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Environmentalism has traditionally been seen as communities and individuals taking action to protect the world around them. Environmental Wellbeing has a broader definition and recognises that;
- Our environment and how we feel about it can have a huge impact on the way we feel overall.
- Our environment offers opportunities for improving our physical wellbeing
- Environmental Wellbeing includes protecting individuals and communities from environmental hazards
- Environmental Wellbeing is about enabling lifestyle choices and business practices that minimize any negative impact of human behaviour on the environment
- The impact of the built environment, particularly housing, on wellbeing.
- Current Environmental Assets and Challenges
- Expected Environmental Change: Opportunities and Risks
- What people have said
- Opportunities for targeted intervention
- Topics in this Theme
Since our last well-being assessment, the Welsh Government declared a Climate Emergency on 29 April 2019 and on 1 May 2019 the Climate Emergency declaration motion was passed by the National Assembly. Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council both declared a climate emergency in May and July 2019, respectively. On 30th June 2021 The Senedd declared a nature emergency and called for Welsh Government for statutory targets to be set to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity.
The diverse habitats and landscapes across the two counties represent significant well-being assets. Snowdonia National Park, the Clwydian Hills and Dee Valley Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, our coastal and rural areas are pleasant environments and provide opportunities for active leisure, enhancing mental and physical well-being. The counties are home to significant bio-diversity and geo-diversity, including many sites of local, national and international scientific importance.
The River Conwy, after which the county borough is named, lies wholly within the area: rising in Snowdonia and flowing through Llanrwst and Trefiew and on to Conwy. One third of the land area of the county borough lies in the breath taking Snowdonia National Park. Recent developments in the county borough include a range of exhilarating sports, closely linked to the the county borough’s unique landscape and heritage.
Denbighshire has a rich natural heritage and variety of habitats like the windswept coastal sand dunes, majestic heather moorland and wide sweeping rivers. Denbighshire is home to many protected and special species and habitats; some species that can only be found in this area. Protected species and their habitats such as the lesser horseshoe bat, otters, great crested newts, the natterjack toad, sand lizards. Special species include: black grouse and the little tern.
The two counties are also outstanding in the richness of local heritage assets, many of which make a significant contribution to the economic and cultural well-being of the area. These include World Heritage Sites at Conwy Castle and Town Walls, and the Llangollen canal and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that straddles the border between Denbighshire and Wrexham. Public engagement demonstrates the value people place on the natural and historic environment with many reporting a positive sense of well-being and identity linked to these features.
However, biodiversity loss is continuing, despite substantial ongoing efforts for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. While there has been significant progress towards most of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, none has been fully achieved. While current conservation and management actions are having positive impacts, their effects are overwhelmed by the growing pressures on biodiversity, our green spaces and agricultural land which, in turn, are related to increased levels of consumption of food and associated food wastage, energy, and materials used in consumed good that are non-renewable and to the development of infrastructure. Consequently, we are not on track to achieve most of the current globally agreed targets for biodiversity. [1]
The regenerative economy, or well-being economy, which minimises and reuses our resources, safeguards and restores those stocks and is the route to the transformational change needed to achieve Sustainable Management of our Natural Resources (SMNR). None of these aims are met in Wales, so by default we can say they have not been met in Conwy County Borough and Denbighshire County Council.
A sense of personal responsibility for the environment is important as it will change a person’s behaviour, for example they might throw away less rubbish by recycling more, they might shop locally, travel by public transport, car share or walk more. Evidence from public engagement through our ‘County Conversation’ shows that people, and in particular young people, recognise the need to protect our environment, change our habits and invest in renewable energy.
The environment also includes the built environment and housing. Housing in particular has been highlighted in our engagement work and other parts of the assessment as a key factor affecting well-being. Concerns have been raised about housing need and homelessness, the availability of affordable housing and the resilience of householders to climate change.
Climate and ecological change is the globally defining challenge of our time. It impacts all living things. The rise in global temperature is causing our climate and our planet to change. The impacts of climate change are hotter drier summers, warmer wetter winters, more extreme weather events and sea level rises. The consequences of climate change are far reaching and cause more drought and wildfire, stronger storms, more heat waves, flooding, damaged corals, less snow and ice and the thawing of the permafrost; changes in plant life cycles and changes to animal migration and life cycles. The effects are disproportionately affecting the world’s poorest communities, but here in Conwy and Denbighshire, some of the communities most at risk are also at risk of other factors that negatively affect well-being.
