Climate change needs to move higher up everyone’s agenda. That was the clear message from the Climate Change Commission for Wales (CCCW) when it published its annual progress report on Monday, 18 February.

The Wales Low Zero Carbon Hub (WLZCH) worked with the CCCW to develop the built environment chapter. It sets out a number of priorities for 2013/14, which must be acted upon if we’re to avoid predicted global warming of between 4^oC and 6^oC within the next century. One of the report’s conclusions is that climate change has slipped down the political agenda, while nations focus instead on the global financial crisis. This has got to change and in the WLZCH position statement published this week this is stressed again. It is crucial that in spite of the tough economic climate, all sectors – including construction – must act in a sustainable way.

Peter Davies, Chair of the Climate Change Commission for Wales said, “The Climate Change Commission members agree unanimously a choice between the economy and the environment is not the way forward. We are clear that the solution to both the financial and environmental problems is a transition to a low carbon economy. The economic transition needs to be rapid and Wales needs to be ready for the competitive and collaborative nature of these changes.”

The Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, John Griffiths A.M back in March 2012 noted that it was critical for CCCW to identify and remove obstacles in delivering the climate change agenda in Wales.

In direct response, the Commission has identified priority areas and made a number of recommendations. One of these is the reduction of emissions from the built environment, something that CEW and the WLZCH is working hard to achieve, especially in our work to make sure the retrofit of Welsh home is managed appropriately. It’s no secret that construction and demolition projects should also be aiming for low carbon emissions, both in the development process and in the resulting build and this is something we will be championing via the CEW Awards, the Exemplar and Demonstration programmes as well as via the WLZCH.

If you want to find out more about the Wales Low Zero Carbon Hub, please contact us at CEWales or 02920 493322. Details of the CCCW report can be found here or you can contact Cynnal Cymru who provides the secretariat for CCCW.