstacles in accessing postgraduate study.
The bursary is designed to unlock transformative opportunities for students who have the drive and potential to lead climate action in their communities and beyond and will help to widen participation in the environmental sector and increase representation of Welsh voices in climate action.
“Financial barriers continue to prevent many talented individuals in Wales from accessing the specialist postgraduate education needed to help address the climate and nature crises. This bursary will give a full time student the chance to gain advanced knowledge, confidence, and skills at a critical time — and the ripple effects of their work will extend far beyond their own careers to communities and organisations in Wales.” said Dr Adrian Watson, Head of the Graduate School of the Environment.
Graduates of CAT’s pioneering sustainability programmes frequently go on to careers in renewable energy, community climate action, sustainable architecture, environmental policy, ecological restoration, education, and starting their own enterprises. A significantly higher proportion of CAT graduates begin their own sustainability-focused organisations compared to sector averages, a testament to the practical, solutions‑driven nature of CAT’s teaching and environment.
A Partnership for Positive Change
This dedicated bursary is funded entirely by the Ashley Family Foundation, a UK‑registered charity committed to strengthening rural communities and supporting social and environmental wellbeing across the UK, with deep roots in Wales.
By investing in postgraduate environmental education, the Foundation is helping to nurture skilled, creative thinkers capable of developing innovative responses to the climate and nature emergencies, delivering lasting social, cultural, and environmental benefits for Wales.
Dr Adrian Watson added: “We are hugely grateful to the Ashley Family Foundation for recognising the transformative potential of environmental education. Their support will help ensure that more Welsh students can access the knowledge and tools needed to create meaningful change in their communities.”
How to Apply for the CAT Postgraduate Bursary
Students interested in applying can find full details about the bursary, eligibility criteria, and other funding opportunities by joining our upcoming Postgraduate Funding Webinar on 06 May.
Applications for the Ashley Family Foundation bursary, and other funding opportunities available to new students wanting to study sustainability at CAT, close on 10 June 2026.
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