Our Work

Congratulations to Trivallis on achieving Silver Carbon Literate Organisation status!

Trivallis is excited to announce that they have been officially accredited as a Silver Carbon Literate Organisation. This achievement reflects their ongoing commitment to building a low carbon future and highlights the growing strength of sustainability across our organisation.

This milestone follows the successful accreditation of 170 staff members who are now Carbon Literate. Their learning and commitment have helped create a shared understanding of climate change, giving people the confidence to take practical action as part of their roles. This includes reducing waste, improving asset planning, supporting long term efficiency and shaping services that meet the needs of Trivallis tenants and communities.

A meaningful step in their sustainability journey

Carbon Literacy is supporting Trivallis to embed climate conscious thinking into everyday decisions. It is helping them work in a more informed and consistent way and making sustainability a core part of their culture.

Dave Coleman, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, said:
“By becoming a Silver accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, Trivallis has demonstrated its commitment to genuine low carbon action, environmental and economic impact, and the building of a low carbon future for us all.”

Working in partnership with Cynnal Cymru

“Our progress has been supported by our partnership with Cynnal Cymru, whose expertise in delivering and shaping Carbon Literacy training has supported us in creating a bespoke training programme for Trivallis staff. In this, they have helped our staff gain the knowledge and momentum needed to influence change across Trivallis.”

Jason Shilcock, Head of Training and Advice at Cynnal Cymru, said:

“Working in partnership with Trivallis was both rewarding and fulfilling. Having an organisation that truly recognises the difference it can make to local people and communities and supports its staff to be as knowledgeable as possible to make informed decisions and take meaningful actions, is invaluable. We thank the team at Trivallis and congratulate you heartily on such well-deserved recognition of all your hard work. Llongyfarchiadau mawr!”

Looking ahead and staying Lit-erate with our Carbon Literacy training

Trivallis plan to build on this strong foundation by training a further 30 to 40 colleagues each year, ensuring carbon awareness continues to grow across the organisation and is sustained over the long term. Staff within the organisation have attended the ‘delivering successful Carbon Literacy workshop’ meaning they can deliver the training themselves to our staff.

Vic, Director of Assets and Sustainability, said:

“This Silver Award is a real testament to the commitment of our staff and their drive towards making Trivallis a net zero organisation. It also supports colleagues to make positive changes in their personal lives as well as impacting decisions on how we operate as a business.”

Trivallis have also been invited to take part in wider Carbon Literacy celebrations, which includes the awards ceremony taking place in Manchester in summer 2026.
Thank you to everyone involved.

Together, these accreditations demonstrate that Trivallis is taking meaningful, measurable steps towards a more sustainable future. As they continue to expand Carbon Literacy training and embed low carbon thinking across their services, they remain committed to leading by example and creating lasting benefits for our people, homes and communities.

Trivallis are a community mutual housing association which is owned by their tenants, rooted in their local communities, and working through collaboration and partnership.

Congratulations to Trivallis on achieving Silver Carbon Literate Organisation status! Read More »

Delivering Carbon Literacy training for Natural Resources Wales

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the pan-Wales natural resources management organisation funded by Welsh Government. Its purpose is to ensure that the natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, enhanced and used, now and in the future. NRW was created in 2013 by the merging of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environmental Agency Wales and the Forestry Commission in Wales.  

To ensure colleagues developed a shared understanding on climate topics, Cynnal Cymru created and delivered a bespoke, Carbon Literacy training program for NRW.

Approach taken: 

The Carbon Literacy® training roll-out has been delivered through several phases: 

Bespoke course development

In partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University we developed a bespoke Carbon Literacy® course, approved and accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project (2023); 

Phase 1 – Pilot

Delivery of a pilot session with key personnel and champions within NRW, e.g. the Climate Change Team and senior managers (2023); 

Phase 2 – Preparation and delivery

Preparation and delivery of weekly online Carbon Literacy® sessions (October 2023 – March 2024); 

Phase 3 – Reflect and refine

Reflection on Phase 2, building in adaptations to the course content and delivering of weekly online sessions (September 2024 – January 2025); 

Phase 4 – Wider roll out

Delivery of weekly online sessions to wider departments and teams including new starters (September 2025 – February 2026).

Phase 5 – Monitoring and evaluation

Working closely with NRW’s Climate Change team we implemented a monitoring and evaluation study, using focus groups to analyse participant awareness of individual carbon footprint and common themes for climate pledges. A final report was be presented to NRW’s Specialist Advisor in Climate Change and Decarbonisation.

This training programme was funded internally by NRW and coordinated by the Climate Change team.  