[1] Government Office for Science (2021). Trend Deck
The impacts of climate change are growing, and are expected to worsen significantly, unless further action to tackle current and future risks are taken.
The Climate Change Risk Assessment 3 Summary for Wales identifies some of the high magnitude risks requiring action now.[1] These include:
- Impacts on the natural environment, more pests, pathogens and invasive non-native species, damage to cultural assets;
- more flooding, coastal erosions, damage to homes and business, as well as energy, transport, water supplies and information technology;
- other changing weather impacts from high temperatures, winds and lightning;
- direct impact of high temperatures on health and well-being, disruption to health and social care from extreme weather;
- impacts on food availability, safety and security from international impacts.
Nature recovery
Nature recovery is key to rebuilding ecological resilience and sustaining the benefits that it provides us. The rebuilding needs to be done at a faster pace and larger scale if we are to reduce the potential impacts of these two emergencies.
The rise in global temperatures is impacting on the world’s ecology. This is made worse by the loss of habitat quality and quantity through the use of unsustainable land management activities such as deforestation and the use of pesticides.
Climate risk resilience
The risks of climate change and biodiversity loss increasingly effect people’s health and well-being. Climate change mitigation could benefit marginalised communities if equalities is factored into the thinking.[2]
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events including heatwaves, drought and severe storms, and is modifying the transmission of infectious diseases.
Much of Wales is projected to be less impacted by drought and heatwaves compared to much of southern England, making Wales better placed to adapt to this change. However, the high rainfall and steep-sided valleys across much of Wales will exacerbate the risks associated with heavy rainfall events. Climate change is already having a substantial effect on Welsh biodiversity and ecosystems, such as loss of inter-tidal habitats due to sea-level rise.
We need a resilient environment that can respond to pressures by resisting, recovering or adapting to change; and is able to continue to provide natural resources and benefits to people. The well-being of humans (particularly those in the poorest parts of the world, see our summary on the ‘globally responsible’ well-being goal for more information) around the planet is threatened by an ecological and environmental breakdown. Time is running out to respond to this crisis and avoid a catastrophic situation for Wales and the world.
With rising temperatures, reducing rainfall forecast due to climate change and increase in population density in certain areas also puts challenges on the ready access of water. Consideration around sustainable use of water for domestic, agricultural and commercial/industrial sectors of the two areas will be a rising challenge.
Energy system
The global energy system is one of the main drivers of the climate emergency. Wales’s current energy production and consumption creates many pressures for ecosystems and public health here and across the planet. Wales needs to increase its use of renewable and sustainable energy sources, reducing the current dependence on harmful fossil fuels energy supply security. Resilient communities are those able to successfully adapt to change. The two areas have inescapable responsibilities for meeting carbon reduction and recycling targets for the protection of the local environment and the wider world.
In 2019 the UK Government amended the Climate Change Act (2008) to commit the UK to achieving net zero by 2050, compared to the previous target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050. The UK Government is required to set carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act 2008. They are legally binding and are intended to act as stepping stones towards the net zero target in 2050. The UK’s carbon budgets place a restriction on the total amount of greenhouse gases the UK can emit over a five-year period. In 2021, the UK Government put into law to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels as part of its sixth carbon budget. In March 2021, Senedd Cymru approved a net zero target for 2050. Net zero means balancing the greenhouse gas emissions with the amount of gases we’re removing from the atmosphere. Wales also has interim targets for 2030 and 2040, and a series of 5-year carbon budgets. The target for 2030 is a 63% reduction in carbon emissions, increasing to 89% by 2040 and meeting at least 100% reduction by 2050.[3] These are very challenging targets for reducing carbon emissions and apply to domestic, commercial and public sector bodies.
Wales needs to increase its use of renewable and sustainable energy sources, reducing the current dependence on harmful fossil fuels. Installed electrical capacity and installed heat capacity from renewable energy both increased by 5% respectively in Wales. The amount of renewable electricity generated is approximately half (51%) of electricity consumed in Wales.
Adaptation to climate change
The scale of the challenge for householders is great. Rising gas and electricity prices, inefficient housing stock, existing fuel poverty and particular challenges in rural areas which are not on gas network, leaves some doubt as to the resilience of householders – of all tenures – in the future.
