Heat policy and advice – The future we need now

As noted in the first and the second post, and seen from recent news, heating our homes is a financial and social challenge for many. It is wrapped up in notions of fairness or lack of it, comfort and family, as well as the impact on the environment. Having moved from wood and coal to natural gas, heating our homes using gas boilers is still a major source of direct carbon dioxide emissions which in 2019 stood at 85 million tonnes, that’s 17% of total UK greenhouse gasses emissions. At 3.7 MtCO2e, the Residential Buildings sector accounted for 10% of Welsh emissions in 2019. Given how leaky and old houses are in Wales and the rest of the UK, it is no surprise we continuously feel cold while energy bills keep going up.

Decarbonisation of heat, that is removal of gas as its main fuel, is, therefore, one of the most important climate actions we can take. The UK Committee for Climate Changes noted that between now and 2050, emissions from residential buildings need to fall to zero at a rate of 3.4% per year based on current emission levels. But, as authors of The pathway to net-zero heating in the UK 2021 brief (UK Energy Research Centre) observed, the current pace of decarbonisation (largely due to efficiency programmes and regulation in the period 2002-2012), would get us to zero emissions from buildings in 235 years and fall far short of meeting the 2050 target.

Source: *The pathway to net zero heating in the UK 2021 brief*

Since the publication of the brief, there has been little progress in the UK with regards to decabonisation of heat. This month, the House of Commons Committee has issued a report setting out the considerable challenges that lie ahead in the transition to decarbonised domestic heating and makes recommendations about the steps which need to be taken for the Government to meet its own targets for the decarbonisation of domestic heating. It is one of those punchy reports full of data and evidence highlighting the slow and inadequate response of the UK central government in enabling decarbonisation. At the same time, the report offers hope and a fresh perspective on the matter of heat because it focuses on all aspects of heat discussed in this series.

On the eve of the report, Darren Jones, Chair of BEIS aptly noted that

“As the Government decides on financial help for customers with the cost of their energy bills, they must also come forward with a replacement for the Green Homes Grant. Action is needed to improve insulation and energy efficiency in our homes and to step up the pace in delivering low carbon heating systems, at a lower cost to households than today. Ministers can’t simply leave this to the market – Government should tackle the cost of heating our homes in the round and bring forward joined-up policies that address these issues together. Decarbonising heat in our homes will require engineers who know how to install low carbon heating systems in every community across the country. The Government should work with industry and trade unions to support a low carbon heating apprenticeship programme and ensure existing workers get access to re-skilling courses that will support their transition to the new green jobs of the future.”

Although decarbonisation of heat is undoubtedly a complex process, the past developments (see the second post about the move from town to natural gas) tell us that socio-technological transitions can be made possible when multiple actors are fully mobilised. However, unlike earlier, the current transition is said to cost too much for taxpayers, the industry, and the government to muster. Does that mean that heat policy has hit the dead end? We do not think so. There is still hope to avoid multiple catastrophes if attention is paid to the physical, human, and environmental aspects of heat, as ignoring them will only derail any progress.

One important caveat though is that no geographical area is the same and so policies and national scenarios need to reflect that. For example, as part of the Zero2050 South Wales project, UKERC researchers worked with National Grid to investigate possible pathways for decarbonising heat in cities in South Wales, and noted that the share of different low carbon technologies under the same decarbonisation scenario is different for each city due to variations in housing stock and their characteristics in terms of the number of houses located in heat dense areas of the cities, and space availability of buildings.

What we have learned

Is it just about the technology? Is It about our habits? Feelings? What can be done?

Here at Cynnal Cymru we recognise that technology alone really cannot solve all of the problems. It will solves some, but not all. We advocate that to reduce emissions and respond to climate change, policymakers need to engage businesses and communities to do their bit because knowledge and technology alone, however well delivered, does not shift behaviour. Knowledge and information campaigns work only if they are in tandem with initiatives that really engage the people most affected and allow them to see the changes that need to happen (for example in retrofitted ‘show homes’). In order to succeed, target audiences also need to trust those who are giving these messages and be able to see the benefits in making changes to their lives or their businesses. We also agree with the key message from commentators on this topic: first, insulation, then roll out of low carbon alternatives, while enabling (not just informing) the change in behaviour. Perhaps later other technologies can come in to support the decarbonisation. It is not one or the other, but rather more of many.

This is why in our training, consultancy, and facilitation work we focus on actions, in particular, the steps organisations can take to enable others to do their bit. We also connect people with experts in their field, like the Active Building Centre, and point to information that can help.

Coming back to the question of what we can do about it

If you can afford insulation, do it immediately. The longer you leave it, the more heat you waste. his might be easiest when thinking of renovating a house that you just bought or as part of a bigger home improvement project – but even if you find yourself in different circumstances, the benefits of action will outweigh the inconvenience.