Hybrid approach

Due to the Wales-wide nature of the NRW workforce, and the challenge in bringing together large team together in one location, we delivered the majority of the training online with a small number of sessions face-to-face.  

Impacts of the project

Team learning, collaborative impact

Since 2023, Cynnal Cymru has delivered a bespoke Carbon Literacy course to over 1300 staff at NRW as part of an organisation roll out of of accredited training.

As of February 2026, over 100 cohorts of Carbon Literacy® training (each cohort is approximately 15 participants) have been successfully delivered, meaning we have provided training to over 50% of NRW’s employees (approximately 1,300 people).  

To date, over 35% of their staff have successfully been certified Carbon Literate (having completed the course and having their evaluation form with climate pledges accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project). 

Achieving silver accreditation as a Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO)

In February 2026, NRW achieved the CLO (Carbon Literate Organisation) Silver Accreditation which further demonstrates their commitment and action towards climate change by successfully training and accrediting a significant percentage of their workforce.  

Over the winter period 2025-2026, Cynnal Cymru also worked closely alongside NRW’s Climate Change team to implement a Monitoring & Effectiveness study, using focus groups to analyse participant awareness of their own carbon footprint and common themes for climate pledges. The final reports on this are currently being prepared ready to send to NRW’s Specialist Advisor in Climate Change and Decarbonisation. 

Cynnal Cymru  is delighted to have played a part in NRW’s amazing accomplishment, by providing guidance and support throughout the accreditation process. 

For more information on our Carbon Literacy training, including information on bespoke courses tailored to your organisation, please visit our training hub.

Delivering Carbon Literacy training for Natural Resources Wales Read More »

Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy

Train the Trainer: Carbon Literacy

Gain the knowledge, capacity and confidence needed to support others to take action on climate change.

Course essentials

Group size

Ideally suited to
four to five people

Commitment 12 hours

Three morning sessions
plus homework

Learning options

Online open
or in-person

Certification

Subject to successful completion of the course

Who should attend

This course is designed for individuals who are already Carbon Literate and are ready to take the next step: leading, delivering, or supporting Carbon Literacy training sessions within their organisation or community.

Ideal for:

  • Senior managers and team leaders
  • Board members or trustees
  • Support workers or volunteers
  • Anyone involved in organising or delivering Carbon Literacy learning

Open course dates

Our open courses run across three morning sessions, from 09:00am-12:30pm GMT. More details can be found below.

  • April / May 2026

    Course starts on 27th April

Day 1 – 27th April
Day 2 – 29th April
Day 3 – 6th May

  • June / July 2026

    Course starts on 29th June

Day 1 – 29th June
Day 2 – 1st July
Day 3 – 6th July

Whether you want to create your own course, build on an existing one, or support others to do so, these sessions will give you the tools, confidence, and structure to make it happen.

What you’ll gain

  • A deeper understanding of the Carbon Literacy Standard

  • Confidence in delivering impactful and inclusive sessions

  • Practical trainer skills tailored to a wide range of audiences

  • Strategies for managing challenging situations in training

  • Peer feedback and live experience through a micro-teach session

  • Access to a ready-made agenda and training structure to help you design or adapt your own course

Our bespoke sessions are tailored to provide your organisation with the support you need to successfully deliver your Carbon Literacy training.

Course structure

  • Understanding Carbon Literacy:

    Refresh and deepen your knowledge

  • Confident trainer skills:

    Build your presence and delivery

  • Engaging diverse learners:

    Techniques to connect with different audiences

  • Handling difficult scenarios:

    Tools and strategies for tricky moments

  • Delivering a session:

    Practical tips for planning and execution

  • How storytelling inspires action:

    Using real stories to drive change

  • What behaviour change means:

    Moving from knowledge to action

  • The Carbon Literacy Standard:

    What it is and how to meet it

  • Peer-assessed micro teach:

    Deliver a 20-minute session and give/receive structured feedback

Interactive and practical

This is a highly practical course. You’ll not only learn how to deliver Carbon Literacy training, but you’ll practise delivering it, receive feedback, and build confidence in a supportive environment. By the end of the sessions, you’ll be better equipped to train others, engage meaningfully, and inspire action.

Course options

We offer our official Carbon Literacy Project accredited Train the Trainer course for both individuals and organisations.

Open course

For individuals from any organisation, we offer online open courses. Places are limited so please book early.

From £750 +VAT*

*This cost is per person

FAQs

How long is the course?

Our standard open course runs over three morning sessions, 9:00am-12:30pm plus 1.5 hours of homework. A total of 12 hours, typically across a two to three week period. 

