25th October 2023 | International Climate Action Day | 13:30 – 14:30
#climateactionday
We will be joined by Climate Cymru and partners for a workshop on evidence-based climate action in Wales.
Part 1 – Introduction to Climate Cymru and Climate Action
Climate Cymru is an active movement made up of 365 organisations from every sector in Welsh society, including business, innovation, education, third sector, community, and over 15,000 people from across Wales, who are concerned about climate change.
Part 2 – Evidence needs spotlights from Climate Cymru Partners
Climate Cymru is inviting a selection of partners from civil society to share their evidence needs with researchers across Wales.
Part 3 – Breakout rooms: Discussion on Evidence-based Climate Action
What is your view on the role of evidence and research in Climate Action? How could academia and civil society work better to answer important questions and drive meaningful change?
Speakers
Clare James | Climate Cymru
Clare is Climate Cymru’s Network Coordinator, having previously worked for Shelter Cymru, Llamau, Techniquest and Greenpeace and has organised several large climate mobilisations.
Outside of this role she’s a climate activist and campaigner on both global and local issues.
Through decades of experience in housing and homelessness, Clare has become a huge proponent of tackling social injustices as a means of solving the climate crises.
Lesley Punter | Extinction Rebellion Cymru
Lesley is a member of the XRCymru Political Engagement Team and has previously worked as a Special Advisor to Welsh Government and as a cilvil servant in the Planning Division.
Now retired, she uses her skills and knowledge to promote and lobby at national level for the 3 XR Demands: Tell the Truth, Act Now and Trust the People.
The research idea:
Does having local participation in the decision making process on a climate action policy (some form of participatory democracy) increase the efficacy of the action?
Why it is important & how it might unlock some kind of action:
Extinction Rebellion is asking for a Climate Citizens Assembly and the use of People’s (Community) Assemblies. There are many advocates of both forms of participatory democracy but do they work? Are decisions on climate action made with local participation more effective?
Eben Muse | British Mountaineering Council
Eben Muse is the Policy and Campaigns officer for the British Mountaineering Council in Wales. He’s an advocate for access to nature, and for the protection of our landscapes. Currently, he is campaigning for a Scottish-style Right to Roam to be extended to Wales, in order to better connect our people with our (natural) spaces and rural communities, including our farms and food systems.
The research idea:
How can we as land managers, legislators, tourism operators and administrators meet these needs better and what levers do we have towards pushing visitors towards genuine connection? Is promoting nature based tourism one way? Outdoor recreation is another? A right to roam allowing a less prescriptive experience off the beaten path? How do we better utilise the millions who flow into the countryside every year and move their experience away from nature being a backdrop to their pictures, to a genuine part of their lives. Should we see people as ‘the wrong kind of tourist’, or are we merely offering the wrong kinds of experiences?
Why it is important & how it might unlock some kind of action:
Nature connection moves people towards taking action on climate change. In my work with national parks there is a distinction between the ‘right’ type of visitor – monied, educated, well-equipped, and invariably middle class, and the wrong kind – the bucket and spade brigade, generally working class, new to experiencing the outdoors, lacking in nature connection as they are typically from urban areas. The national parks strategize openly for capturing the ‘good’ kind of tourist but I feel that there are clear questions here that good research could be called to answer. There is a point at which the ‘bad’ becomes the good, through education, through exposure, through experience. All these people are setting out to meet the same need for wide open spaces, green and a sense of belonging in our natural landscapes.
This year, the Youth Climate Action Day would like to focus on young people’s engagement for climate justice. Topics such as the consequences of the textile industry for people and nature, water scarcity and corporate responsibility, and food security and sovereignty, among others, will be discussed and be the focus of small and large, global actions.
| Proposed by | The research idea | Why it is important & how it might unlock some kind of action? |
| Lucy McQuillan, Nature Connection and Forest Bathing | Researching people new to nature connection and how/if it changes behaviour and perspective on how to protect our natural environment | When we see what we value being destroyed and not sustainably developed it might galvanise action e.g. voting for a political candidate with green credentials, consuming less, influencing others. |
| Nature Premium | How would Nature Connection enable children and young people agency to manage their own mental wellbeing? | Connecting with nature improves mental and physical health and educational, emotional and personal development. This is important because children’s access to nature is inconsistent. Enhanced nature connection can enable limited medical support to focus on those who require specialist help. |
| Extinction Rebellion | Does having local participation in the decision making process on a climate action policy (some form of participatory democracy) increase the efficacy of the action? | Extinction Rebellion is asking for a Climate Citizens Assembly and the use of People’s (Community) Assemblies. There are many advocates of both forms of participatory democracy but do they work? Are decisions on climate action made with local participation more effective? |
| Sustainable Wales | We need more local statistics, not all global, how the issues pertain to localities. | |
| Welsh Centre for International Affairs | Effectiveness of global citizenship education. Which global citizenship interventions are most likely to unlock action in an individual (at all ages – lifelong learning)? | There is limited systematic evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of global citizenship interventions as opposed to other kinds of pupil enrichment activity, and also little evidence as to the most effective global citizenship interventions. Most research that has been conducted is in the school environment. What about global citizenship for adults? |
| Welsh Centre for International Affairs | Research to inform and promote holistic education for Sustainable Development (SDG 4.7): A targeted piece of research to clearly show evidence of the links between peace, human rights, gender equality and sustainable development, supported by case studies. | Work around climate change within the education sector tends to focus on environmental issues in isolation i.e. plastic pollution and recycling. It would be beneficial to promote a more holistic approach, including climate justice and also links between local and global issues e.g. peace, human rights and equality. |