If you cannot afford insulation you might be eligible for an ECO grant or localised grants. More information is available through Warm Wales.

If you are renting and you have no agency over insulation, check EPC standard for your home first because if it is low, you may ask your landlord to take new measures, or talk to council. Given that the report by the House of Commons Committee on decarbonisation of heat calls on Ministers to set out what measures are being considered to assist tenants who rent their homes in managing the transition to low carbon heating with their landlords, you may hopefully see changes in policy.

If you are working in the social housing sector, do not rely only on the provision of information to tenants to reduce energy consumption. Tenants need to be listened to, their concerns answered, and live examples of what’s possible through retrofit are needed in the community. If engaging your tenants in these conversations is challenging, consider reading the latest account by a journalist whose childhood was dominated by poverty, damp clothes, and stigma.

If you are a business and you are struggling paying bills, check the guidance by OFGEM as to what can be done immediately, but also use this challenge as an opportunity to plan your decarbonisation strategy.

If you are renting out business offices and spaces, you can still support decarbonisation by ensuring there are no leaks in buildings you own, the EPC rating is up to scratch, and by working with your business tenants.

If you would like to have a say about the Welsh Government’s proposals for the next iteration of the Warm Homes Programme, go to the cosultation page or attend workshops by National Energy Action (NEA) Cymru.

In closing we want to state our view: Nobody should feel cold and stigmatised for living in a leaky home and future generations should not be the ones fixing up the problem of heat. It is up to the current generation to fix this issue by calling on governments to deliver on their policies while doing all that’s in their power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

To switch on the heating, or not? – a surprisingly complex question

On cold, wet and windy days a bike ride to work seems impossible. Damp shoes and clothes seem too much to contend with and wrapping up in a blanket on a Zoom call seems too unprofessional. Whether in the office or at home, the temptation to reach for the electric heater grows as the gas prices are rising and central heating under-performs. “To switch on the heating, or not” is the question that many people across the Northern hemisphere are asking themselves.

Here at Cynnal Cymru we recognise these challenges as we too battle between the need for comfort and the feeling of warmth versus our knowledge about climate change. We know from the 6th Carbon budget by the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), that direct building CO₂ emissions were 85 MtCO₂ in 2019, which account for 17% of total UK GHG emission. This was mostly from our homes (77%), followed by commercial buildings (14%) and public buildings (9%). The reason behind these figures is simple – it is our demand for hot water and heating. 74% of this demand in buildings is met by natural gas, and 10% by petroleum, with smaller amounts of other fuels such as coal and biomass.

To reduce total emissions, the ways in which we heat and use our buildings must be addressed. Recommendations from the CCC include changing behaviour (use less, lower the temperature), increasing building efficiency (insulation), and introducing low carbon heat (air source or ground heat pumps, hydrogen, low carbon district heating etc). The topic of heat then sits at the core of what we at Cynnal Cymru care about, not just professionally but personally too.

Over the last few months, we took part in an unintentional social experiment, because the building we are located in was undergoing a renovation of its central heating. We wore our thickest jumpers, we made many hot drinks, and despite all efforts, eventually, we turned to the electric heaters knowing perfectly well their economic and environmental cost.

This lack of heat got us talking about comfort, habits, energy, renewables, ways to keep warm, and insulation. We knew well that to reduce carbon emissions and to protect future generations, we need to do our bit around heat –which, in reality, may well mean getting used to feeling colder while waiting for a zero-carbon alternative to arrive. But how might this impact on those other fundamental human feelings and needs – for warmth, security and comfort? And what does this mean for the changes that we need to make as a society?

To delve deeper into these questions – and to explore the challenges and opportunities that Wales faces for warm homes and decarbonisation – Dr Karolina Rucinska, our Sustainability Advisor, set out on a research journey that will be shared over the coming weeks. We start with the basics – what is heat?

Heat is moving

If you are grumbling about how cold your house is despite having the radiators on, it is because heat, if it can escape, will always do so. However hard you try, the hot stuff will eventually become cold because the world we live in is governed by the uncompromising laws of thermodynamics. ‘Heat in motion’, Chris Woodford explains in Atoms under the floorboards (2016, Bloomsbury Publishing), ‘is another way to describe thermodynamics, which explains things like how cars waste energy, why power stations need such stupendous cooling towers, why cows have damp noses and dogs dangle out their tongues – and even why Arctic musk oxen spend so much time standing still in the snow.’

While the first law is concerned with energy loss, the second law of thermodynamics is concerned with the movement of heat, always from hot to cold and never the other way round. So, cold stuff is simply the lack of heat, while heat is stuff that always wants to go where there is less of it. Sounds weird, but effectively this is what is happening in our homes. Heat moves around and is, as it were, always on the go, so to make your home cosy, you are effectively trying to heat up every atom in everything that is inside. This takes huge effort and of course energy. If you are using different heaters that store heat and give it away at different rates, then you might wait hours if not days to feel cosy, while all that heat continues to slosh around and move.