Where does it take place?

Our open courses take place online.

How many people can attend the course?

This course works best with four people.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes, if you are a member of Cynnal Cymru we offer a membership discount.

For more information on the course options, or to book your place on an open course course, please get in contact.

Get in touch

Customised

For individuals from the same organisation

From £3350 +VAT*

*This cost is based on four individuals from the same organisation receiving training online.

FAQs

What does the cost include?

Our customised course price starts from £3350 plus VAT for online training.

This includes developing course content specific to your organisation.

For in person delivery, we will provide a quote for any additional costs including travel, accommodation, sustenance or room bookings as agreed with the client. 

How long is the course?

Our standard course runs over three sessions, typically 3.5 hours each plus 1.5 hours of homework. A total of 12 hours.

We can work with you to schedule the sessions to suit your organisation’s needs and recommend they are completed within a two to three week period.

Where does it take place?

Our customised courses for organisations can be delivered online or in-person. 

How many people can attend the course?

This course is ideally suited for four people.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes, if you are a member of Cynnal Cymru we offer a membership discount.

Next steps

On successful completion of our accredited Train the Trainer course, we can also help you to take the next steps to becoming an official Carbon Literacy Trainer by providing additional mentoring and guidance to help you achieve Trainer certification through the Carbon Literacy Project. Please get in contact to find out more about our prices and support available.

Looking to take that next step? Find out how we can support you on your Carbon Literacy journey.

Get in touch
Carbon Literacy logo

About the Carbon Literacy Project

Carbon Literacy is a concept created in Manchester by Cooler Projects Ltd. and its partners. It is governed by the Carbon Literacy Trust.

The Carbon Literacy Project offers everyone a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy learning, covering – climate change, carbon footprints, how you can do your bit, and why it’s relevant to you and your audience.

The Carbon Literacy Project is globally unique – there is nothing else quite like it anywhere. It was recognised as such by the UN at COP21, in Paris, where it was awarded as a TAP100, one of 100 worldwide Transformative Action Programs.

About Cynnal Cymru

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is the leading organisation for Sustainable Development in Wales.

Cynnal Cymru is the official partner in Wales for the award-winning Carbon Literacy Project. 

In April 2020, Cynnal Cymru was further recognised as a Carbon Literacy Training Organisation – the first in Wales.

Get in touch

training@cynnalcymru.com

029 2043 1746

We typically work Monday -Thursday, 9-5pm

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

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Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy Read More »

How public bodies are embedding the Well-being of Future Generations Act

Transport for Wales – embedding well-being to guide their decision making

There are currently 56 public bodies who are subject to the Well-being of Future Generations Act and who by law must carry out ‘sustainable development’, including setting and publishing well-being objectives and taking all reasonable steps to meet them. At Cynnal Cymru we’ve been working directly with several of the public bodies mentioned in the Act, supporting them to meet their well-being goals.

Our team are currently working with Transport for Wales (TfW) to develop a bespoke Carbon Literacy training course for their employees. Did you know TfW are one of the latest organisations to become a named body under the Act? This happened in June 2024, and means they are responsible for reporting their progress under the legislation. In April 2025, TfW released their well-being statement, outlining their plan to meet the goals set out within the Act and the well-being objectives they are focusing on to enable future generations to thrive. The four well-being objectives they’ve developed to guide their decision-making are:

  1. Enabling people and communities
  2. Benefiting the environment
  3. Supporting local areas and the economy
  4. Elevating Welsh culture and language

TfW are embedding this future-focused and long-term thinking approach in practice through a number of recent projects, including the development of the South Wales Metro project and an increase in the number of pioneering “tri-mode” electric trains, combined with their ambitious Network North Wales initiative launched earlier this year.

How Natural Resources Wales are helping to restore our peatlands

During our Carbon Literacy training with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), we were excited to hear how they are successfully restoring peatlands across Wales as part of the the National Peatland Action Programme (NPAP). This is an excellent example of how different organisations are working together under the Act to:

  • capture and store carbon
  • regulate greenhouse gases
  • maintain biodiversity
  • regulate water

Wales smashes peatland restoration target

“Wales continues to exceed its national peatland restoration target, restoring over 3,600 hectares of damaged peatland – the equivalent of more than 3,600 rugby fields – in just five years.

This nature-based climate action is estimated to deliver an emissions saving equal to taking 6,840 cars off the road.”