As well as efforts to prevent and reduce environmental damage, adaptation to climate change is already a pressing issue. There is still more to do to make sure that there are healthy places for people, protected from environmental risk across the areas. Resilient communities are those able to successfully adapt to change, including the impact from changing climate that is already being felt in the two areas and will increasingly do so even with abated emissions.
Increasing the resilience of our ecosystems not only prevent and reduce environmental damage but can support the adaptation needed to reduce the impacts of climate change Ensuring communities are resilient in the face of extreme weather events, notably flooding, is a major challenge. Sea level is expected to rise by 1.1 metre over the next century, and every year floods cost around £200 million to the Welsh economy. Economic and insured losses resulting from extreme weather events present a major threat to global resilience.[4]
General climate change projections show an increased likelihood of more frequent and intense rainfall. It is expected that severe events such as the 2020 storms will become more common with increased severity and frequency of flooding of homes, communities and businesses. At the same time, coastal flooding is a growing threat due to accelerating mean sea-level rise and increases in storminess and wave heights. This will exacerbate the exposure of the coast to flooding and coastal erosion; and will increase the risk to the coastal assets and the costs to maintain them to acceptable standards.
These climate change associated impacts will increase the number of properties, infrastructure and key services at risk of flooding from all sources. Places not previously at risk could become vulnerable and many currently at risk could be of greater risk. The population at risk of exposure to flooding is expected to increase as a result of changes in land-use, urbanisation and development in low-lying areas.
Some of the communities most at risk of being affected by flooding are also likely to experience other challenges to their well-being over the next decade or so (see our summary on the ‘More equal’ well-being goal for more information). This is particularly the case in more deprived communities where we can see stark differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between communities (see our summary on the ‘healthier’ well-being goal for more information). Evidence shows that low-income areas suffer not only from issues associated with poor housing, lower educational attainment and poor diet, but also less access to good quality green and blue space, all of which contribute to poor health.
Food security and local agricultural and food sectors
According to WWF Cymru, Wales urgently needs to create an integrated, sustainable and just food system fit for future generations.[5] How to deliver healthy, nutritious food for all in the face of shrinking resources and a growing population, while addressing climate change and nature loss, is a major challenge globally, including in Wales. A sustainable food system is crucial to our nation’s future. It’s central to our health and wellbeing, our culture, society and economy and an important part of addressing the climate and nature crises we now face.
There are, however, systemic problems within the food system in Wales that urgently need addressing. Many people in Wales cannot afford access to a healthy diet. The food system has negative impacts on the environment, public health and economic well-being. This hinders our ability to prosper as a nation both now and in the future. [6]
The global food system has a significant impact on the environment. Land use is identified by the UN IPBES report (2019) as one of the big drivers of the nature emergency. Emissions of pollutants, depletion of resources, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are consequences of the current system in Wales and beyond. Climate change is expected to have impacts on all four pillars of food security – food availability, access to food, food utilisation and stability of the food supply.[7] There are also likely to be food pricing fluctuations that will affect businesses and consumers.
The Wales Centre for Public Policy expects Brexit to have varying impacts on different aspects of the agricultural and food sector, which means its effects will be felt differently across different areas of Wales. For example, sheep production is likely to become less economically viable, due to changes in market access and public funding restrictions. Some researchers argue that land currently used for sheep farming in Wales will most likely be converted into forest.[8] These changes will have consequences for our agriculture, our farming community, our environment and potentially for cultural well-being, as food related-events are increasingly connected to local food production.
Technology and transport
Adaptation to climate change also brings with it economic opportunities and challenges through the development of new technology. The development of renewable energy production and the digital revolution (accelerated as a result of the ‘stay home’ policy during the Covid-19 pandemic), which can reduce the need to travel, are already contributing to a more sustainable future for Conwy County Borough and Denbighshire, with much scope for further extension.
The transport system has an impact on ecosystems and health. Transport contributes to carbon emissions, air and water pollution, noise pollution and the social and economic effects of congestion or lack of transport opportunities.
Although considered to be a transient effect, it is possible that some behavioural changes as a result of social distancing, eg reduced travel, associated with positive environmental impacts could persist into the medium- or long-term (e.g. increased homeworking) but others may have a more negative impact (e.g. the avoidance of public transport and car sharing). Over the longer term, people will look for more sophisticated online/virtual reality experiences from across the globe, especially as we all adapt to the consequences of climate change and our motivation to reduce individual carbon footprints.