This physical side of heat points to one thing: if you want to keep your house cosy, you must insulate it. Without insulation, heat will always escape regardless of how you warm it up. Before you look up low carbon alternatives to your boiler, invest in insulation.

If only it was that easy….

The UK has some of the oldest and most leaky housing stock in Europe. According to the Independent review on decarbonising Welsh homes, 32% of the Welsh housing stock was built before 1919, when there were no construction standards in terms of thermal performance. Research by the Cardiff University School of Architecture showed that the average energy performance (EPC) rating of the Welsh housing stock is a ‘D’ rating*, which raises the incidences of fuel poverty. 43% of people living in private rented accommodation are living in houses built before 1919.

The Guardian reports that, nine in 10 households rely on gas boilers, and lots of gas boilers need lots of gas: UK households consume more of it than almost all of their European peers, at around twice the EU average. With the price of gas going up and energy companies going down, heating leaky homes feels wasteful if they continue to be not insulated well enough to counter that physical side of heat. Between 2012 and 2019 the number of home insulation installations actually dropped by 95%. National Energy Action (NEA), the national fuel poverty charity, has noted that at that rate it would take nearly a century to properly insulate all of the current fuel-poor homes in the country. The statistics are eye-opening indeed. They are clearly telling policy makers and businesses that to significantly reduce carbon emissions from buildings by 2050, actions have to be taken now. But there is something about heat that speaks not to reason and data, but to feeling, an embodied feeling.

Heat is us

Like houses, our bodies too are governed by thermodynamics. Heat escapes our bodies and even after vigorous exercise, we eventually cool down. We give away heat, which we feel immediately, and we want to do something about it, immediately. But we cannot wait years and decades until housing stock is less leaky. We can put on the warmest jumpers to almost insulate our bodies as we would with our houses, but nothing will stop us from eventually feeling cold again. At some point we will need to, despite all that we know about the costs of gas and leaky houses, warm ourselves up. We are all taking temporary and readily available solutions simply because it is cold.

The problem though is that the embodied feeling is not experienced, which in turn perhaps influences our motivation and ability to act, for ourselves and others. Illness, age, cardiovascular system, place, and even norms, as research suggests, dictate how our bodies experience heat or lack thereof. If you have had a disagreement with your family or co-workers about the “right” temperature settings, then you will know what I am talking about.

Heat is suddenly a societal thing. It unites us as well as divides us. How one experiences heat or the lack of it, and what one does about it, also reveals something, unknowingly, about us. Which is why, heating our homes or not, it is about us too. It is a personal, deeply private and emotional thing. As researchers, Erin Roberts and Karen Henwood, from Cardiff University observed, heating is not just about thermal performance of a house, but about thermal comfort. It evokes the feeling of belonging, of feeling safe, of feeling looked after. It brings up the good memories of being with a family and sadly, bad memories of coming home after school with radiators off because parents, often despite being in work, cannot afford high energy bills. Heating can then become, unfairly, a social stigma and a social divide.

Heat is incredibly complex then, as it touches on our most intimate and most sacred parts of our lives, lives which, just like our housing stock, are governed by laws of thermodynamics. Our attention to these laws and insights, or lack of it, will influence future heating actions and policy.

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing a series of articles to explore the challenges and opportunities it poses for equality, decarbonisation and social transformation.

*Properties are given an energy-efficiency grade between A and G, with A being the best – i.e., most energy-efficient – and G being the worst.

When switching the heating on is still not an option for many

In 2019, 13.4% of households in the UK, that’s 3.8 million households, were classed as fuel poor. In Wales, households that spend more than 10% of their income on energy, would be referred to as fuel poor. The three main drivers behind fuel poverty are low incomes, the low energy efficiency of homes, and high energy prices. However, the picture is far more complex and challenging to analyse because, as research by Groves et al. suggests, fuel poverty is to with households being caught in between numerous disabling conditions. For example, households, where older people or people with disabilities live, may need to spend significantly more on space heating or on powering assistive technologies. Constraints on adaptability can also be because of the material fabric of homes. A lack of adequate insulation or of double glazing can significantly reduce the efficiency of heating systems, for instance. But constraints on households’ choices can also come from external conditions. These are often social in nature, such as the relationships between tenants and private landlords, or the use by utility companies of prepayment meters and higher tariffs for consumers on low incomes.

Fuel poverty is not just about the inability to keep warm, but rather being unable to make a difference, which is the real issue here. People feel not just cold physically but they feel stigmatised. Heating and energy bills bring on anxiety, rather than comfort and cosiness. Providing households with information to reduce energy consumption are least likely to make an impact, this is because there are too many disabling conditions and therefore too much anxiety associated with this topic.

