Carbon emissions in Wales are rising

Research by BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme found emissions rose by 0.2% since 1990, despite assembly government targets to reduce climate damage.

Carbon emissions have been cut in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said Wales' "booming economy" had increased pollution as transport was necessary for people to get to work.

Paul Allen, from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, said the assembly government needed be "banging people's heads together" on climate change.

"What I feel is needed is an integrated strategy looking at what action can be done by local authorities, national government and by individuals," he said.

He blamed the rise in Welsh emissions on the fact it was a largely rural area, which meant a higher dependence on private transport.

Mr Allen said improving public transport should be a priority, along with a "revitalisation of local markets" which would mean less goods brought needlessly into the country.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 2055 Wales will be two degrees warmer Sea levels from Pembrokeshire to Chepstow could be half a metre higher Summer in south east Wales could be up to three degrees warmer A third less summer rainfall from Bangor to Bridgend Snowfall half of what it is now from Snowdonia to the Brecon Beacons More days of heavy rain and flood-risk, especially in north Wales and Ceredigion Source: Climate forecast model for BBC Wales' Week In Week Out

"Wales imports hundreds of thousands of lambs from Europe - why do this when we have our own lambs?" he said.

"We're not critical of the assembly government because they are doing a lot of good things - but the key thing is to join together all the initiatives they are running into one strategy."

Since devolution, responsibility for cutting greenhouse gases has rested with the assembly government.

The figures, from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), are a comparison of emissions between 1990 and 2003 - the latest year statistics have been collated.

The largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in Wales is the energy industry.

According to the NAEI figures, emissions from electricity generation in Wales have increased by 22% - compared with a fall of 15% in the UK as a whole.

Energy efficient

Britain is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto agreement.

Scientists have predicted the Earth will warm by 1.4 - 5.8C by 2100. Many experts blame the rise on increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Mr Morgan told BBC Wales it was vital for the Welsh economy to get more people to work, but said this had an impact on carbon dioxide levels.

He added: "If we don't have a strong economy you can't afford the capital expenditure to make our schools, our social housing, our private housing and our hospital estate much more energy efficient in the future.

"That's what we've got to do and you have to pay for that - you have to put your capital in up front to make these buildings much more energy efficient."

The programme also forecasts what the weather could be like in 2025, 2055 and 2085, based on climate change.

It projects drier summers and sea level rises, based on a projected rise in temperatures of three degrees by 2085.