How public bodies are embedding the Well-being of Future Generations Act Read More »

Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru

Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru (CLCC) was a consortium of Welsh registered housing associations, which ran from 2019 until 2024. During that time, more than 30 RHAs were members, over 140 Carbon Literacy trainers were certified within the consortium, and a fully accredited Carbon Literacy training course was delivered to 598 people in Wales.

Carbon Literacy is defined as a day’s worth of learning around the causes and consequences of climate change, empowering learners to make individual and group actions personally and professionally.

The Carbon Literacy Project has defined the standard of Carbon Literacy and accredits courses and learners.

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales was the secretariat for CLCC, organising meetings, holding funds for use by the consortium, providing support around Carbon Literacy and facilitating Community of Practice sessions for CLCC trainers.

CLCC history

In 2019, a group of representatives from registered housing associations across Wales sat down around a table with one aim: to find a way to work together to help alleviate the climate emergency.

They agreed that understanding their carbon impact, both as individuals and organizations, and being able to make informed decisions on reducing carbon emissions, had the potential to be transformative for the social housing sector and communities. Thus Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru was born – a consortium that would provide a platform for knowledge sharing across the sector, collaborative problem solving, and peer to peer teaching to deliver Carbon Literacy training to staff across Wales. One phrase in the meeting notes from the earliest days of the CLCC succinctly summarised what the approach would be: “This consortium is about reaching you where you’re at and helping from there.”

Five years later the CLCC was brought to a close, having achieved exactly what it set out to do. The consortium’s flagship project, a fully accredited Carbon Literacy training course tailored to the social housing sector, had been delivered to 598 people across Wales, thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of the CLCC trainers who passed on their knowledge to their peers and colleagues. The course had received two substantial updates, and been fully translated into Welsh; its final iteration will continue to be used by members to certify their staff as Carbon Literate. Many of those housing associations are now certified Carbon Literate Organisations, and continue to champion carbon reduction in the workplace.

As was inevitable with a large group of disparate organisations, not everyone’s time as members of the CLCC looks the same. Each had their own priorities, their own challenges to overcome. But the consortium’s ethos of looking at where each member was and guiding them to where they wanted to be played a huge role in the success of the project.

Bron Afon Community Housing was a part of the CLCC from the start, and remained as members throughout the lifetime of the consortium. Nadine Davies, Community Decarbonisation Officer at Bron Afon, said, “The CLCC has enabled us as an organisation to come together and learn about the importance of climate change and carbon emissions. It provided us with valuable skills, networks, and guidance for us to deliver the course to our colleagues successfully.”

Reflecting on her term as Chair of the CLCC between May 2023 and the consortium’s closure in October 2024, Nadine added, “The CLCC created a space for us to discuss and share in confidence what was going well and what our struggles were when delivering Carbon Literacy. I found the regular meetings and coming together with others delivering the course useful and it was good to listen and take on board points raised. I very much enjoyed my time as Chair of the CLCC and without it I don’t think we would have had as much success with the delivery of Carbon Literacy as we have. I look forward to continuing to deliver Carbon Literacy to the rest of our staff and the wider community to help tackle climate change.”

CLCC members in 2023

What next for the CLCC?

Although the consortium has now closed, its positive impact will continue long into the future. Many former members are planning to roll out Carbon Literacy to their tenants – and with more than 100,000 houses owned across the consortium, that’s a lot of people. For some member organisations, certified Carbon Literacy training is now mandatory for all new staff. Cynnal Cymru also created a Climate Essentials course to help trainers pass on key knowledge in a shorter, more accessible format, and encourage interest in the full training. For those housing associations who want customised training or advice, individually or collaboratively, Cynnal Cymru’s team can work with them to ensure that the success of the CLCC is just the first step on their carbon reduction journey.

The relationships that were built through the consortium, and the knowledge that was gained and shared, will continue to provide the foundation for Carbon Literacy and a greater awareness and understanding of the impact we all have on the world around us.

If you would like to know more about the CLCC please contact: Shwmae@cynnalcymru.com

If you’re interested in Carbon Literacy training for your organisation or a collaborative project, please contact our training team: training@cynnalcymru.com

Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru Read More »

The Wales We Want National Conversation

For over two years Cynnal Cymru worked with the Welsh Government and the former Commissioner for Future Generations, Peter Davies, to help develop and grow Wales’s biggest National Conversation on ‘The Wales We Want’.

The Conversation was launched on 18 February 2014 with the support of award-winning Welsh actor and UNICEF supporter Michael Sheen at a high profile event in held in Cardiff.

In the first year we organised 20 events, 3 launch events, recruited 150 Futures Champions, helping to bring together 6474 individuals, who took part in over 100 conversations across Wales resulting in almost 1000 responses in the form or reports, videos, postcards, drawings and surveys.