To change one’s behaviour, there must be plenty of enabling conditions for the desired change to happen along with progressive policies. More on this point, in the third part of the All about heat series.

Heat is environment

Fur, wool, houses, wood and coal burners, warm food, and eventually central or district heating – these are the artifacts or, if you like, evidence of humans trying to stay warm. It is our history really – an epic effort to feel warm enough, to see while it is dark, and to put machines and cars into motion.

In a brilliantly titled, Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization (1999, MIT Press), Vaclav Smil takes the reader on a journey through natural resources showing how they were used, what impact they had on the growth of cities, and environment. For example, pre-industrial civilisation depended on wood, straw, charcoal as raw materials to build houses and as material for smelting. Here is how Smil described the scale of that demand.

“A large Wooden Age city in a colder climate (in Northern Europe or in North China) would have consumed at least 20–30 W/m2 of its built-up area, mainly for heating and cooking, and also for manufactures ranging from blacksmithing to firing of tiles. Consequently, the power density of sustainable forest growth in temperate climates was commonly equal to less than one and rarely more than 2 percent of the power density of urban energy consumption—and the cities required nearby areas anywhere between fifty to two hundred times their size to satisfy their thermal energy needs”.

Throughout the centuries, the demand for the smelting of iron created many deforested landscapes. England’s early adoption of coke, Smil argued, is easy to understand: A single early eighteenth-century furnace consumed annually a circle of forest with a radius of about four kilometers. He went on to say that, “if American ironmakers had not switched to coke after 1870, by 1900 they would have consumed annually enough forest to fill a square whose side would be the distance between Boston and Philadelphia”.

But earlier centuries pale in comparison to the impact of coal and oil. The impact is to do not only with the emissions and pollution coming directly from the processes of extraction and burning, but it is also to do with the emission coming from all of the new sectors of industry and economy powered by the energy generated by coal, oil, and gas.

Domestic life has been transformed by gas and electricity, and it is really difficult to undo that transformation. As noted earlier, wearing lots of layers for long periods of time is not comfortable for us humans. And yet, the idea of switching the heating and gas cooker on is relatively recent. No household would be able to do so, if the infrastructure was not built, or appropriate appliances were designed. In fact, in the 1960s the UK underwent an incredible project to convert appliances from town gas (manufactured gas from coal and oil) to natural gas (gas extracted from seabed and ground) and to fully establish it as a go-to solution for heating. The project involved converting 13.5 million domestic and 650 thousand commercial and industrial consumers and took 10 years to complete. Special training schools were established to train staff (engineers, installers, sellers, admin) to make the transition happen. It required incredible coordination, planning, and establishment of numerous organisations. The Office of the Budget Responsibility reports that moving 13 million properties to natural gas involved the 12 regional gas boards, parts of the industry (to make new appliances or the parts necessary to convert existing ones), contractors (to enter people’s homes and carry out the conversions), public relations (to sell the idea) and the public (to embrace it). The Government took a central coordinating role, with time nationalised Gas Council giving the state direct control of the required investment. It was not an easy project and as Stathis Arapostathis, Peter J.G. Pearson, and Timothy J. Foxon noted, the conditions to change to different types of heating and regulatory regimes were enabled. So, to switch to low carbon heating alternatives or lower energy consumption, the processes must also be done such they enable everyone to do their bit. But, as the Office goes on to say, the costs of transitioning to net zero heat (heat pumps and hydrogen) are far greater than before.

In the next and the last post in this series, Dr Karolina Rucinska will turn to the role of policy in dealing with fuel poverty and decarbonisation before summing it all.

How the CLCC is breaking down barriers in climate education

Since its inception, 75 members have become trainers and 157 individuals have certified as carbon literate. CLCC’s Project Lead (Luke Penny) and Facilitator (Fiona Humphreys) were interviewed by Abi Hoare Development Officer at Cynnal Cymru to share the story behind the collaboration.

What is the CLCC?

Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru (CLCC) is a consortium of 27 different housing associations in Wales, which have individually contributed resources to increase Carbon Literacy throughout Welsh social housing.

Through peer-to-peer delivery, the project provides the tools necessary for individual tenants to understand the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as empower them to act upon their choices. At the close of 2021, 75 trainers were involved, and 157 individuals had been certified as Carbon Literate, even though most independent courses weren’t due to start until 2022.

What is a consortium?

Effectively, a consortium is a formal collaboration, where people work together to achieve a common objective. In this instance, the common objective is to certify as many Carbon Literate individuals as possible within housing associations – both staff and tenants.

How does it work?

Each of the housing associations involved have contributed resources to fund the development of Carbon Literacy delivery within their individual organisations. Currently, 75 staff members have attended Cynnal Cymru’s ‘Train the Trainer’ course to support their teaching.