Brexit has also posed a number of environmental challenges, including transferring environmental protection to UK legislation and coordination challenges between the UK and devolved governments.[9]
Technological change also presents both challenges and opportunities for community resilience. Increasing use of digital technology could reduce reliance on transport and help to cut carbon emissions. Greater flexible and home working could mean that villages and small town benefits from a more vibrant day time community than has been the case in recent years. At the same time technology brings with it the threat of social isolation, cyber –bullying and other risk factors, and could potentially affect house prices as people can increasingly work from home. The potential for uneven adoption of new technologies also raises the possibility of a deepening digital divide.
[1] https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Independent-Assessment-of-UK-Climate-Risk-Advice-to-Govt-for-CCRA3-CCC.pdf
[2] Dr Sara MacBride-Stewart & Dr Alison Parken (2021). Inequality in a Future Wales: Areas for action in work, climate and demographic change. The findings are summarised within a Summary Report and ‘Bite-size’ version with Easy Read and BSL versions available also. For those who are interested in the more detailed analysis you can access the full technical report.
[3] The areas that make up the Local Authority territorial dataset on carbon collated by the UK Government each year are: industry, commercial, public sector, agriculture, domestic, transport and Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).
[4] Government Office for Science (2021). Trend Deck
[5] WWF Cymru (2020). A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations A report by the Sustainable Places Research Institute at Cardiff University, commissioned by WWF Cymru. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/welsh-food-system-fit-future-generations.
[6] WWF Cymru (2020). A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations A report by the Sustainable Places Research Institute at Cardiff University, commissioned by WWF Cymru. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/welsh-food-system-fit-future-generations.
[7] Government Office for Science (2021). Trend Deck
[8] Wales Centre for Public Policy (2021). Briefing on well-being and the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit.
[9] Wales Centre for Public Policy (2021). Briefing on well-being and the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit.
People have told us their concerns about the implications of climate change and have expressed their desire to be more supported and empowered to tackle climate change locally. This was a common area of unease throughout our engagement. Communities and local businesses want to be more involved in protecting and respecting the environment but feel they need the right resources.
There is appreciation for local farming and food businesses, and these are seen as essential for communities to remain resilient. There is enthusiasm to see these sectors grow and employ more people by involving communities, retaining local spend and supporting climate change by utilising local sources
People want to see a proactive approach to planning and support to prevent localised flooding within villages and towns rather than communities having to take a reactive approach when faced with these issues. There was mention of considerations to emergency planning preparedness on where we should site hospitals, care homes, schools, industry and residential areas in light of flooding risks. They stressed the importance of ensuring we can connect to these important areas and facilities in times of flooding.
People have told us the importance of having access to local green and blue spaces that are safe and clean as these are felt to be a core part of our counties’ identities. They want to see increased environmental action and welcome increased biodiversity, conservation and nature protection within local green spaces, AONBs and communities. There have been concerns around litter issues throughout the counties. As well as increasing the amount of bins, specifically those split into general and recycling waste within rural areas, people also wanted to see more education and reminders given to communities to encourage people to be responsible with their waste.
People said that whilst there is great demand for housing, what some called a ‘housing crisis’, people want to see a cautious approach taken to building on green spaces if there are other alternatives. The motivation behind these comments comes from an environmental perspective as people appreciate the green land and biodiversity this brings. People want to see increased environmental action and welcome increased biodiversity within local green spaces and communities.
Local priorities identified within Area Statements developed by Natural Resources Wales with communities, have identified the following opportunities:
- Maintain and/or restore semi improved grassland and unimproved grassland
- Maintain iconic species such as curlew, black grouse, hen Harrier and Atlantic salmon
- Manage invasive non-native species
- Urban tree canopy is improved and maintained
- Create more woodland and increase woodland cover, create small woods and Woodland close to population
- Tackle water pollution undertaking whole catchment management
- Management of roadside verges to increase and support biodiversity
- Diversity in agriculture including field boundaries
- Accessibility of greenspace local to population, especially deprived communities
- Accessibility of green spaces to schools
- Measures to promote a reduction in food miles
- Community growing schemes
- Provision of local needs close to communities
- Promote a circular economy where we see waste as a resource
- Repair Cafes, “libraries of stuff”, which will keep materials in circulation for longer
There is a wealth of interventions that are known to have an impact on supporting a more resilient Wales.
