Fordwyaeth
There is overwhelming evidence and unprecedented political consensus that our climate is changing and that without urgent and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, there will be huge consequences for society, biodiversity and our economy. Strategies, policies and a plethora of initiatives to support carbon reduction continue to emerge from the UK and Welsh governments and beyond, to promote and facilitate change. There are parallel concerns about future fuel security and energy supply and pressure is building to drive organisations and communities to develop greater resilience to such challenges.
Targets have been set by the Welsh Assembly for the reduction of greenhouse gases and large organisations in the public and private sectors now have a legal obligation to measure and reduce their emissions. One aim of the Low Carbon Swansea Project was to work with Local Service Board members and others to help them meet these new targets and obligations.
It was recognised that some positive carbon reduction work was already going on in Swansea but there was no clear picture of what was happening or the extent to which this activity was contributing to overall carbon emission targets. Neither was there a mechanism for sharing good practice and expanding successful activity across the area.
The Low Carbon Swansea Project was developed by Swansea Environmental Forum with funding from the Convergence European Social Fund and from Environment Agency Wales (now Natural Resources Wales). The project has established a broad partnership for change and encourages collaboration across all sectors in Swansea towards a unified vision, with measureable targets and shared action for carbon and energy management.