Even though the delivery is down to the trainer’s own discretion, participants will typically receive a day’s worth of virtual peer-to-peer learning, before submitting an evidence form to become certified. This will feature two pledges that will have a positive effect on carbon reduction at home and in their workplace/ with a group.

What is its main advantage?

Firstly, it removes the ‘us and them’ narrative that dampens climate activism and makes it inaccessible. One of the difficulties with climate change discourse, is that it’s difficult to know where to start if you have no formal education.

By providing Carbon Literacy training through housing associations, the course can give individuals the starting block they need that they may not have had the time, money, or knowledge to access otherwise.

How has working in collaboration increased action on Carbon Literacy?

In simple terms, by training new trainers, more individuals can take part in the Carbon Literacy Project than before. Not to mention, the resulting network and Communities of Practice are providing moral support that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

The energy and excitement of the CLCC’s trainers is what makes all the difference, so having a safe space to share experiences and challenges has helped significantly.

What role does Cynnal Cymru play in the consortium?

Cynnal Cymru acts purely within a secretariat and facilitator role. It has no specific requirements within the project, besides its initial creation and providing the necessary tools and support. What housing associations and trainers choose to do with Carbon Literacy beyond that is entirely their own decision.

What’s next for the CLCC?

A second version of the course is currently in development based upon the feedback received in the Communities of Practice, but the next big step is translating the course and delivering it entirely in Welsh.

In time, there is the possibility of starting new Carbon Literacy consortiums in different sectors or industries where Cynnal Cymru are available to offer that inception and on-going support role.

Free Carbon Literacy Training

*Rural Newport includes the wards of Llanwern, Marshfield, Graig, Langstone, and Caerleon.

Up to 90 free online training places are available for members of the community in the area who’d like to know more about the Climate crisis and how to take action.

There are also up to 116 places available for Town or Community Councils and those looking after Community Buildings.

Carbon Literacy is a training course which develops an awareness of:

“the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”

Participants will:

Develop action plans for themselves and a group
Use their knowledge for the benefit of their own lives, their local area and the Climate.
Those successfully completing the course will be awarded a certificate
Follow-up contact will help them maintain progress and share ideas to inspire others.

Duration

The course is “A day’s worth of learning spread across one week.”
Several cohorts will run online from January – March 2022 – you can see the available dates and booking links below
Participants will:

Join two online sessions (3hours each on different days)
Complete 1 hours worth of self-directed learning online at their convenience
Give a total time commitment of 7 hours across one calendar week.

Members of the Community – find your cohort here!

Choose a Cohort number from the table below. Follow the booking link and click on the cohort number to book your place on both Workshops.

Cohort Name and No.	Workshop Dates and Times	Booking Link
Community Cohort 1	1. January 11th 2022 09:30-12:30 2. January 13th 2022 09:30 -12:30	Book your place
Community Cohort 2	1. January 25th 2022 18:00-21:00 2. January 27th 2022 18:00-21:00	Book your place
Community Cohort 3	1. February 21st 2022 13:30 – 16:30 2. February 23rd 2022 13:30 -16:30	Book your place

Town and Community Councils and those looking after Community Buildings – find your cohort here!

Choose a Cohort number from the table below. Follow the booking link and click on the cohort number to book your place on both Workshops.

Cohort Name and No.	Workshop Dates and Times	Booking Link
Councils and Buildings Cohort 1	1. January 18th 2022 18:00-21:00 2. January 20th 2022 18:00-21:00	Book your place
Councils and Buildings Cohort 2	1. February 7th 2022 13:30-16:30 2. February 9th 2022 13:30 -16:30	Book your place
Councils and Buildings Cohort 3	1. February 21st 2022 13:30-16:30 2. February 23rd 2022 13:30 -16:30	Book your place
Councils and Buildings Cohort 4	1. March 8th 2022 09:30-12:30 2. March 10th 2022 09:30 – 12:30	Book your place

The free places are available thanks to Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government’

Low carbon Christmas trees (Updated)

As we approach the festive season, more of us than ever are looking at how we can make the most ethical and environmentally friendly choices to ensure a low-carbon Christmas. From choosing a real tree grown with care, to reusing decorations and choosing LEDS lighting, the good news is there are many fun and affordable changes you can make without compromise.

In this updated guide for 2022, we explore the sustainable and ethical choices in selecting and decorating your Christmas tree.

The tree

Is a real tree better than an artificial tree for the environment? According to Carbon Trust, that depends on the specific tree and the plans for reuse and disposal.

The Carbon Trust estimates an artificial tree has a carbon footprint around 40kg, compared to 16kg for a 2-metre real tree with no roots (if both end up in a landfill). You would need to use an artificial tree at least 10 times to negate its carbon footprint.