The Independent Assessment used to help inform the third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) assesses 61 risks and opportunities from climate change to Wales, including to business, infrastructure, housing, the natural environment, our health and risks from the impacts of climate change internationally. Risks categorised as “More action needed” and “Further investigation” are more urgent than “Watching brief” and “Sustain current action.” Of these 61 risks and opportunities, more action is needed in Wales now to address 32 of them, with sustaining current action only deemed appropriate in five cases. Of the 61, six issues are deemed to be both a risk and opportunity, four of which are associated with the natural environment and each of these require more action or further investigation. There are also eight opportunities that could arise from climate change in Wales, with half of these also related to the natural environment.[1]
We should place nature’s recovery at the centre of decision making:
- Develop the assessment of ecosystem resilience
- Effective ecosystem management
- Build on Wales’s policy framework
- Optimising regulation
- Build wider engagement
Use the DISRUPT framework:
- Design for the future
- Incorporate digital technology
- Sustain and preserve what is already there
- Rethink the business model
- Use waste as a resource
- Prioritise regenerative resources
- Team up to create joint value
We should consider our role in creating a well-being economy,[2] that is circular and regenerative, fair and just for people and the planet. Doughnut economics describes a situation where we improve economic, environmental, cultural and social well-being within ecological limits.[3] Stocks of natural resources can be safeguarded and enhanced through decarbonisation, improved land management, recognising biodiversity as an asset and through addressing resource-use and impacts. In order to achieve long term sustainable changes to travel habits – to secure a green economy – the culture change needed to achieve modal shift (a shift to active travel for short journeys and public transport for longer journeys), might be best focussed on children and young people.
There is a broad spectrum of actions which can help to build ecosystem resilience. This includes preventing and reversing biodiversity declines, habitat restoration and expansion, diversification of agriculture and forestry and improvements to the condition of soil, air and water quality. For example:
- Contribute to achieving the North Wales Energy Strategy.
- Improving buffer areas and stepping stone sites to support and sustain designated sites.
- Increasing tree and green infrastructure coverage, which can support with future urban cooling, act as natural water management systems to reduce occurrences of flooding as well as increasing green spaces.
We could also do more to increase public services’ understanding of climate vulnerability:
- Utilising new tools for local authorities to help with climate risk evaluation and plan development.
- Building adaptation into all investment decisions and business planning within services, not just confined to flood mitigation in the local plan.
- Improving understanding and developing a common language on climate risk to enhance the quality of decision-making and support adaptation works.
- Building a long-term record of climate events in the locality in a systematic way, which records not only events but consequences and costs, helps to provide a solid basis on which to justify action and investment.
- Through collaboration build community resilience to the impacts of climate change, being felt now and increasing trends in next 5-10 years.
- Contribute or/and lead the research into assessing current community resilience to impacts of climate change and the projections for next 5-10 years
- Developing action plan for addressing gap/s discovered
- Delivering action plan working with partners and stakeholders
It will not be possible to prevent all flooding; there is therefore a need to use a range of approaches to not only reduce the risk where possible, but to adapt our communities and infrastructure to be prepared for severe weather events and rising sea levels. This may involve improving defences, but equally will also mean better management of land and water across catchments to reduce run-off, intelligent planning eg updated TAN15 planning guidance and retro-fitting of our towns and cities and, in some cases, creating space for water and recognising the need to move out of harm’s way. We should consider:
- Improving understanding of flood risk management and awareness different roles and responsibilities across different organisations, using multiple and innovative methods visual and arts/languages.
- Taking a strategic approach to flood risk within the Local Development Plan and tools within strategic environmental assessment (Sustainability Appraisal)
- Identifying key communities which need to take action to help them prepare and become more resilient to flood risk (in a practical sense but also to support them with any challenges that might experience to their health and mental health as a result of flood risk).
[1] https://www.ukclimaterisk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CCRA-Evidence-Report-Wales-Summary-Final.pdf
- Key asset – The natural environment & biodiversity
- Key asset – promoting and protecting local heritage
- Climate change and reducing carbon emissions
- Protecting properties from flooding (inc. coastal defence)
- Promoting recycling and reducing waste
- Providing housing, including affordable housing
- Supporting people in housing need
- Increasing reliance on private rented sector
- Tackling fuel poverty
- Transport and Road Safety
- Growth of new technology (including internet access and social challenges such as cyberbullying