| Welsh Centre for International Affairs | Understanding links between militarism in Wales (and beyond) and climate change | Published statistics on climate emissions don’t take into account the impact of activities by the military. Calculations of military emissions in Wales should include the impact of low-fly zones, the testing of drones in West Wales, energy used by military bases and the production of components of arms which take place in Wales. This research would be a first step to being open and honest about the contribution of the military to climate emissions and public debate about how much the armed forces cost, both today and for future generations. |
| RSPB Cymru | Mapping exercise looking at (1) area in Wales that are deprived in nature (2) areas in Wales that are dependant on an industry / employer (3) where that industry / employer will be phased out as part of a just transition with (4) optional research into areas in Wales with an education deficit. After mapping the above, to overlay the individual maps and create a ‘heat map’ of areas in Wales where an investment in nature-based green jobs would have the maximum impact on nature, communities, and people as part of a just transition. | Previous research has found that the right investment in nature restoration could deliver up to 7,000 nature-based green jobs in Wales over the next decade. However, there is a real need to understand what jobs and skills need to be created where, in order to truly deliver for nature and for communities. A ‘heat map’ could help develop a spatial approach to delivering the right job in the right place. In order to ensure its relevance, the research could: Link into the ongoing work of the Nature Service Wales Partnership to help shape future policyHelp shape the delivery of pilot projects that provide nature based green skills and jobs across Wales Provide a comms piece for all work on green jobs and a just transition in the lead up to the next Senedd elections |
| Coal Action | What funding would be required to restore a number of poorly/under restored coal mining sites around South Wales | This would provide a point around which delivering on the restoration standards originally promises to surrounding communities could be campaigned for by CAN and other groups. |
| Coal Action | How much CO2 does transporting coal from USA add to coal compared to coal mined and consumed within the UK. | Currently the added CO2 of importing coal is being used increasingly by companies and politicians to justify new or extended coal mining in the UK. Decisive figures on this would help campaigners push back against this justification. |
| Ceredigion Local Nature Partnership | Local Places for Nature | How to engage intergenerational audiences in grappling with the complexities of effective design, particularly for care home gardens, although it could be applicable to other settings? Could this be supported by a Gamifying approach? | Creating gardens for care homes and other similar settings serving the needs of deprived communities such as elderly and disabled people. Interest in co-designing green spaces with community. Aim for integration into the wider Nature Recovery Action Plan process, whereby publicly owned land such as care home gardens would be protected for nature (as required by COP15 and managed accordingly; and public bodies and trade unions would support their staff and members to engage fully in this process for the wellbeing of future generations. Well-designed gardens and parks can help with: Reducing emissions by cutting vegetation less often, binding carbon into live biomass in the plants, soil etc.Mitigating impacts of climate change by utilising the cooling effect of shady plants and trees (instead of air con) to protect buildings and their occupants / residents Supporting biodiversity and human wellbeing by managing our environments for wildlife benefit |
| How to present what a zero-carbon future might look like in an inspiring way? | To help the transition feel like we will be gaining a better quality of life not just having to give things up. Helping people to want to push for things to go in that direction faster. | |
| How can Wales make a just transition to sustainable land use and agriculture? | According to the latest IPCC report on Wales’s progress towards net zero, one of the areas where progress has been poor is in the agricultural sector. Sheep farming is one of the most destructive forms of agriculture in terms of GHG emissions and natural habitat destruction but 86% of agricultural land in Wales is used for livestock grazing. | |
| How can we as land managers, legislators, tourism operators and administrators meet these needs better and what levers do we have towards pushing visitors towards genuine connection? Is promoting nature based tourism one way? Outdoor recreation is another? A right to roam allowing a less prescriptive experience off the beaten path? How do we better utilise the millions who flow into the countryside every year and move their experience away from nature being a backdrop to their pictures, to a genuine part of their lives. Should we see people as ‘the wrong kind of tourist’, or are we merely offering the wrong kinds of experiences? | Nature connection moves people towards taking action on climate change. In my work with national parks there is a distinction between the ‘right’ type of visitor – monied, educated, well-equipped, and invariably middle class, and the wrong kind – the bucket and spade brigade, generally working class, new to experiencing the outdoors, lacking in nature connection as they are typically from urban areas. The national parks strategize openly for capturing the ‘good’ kind of tourist but I feel that there are clear questions here that good research could be called to answer. There is a point at which the ‘bad’ becomes the good, through education, through exposure, through experience. All these people are setting out to meet the same need for wide open spaces, green and a sense of belonging in our natural landscapes. | |
| Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB | Investigating the carbon footprint of tourism through typical visitor profiles, such as a couple taking a weekend break in a B&B, or a family staying for a week in self-catering accommodation. Using data to back up the carbon heavy elements. | Local authorities are very focused on reducing the pressures on communities from tourism, but are in danger of neglecting the carbon and nature emergencies in their sustainable tourism strategies. |
| How do we address the tight timescales of climate emergency whilst ensuring developments of national significance retain sufficient benefit in our coalfield areas? | Our coalfield communities remain areas of high deprivation and low resilience. Large scale renewable energy projects have the opportunity to address climate change and retain community wealth within our coalfield communities. |
Invitation for any Cardiff University academics to join the CU Planetary Health University Research Network at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/research-networks/planetary-health-research-network We are a supportive network for development of networks and progressing collaborative solutions-focused thinking for climate action that benefits the planet and its inhabitants.