Most artificial trees are made in China, with the dual environmental impact of being made from plastic, PVC and metal, and then shipped overseas.
Soil Association

Most Christmas trees are grown as a horticultural crop, often using pesticides as well as potentially taking away precious land that can be used for creating carbon sinks, in other words, real forests for people and wildlife. Importing live plants can also introduce live pests and diseases which can have a devastating effect on our farms and woodland.

If you’re looking for a sustainable Christmas Tree, The Soil Association recommend choosing a tree that has been responsibly managed and grown using a minimal amount of pesticides. This includes selecting trees that are FSC certified, organic and grown locally – which in turn reduces the miles travelled as well as supporting the local economy.

So, the emissions to avoid after Christmas aren’t the ones produced by eating too many sprouts. The real issue is to do with the disposal of the trees – real or artificial. If both trees end up in landfill – the artificial tree might take hundreds of years to decompose, whilst the real tree will emit methane – a very potent greenhouse gas.

If you want to avoid these trees going to landfill, you can reuse the artificial tree and pass it on to your family (think of it as an heirloom tree – a forever tree that can be passed down through the generations). Whereas a real tree can be chopped and turned into wood chips that can later be used for mulching – reducing it’s emissions by up to 80%.

The best thing you can do to keep your Carbon emissions down is to plant a tree in a pot, watch it grow, bring it indoors for Christmas and take it outdoors until the next year. Or, adorn your existing plants at home with festive LED lights.

The lights

With a huge increase in energy prices this year, you may be wondering whether to switch off your Christmas lights this year. According to Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis:

“As long as you’ve got LED lights, a string of 100, which is a pretty decent amount, if you were to have them on for six hours a day for the month, it would cost you around 18 pence,”
Based on using LED lights

So, if you want to be environmentally friendly this season, use what you have at home and garden already, have a friendly chat with small scale suppliers as to how they manage their land to learn about the process of growing trees, and focus on planting trees or shrubs at the right time and at the right place in your community.

And finally, the most sustainable festive decorations are the ones you already have.

We are recruiting: Training and Communications Officer (Maternity Cover)

Post Title:	Training and Communications Officer
Salary:	Circa £23,000 – 25,000 pro rata
Duration:	Initial 1 year contract (maternity cover)
Hours:	30 Hours per week / flexible working
Start-Date:	January 2022
Location:	Home working / Cardiff office
Line-Management:	Principal Consultant

Application closing date: Sunday 12th December 2021 (midnight)

Interviews will be held online in early December with the view of a January 2022 start date.

About Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is the leading sustainable development organisation in Wales. We provide advice, training and connections to help organisations take bold decisions for a fairer and more secure future.

Working with our cross-sector members and wider network, we set the agenda and identify opportunities for action on sustainable development; support our members and communities of practice with their sustainability agendas; and share knowledge through training and consultancy work. We are the official partner of the Carbon Literacy Project in Wales and the real Living Wage Accreditation body for Wales.

With increasing demand for our online and in-person training related to climate change and environment, we would like to hire someone who can help us co-ordinate and deliver this work, as well as support its growth through effective communication, marketing and impact measurement.

How to apply

Please send your application to jobs@cynnalcymru.com by Sunday 28 November 2021, including your:

Cover email
Application form
Equal opportunities form

Please note we do not accept CVs.

We use a blind recruitment process at Cynnal Cymru.

Download Job Description and Person Specification

Download Application Form

Download Equal Opportunities Form

For more information about this role, please contact Rhodri Thomas, Principal Consultant on 02922940810

*Cynnal Cymru staff currently work up to a four-day week between Monday and Thursday with flexible working arrangements based on the needs of the job role.

We anticipate the Training and Communications Officer post can be based anywhere in Wales but ideally you should be able to work at least 1-2 days a week from the Cardiff Office.

Free NatWest Accelerator Programme open for climate focused businesses

The NatWest Accelerator Programme is now open for applications for the new cohort which starts in January 2022.

With four fully-funded programmes now available, NatWest particularly wants to hear from Welsh entrepreneurs who are dedicated to climate and sustainable solutions.

It’s Climate Accelerator is for businesses looking to take on the challenges faced by climate change and who are focused on sustainable success, similarly the Purpose-led Accelerator is aimed at entrepreneurs who are redefining what it means to be a business and supporting a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

The comprehensive programme includes:

1:1 coaching – These sessions are bespoke and offer business owners the opportunity to focus on the topics that matter to them and which will give them the confidence to fulfil their ambitions for their business.
Insight and thought leadership.
Peer-to-peer support from a community of fellow business owners from around Wales and across the UK.
The right connections at the right time for you and your business.

Timeline:

Applications are open now and virtual interviews are being booked through November and early December. Places are limited and the application process is competitive.

