Wales Climate Week: moving to a net zero Wales

Following on from last year’s event, Wales Climate Week focused on five key topics:

• Wales and the world: a look at how Wales can work with other nations to tackle climate change.
• Energy and emissions: how organisations across sectors are taking steps towards decarbonisation.
• How Wales is responding to the climate emergency: what is already being done to help Wales move to net zero?
• Exploring the role of nature in climate resilience: how Wales’ landscapes and seas can be harnessed.
• How individual choices impact the world’s climate: how communities across Wales can play their part in climate change.

Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales, and Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change, started the week’s conversations, which featured speakers from the public sector, industry, academia, unions and more. The virtual nature of the event allowed for questions from across Wales, making for interactive sessions designed to engage people in these important conversations.

Much of the conversation was around the country’s net zero ambitions, with examples of what has already been put in place to help reach net zero, as well as discussions about what else needs to be done.

The first day of Wales Climate Week coincided with the launch of The Co-operation Agreement, a joint policy programme from the Welsh Government and the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group that sets out plans to examine potential pathways to net zero by 2035 and the creation of a publicly-owned energy company for Wales, Ynni Cymru. This net zero energy company would expand community-owned renewable energy generation.

The Welsh Government Energy Service supports public sector organisations and community groups in Wales in this aim of generating locally owned renewable energy. Projects supported by the Energy Service featured as examples of what’s already being done to support Welsh Government’s net zero ambition.

From energy efficiency measures to renewable energy or ultra-low emission vehicles, these projects are saving 432,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the same volume 800 square kilometres of trees absorb in a year, an area larger than the Isle of Anglesey.

A recent project supported by the Energy Service is Swansea Bay University Health Board’s four mega-watt (4MW) solar farm. The solar farm recently went live and will supply almost 25% of Morriston Hospital’s power, cutting its electricity bill by around £500,000 a year while significantly reducing its carbon emissions. The solar farm is part of the Health Board’s plans to bring down energy costs and reduce its carbon footprint by around 3,000 tonnes a year. Find out more here.

Read our analysis of the Welsh Government’s Net Zero Wales Plan.

Want to catch up on Wales Climate Week and COP Cymru? Visit the COP Cymru event platform and register to catch up on-demand.

For more information about the impact of the Welsh Government Energy Service, download the latest Annual Report in English or Welsh.

Stay up to date with the Welsh Government Energy Service on social media:

• Follow @_energyservice / @_gwasanaethynni on Twitter
• Follow Welsh Government Energy Service on LinkedIn.

Header image: Swansea Bay University Health Board solar farm