Iolo ap Dafydd
BBC Wales sustainability correspondent |
  The Welsh energy strategy is expected later this year |
A conference looking at tackling climate change in Wales has been opened by the environment minister. "Climate Change, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" in Llandrindod Wells, Powys is asking whether Wales has "woken up" to the issue. Other subjects include the response to the issues in Wales and beyond, and whether people need to act sooner, differently or more effectively. Jane Davidson spoke before 100 people at the Llandrindod Wells event. Ms Davidson reiterated the importance of the 2006 Stern report, which discuseed the impact of climate change on the world economy. She also mentioned two initiatives in Wales over the next few months. In June, a Wales-wide public information campaign about climate change strategy is launched. Ms Davidson said: "We will be launching a new communication campaign in June, including a bi-lingual carbon calculator which will be able to give people a detailed action plan on reducing their carbon footprint through the medium of Welsh." In October, people in Wales will be encouraged to recycle up to 70% of all household waste. The assembly government has set a target of an annual 3% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in devolved areas from 2011. It also wants to establish a Climate Change Commission and publish a renewable energy route map for Wales. The problems of climate change were illustrated by the Environment Agency, who said the annual cost of dealing with flooding in Wales was between �70 and �76m. Flooding cost More than 60,000 people in Gwynedd and the north west are in danger of flooding as well as up to 60,000 in south east Wales and up to 40,000 people in Powys and the south west. Meic Davies, from Environment Agency Wales, said they expected a 20% increase in river flooding in future, and that by the end of this century the sea level could be up to one metre higher than at present. Prof Gareth Wyn Jones, who researches projects in Lesotho, South Africa, concentrated on world population in his address. The projected population will rise to 8.5-9bn from the estimated 6-6.6bn at present. He warned that our ways of living is unsustainable, especially as water will become scarcer in poorer parts of the world. Temperature rise He mentioned carbon emissions in Wales, and how much that needs to be reduced to avoid a "catastrophic rise" of more than two degrees C. Climate change, said the professor, was a "difficult challenge to politicians, especially as we all are selfish, and want the best for our children and families, and don't think about the problems we create." The next big announcement later this year will be the Wales Energy Strategy.. In February, plans for a "lean, clean and green" Wales, making it self-sufficient in renewable energy within 20 years were launched by the assembly government. A working party from within the Welsh environmental sector is behind the conference, chaired by retired lecturer Dr Dyfed Elis-Griffith. "The conference aims to bring together not only academics and other specialists in the field of climate change, but also practitioners and environmental students," said Dr Elis-Griffith. During the conference, working sessions will provide an opportunity for delegates to propose their own discussion subjects. The conference is being advertised as the first Welsh-medium national environmental conference. A translation facility is being made available.
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(We) want the best for our children and families, and don't think about the problems we create
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