Eligibility:

High Growth – £8k monthly turnover or £50k investment (significant early growth would be considered if trading less than 12 months)
Climate – No performance criteria, but must be a climate focused business
Fintech – No performance criteria, but must be a fintech business
Purpose Led – No performance criteria, but this Accelerator is for businesses who focus on more than simply making a profit. A purpose-led business may be focused on making a positive difference in its community, on social responsibility, and on building sustainable relationships
Food & Drink – Open to Wales-based food and/or drinks producers who are already trading and generating revenue, and are ambitious, motivated to grow the business, ready to engage fully and to own their results

The first six months of support are available to all; you do not need to bank with NatWest to apply. Subsequent 12 and 18 month cohorts are reserved for NatWest Group customers only.

Applications:

Ready to apply? Visit the Natwest bank website

For further info please contact cardiffaccelerator@natwest.com

Thousands of Welsh Workers set for payrise as First Minister Mark Drakeford Announces New £9.90 Real Living Wage

Almost 13,000 people working for 359 real Living Wage Employers are set for a vital pay boost as the new Living Wage rate rises to £9.90 in Wales (40p increase) supporting workers and families through the pandemic. The Living Wage rates are the only rates independently calculated based on what people need to live on.

The new Real Living Wage rate and the ‘National Living Wage’ – know the difference

Unlike the UK Government minimum wage (‘National Living Wage’ for over 23s – £8.91 rising to £9.50 in April 2022) the real Living Wage is the only wage rate independently calculated based on rising living costs – including fuel, energy, rent and food. A full-time worker earning the new, real Living Wage would earn £1,930 a year more than a worker earning the current government minimum (NLW). For a worker today that’s the equivalent of 7 months of food bills and more than 5 months’ rent based on average household spending in the UK. Even on next April’s higher NLW rate of £9.50, a full-time worker on the real Living Wage would earn £780 more. The increase in the Living Wage rate this year has largely been driven by rising fuel and rent costs.

This year the campaign for a real Living Wage celebrates its twentieth year across the UK and its tenth anniversary in Wales, with new research from the Cardiff Business School showing Living Wage workers have benefitted from more than £1.6bn in extra wages across the UK during this period, with one in 13 workers now working for an accredited Living Wage Employer. In Wales, over £57.2m in extra wages has gone to low-paid workers thanks to the Living Wage campaign over the last ten years.

The Living Wage movement continues to grow in Wales

The number of accredited Living Wage Employers in Wales has risen by 44% in the last year to 359, including the Wales Millennium Centre, Dyfed-Powys Police and Coaltown Coffee. Much of this progress is as a result of the work of Cynnal Cymru, the Living Wage Foundation’s Accreditation Partner in Wales, which supports employers through the process of accreditation.

Wales’ accredited Living Wage employers join a network of almost 9,000 employers across the UK, including half of the FTSE 100 companies, household names like Aviva, Everton FC, Burberry, and Lush, as well as thousands of small businesses, who are choosing to pay the real Living Wage to ensure all staff earn a wage that meets the real cost of living.

Citizens Cymru Wales is now focusing its campaigning efforts on Health Board, local authorities and care providers in Wales, asking them to accredit as Living Wage employers.

The First Minister will announce the news at a virtual Living Wage Week Wales Launch on Monday 15th November 08:30-09:30, hosted by Citizens Cymru Wales, Cynnal Cymru and the Living Wage for Wales Leadership Team.

“Today’s announcement of a rise in the Real Living Wage to £9.90 an hour stands to benefit thousands of workers in Wales. The challenge for us is to encourage more employers across Wales to commit to paying their workers at least the Living Wage. As part of the steps we can take to make work fairer, the Welsh Government is using the influence it has to improve levels of Living Wage adoption and accreditation. This includes leading by example as a Living Wage accredited employer, beginning the implementation of the real living wage in social care early in this Senedd term and encouraging employers in Wales to explore the benefits of the Living Wage for them as employers and for those that work for them.”
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales

“We are making remarkable progress towards our goal of making Wales a Living Wage economy, but one in six workers in Wales still earn a poverty wage, and that is a big problem. We need to see more of Wales’ employers choosing to accredit with the Living Wage Foundation, especially in the public sector. This will not only lift their own staff out of in-work poverty, but also those thousands of cleaners, security guards and careworkers working for them in outsourced roles.”
Rachel Ashworth, Dean of Cardiff Business School and Chair of the Living Wage for Wales Leadership Team

“Careworkers like me are delighted that the Welsh Government is going to phase in the Real Living Wage from April next year. This will make a huge difference to the people who have been on the frontline of the pandemic. We’ve heard the clapping and we’ve heard people saying how vital our work is, and now we have heard that our wages will be going up.”
Edel Anabwani, Careworker from Cardiff and Leader with Citizens Cymru Wales

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic we continue to see significant growth in Living Wage accreditations in Wales – with 110 new employers signed up in the last year and thousands of employees benefiting from a poverty-busting payrise. If you are an employer in Wales and you want to join the Living Wage movement we can help you get accredited..”
Sarah Hopkins, Director, Cynnal Cymru

“Becoming a Living Wage Employer is something we’ve wanted to do for a while now, so we’re delighted we’ve finally been able to make that a reality. It’s a hugely important step for us to take as an organisation, to be able to recognise in a small but concrete way the tremendous value our front of house team bring to the table. They’re often the first people our visitors will have come into contact with, so they’re the face of Techniquest in many ways and play a vital role in helping bring science to life for all those who visit. Hopefully this uplift will help towards their living costs going forward and will continue to keep them ahead of the curve compared with others working in similar positions across the UK.”
Lesley Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive of Techniquest, a recently accredited Living Wage employer

“With living costs rising so rapidly, today’s new Living Wage rates will provide hundreds of thousands of workers and their families with greater security and stability. For the past 20 years the Living Wage movement has shaped the debate on low pay, showing what is possible when responsible employers step up and provide a wage that delivers dignity. Despite this, there are still millions trapped in working poverty, struggling to keep their heads above water – and these are people working in jobs that kept society going during the pandemic like social care workers and cleaners. We know that the Living Wage is good for businesses as well as workers, and as we rebuild our economy post pandemic, the real Living Wage must be at its heart.”
Katherine Chapman, Living Wage Foundation Director

Four ways Welsh businesses can tackle climate change

As COP26 comes to a close, many of us will be wondering what more we can do to tackle climate change.

As well as being the forum for governments to debate the way forward, it’s sparked wider discussions on the changes we all need to make.

Governments alone won’t solve the problem. Companies have a huge role to play too. Many businesses in Wales have already pledged action as part of the All Wales Plan to reach net zero or the UK Business Climate Hub (which also has useful tips on cutting emissions). Others have also added their voices to the Climate Cymru campaign, which is calling for strong commitments from government.

So what can your business do right now to make a difference? Whether you run a snack bar, solicitor’s or a steel plant, here are some key ways you can take action.

1. Tackle your energy use

At 29% of Wales’ emissions, our energy supply pumps out more greenhouse gases than any other sector – higher than transport or agriculture.

Fortunately, there’s plenty your business can do.

Switching to a green tariff will support renewables, but how about cutting how much energy you use too?

A survey by the Carbon Trust shows that 80% of SMEs in the UK are taking action on energy efficiency, with installation of LED lighting the most popular measure.

According to Business Wales, heating accounts for about half the energy used in offices. It also provides a guide to saving energy, starting with checking the building is insulated as thoroughly as possible.

One business that’s taken action on energy is Cardiff restaurant Kindle, which has installed sheep’s wool insulation and sensor controlled lighting.

2. Train your staff to be ‘Carbon Literate’

Cutting your emissions isn’t always easy. This is where Carbon Literacy training comes in.

The course helps learners understand how climate change will affect them, and develop knowledge and skills to lower their carbon footprint.

One Welsh business that’s already benefitted is the country’s largest motor retail group, Sinclair Group. Nine senior representatives from the company recently took part, building on the firm’s existing work to cut emissions such as installing solar panels and switching to renewable energy providers.

Since doing the training, the managers have made a pledge, including giving customers access to electric courtesy cars and investing in ethical pension funds.

If you’re interested in getting your staff certified in carbon literacy, then check out our courses!

3. Protect and restore nature

We’re facing a nature crisis – one in six species in Wales is at risk of extinction – yet nature holds many of the solutions to global heating.

For example, trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and lock it up for centuries. According to the Woodland Trust, a young wood with mixed native species can lock up 400+ tonnes of carbon per hectare.

Peatlands are another important carbon sink. Globally, they store more than double the amount of carbon than the world’s forests. Draining and digging peat up to use as garden compost however causes it to break down with time, releasing the stored carbon dioxide and methane.

One example of a firm taking action is Cardiff-based Orchard Media & Events Group, which has partnered with Coed Hills Rural Artspace, to create its own ‘Orchard’ within the existing eco-friendly community.

Your business can help too. Perhaps you can seek advice on how to create, protect or restore habitats on any land you own or manage, or switch to using or promoting peat-free compost? The Nature Wise toolkit is a great place to start.

By signing up for our Nature Wise programme, you and your staff can learn more and get support with developing your own nature action plan.

4. Pay the real Living Wage

Making the shift to low carbon will mean some big changes, and it’s important that this change is fair to everyone, including those in high emitting industries or on low pay.

One thing your business can do is sign up to be a real Living Wage employer. Earning a real Living Wage helps people to make choices – with the food they buy, the gas and energy they use. This helps people to participate in being part of the solution to tackling climate change – mentally, physically and economically.

Ready to act?

Have these ideas inspired you to do more in your business to tackle climate change?

We’re here to help turn your sustainability aims into action, providing advice, training and connections – so please get in touch if you’re ready to take the next step.

Heat policy and advice – The future we need now