Putting People at the Heart of the Campaign

 ‘I want a Wales where….’ campaign video featuring our first Futures Champions and ambassadors for the campaign.

Working closely with the Welsh Government, Cynnal Cymru identified the need to develop and strengthen the brand identity, placing people at the heart of the conversation. To enable the conversation to reach as wide an audience as possible, a network of Futures Champions was established – identifying key champions and influencers to represent different geographical areas and communities of interest.  As part of the recruitment strategy, Cynnal Cymru was able to recruit new champions through its own networks and contacts.

This approach proved vital in helping people to relate the campaign, and take ownership of the conversation and brand. Many also took it to the next level with spin-out Conversations such as The Llanelli We Want and the Carmarthenshire We Want.

Working with a design agency Hoffi, we developed the campaign website, where the primary focus was to encourage people to take action by signing up as Futures Champions or sharing their views online.

Infographic showing the network of 'Future Champions' and participants who took part in the conversation.

Throughout the campaign Cynnal Cymru was responsible for developing a number of milestone events, including the launch of final report in 2015, held in Cardiff and Llandudno. The report was the culmination of a year-long conversation with the people across Wales, attended by the Minister for Natural Resources, Michael Sheen, Iolo Williams and other notable speakers. This high profile event was supported by a successful social media campaign #futurecymru which trended on Twitter with over 1500 tweets during the launch day.

The Wales We Want National Conversation Read More »

Creating an “ah-ha” moment to help embed sustainability into ColegauCymru’s DNA

ColegauCymru is a membership organisation that represents the interests of further education institutions across Wales. In recognising the collective need to embrace sustainability, ColegauCymru joined Cynnal Cymru seeking advice and networks towards creating a more sustainable future.

Challenge:

Like many other organisations, they have become increasingly aware of their need to coordinate actions on emerging sustainability trends, goals, and regulations, and to be able to set a positive example. As a result, the team approached Cynnal Cymru seeking support on how best to proceed.

Our approach:

Instead of making a series of recommendations on a report that would have gone unnoticed, we proposed creating an “ah-ha” moment.

We were fortunate that the team who spoke with us said, “We think everyone in this organisation should be part of it” ! It was music to our ears. After all, as we often say, everyone, no matter what title they hold, can have insights and expertise about sustainability.

So, on a rainy Monday morning, we turned, for a few hours, an entire organisation into researchers, system thinkers and consultants!

ColegauCymru have mapped out their operations to better understand their positive and negative impacts across the value chain and have outlined the key pillars of action. In doing so, the entire team appreciated how their organisation fits into the world and what they must aim for.

Impact:

As one of the participants said, “Perhaps our vision then should be about sustainability…?”

When we heard it, we knew the workshop created an “ah-ha” moment. How come?  At Cynnal Cymru, we firmly believe that a tick-box approach to sustainability will not be able to address the challenges facing organisations and will most definitely not help societies and nature to meet their most basic needs, let alone thrive. So, to lead by example, organisations must embed sustainability into their DNA rather than have a separate, official version, vision, mission and strategy.

ColegauCymru Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Rachel Cable, said,

“We’re grateful for the support and guidance provided by the Cynnal Cymru team at this workshop, which was a great first step in our sustainability journey.

ColegauCymru is committed to making our organisation more sustainable, and we hope in time to be able to share our learnings with the colleges in our membership as well as our other partner organisations. This workshop was useful in encouraging us to think differently about how we work and how we can make improvements in all aspects of our sustainability journey, and not just our professional lives.

We look forward to continuing to work with Cynnal Cymru in laying the foundations for our onward journey.”

Creating an “ah-ha” moment to help embed sustainability into ColegauCymru’s DNA Read More »

The Carbon Literacy Project

The Award-winning Carbon Literacy Project aims to ensure that every citizen receives at least one day’s worth of learning so that they understand the links between human activity and climate change while empowering individuals, communities and organisations to take action to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

We have been working with the Carbon Literacy Project since 2017 to help accelerate action on climate change, by providing organisations with the training and support needed to reduce their carbon emissions.

Official partner of the Carbon Literacy Project in Wales since 2017

Cynnal Cymru are the official partner of the Carbon Literacy Project in Wales are we are immensely proud to have brought Carbon Literacy to Wales and to have made it into the huge success it is.

In 2017, led by our Rhodri Thomas (our former principal trainer) we began our partnership with The Carbon Literacy Project and delivered our first accredited Carbon Literacy course. Rhodri was also the first resident Welsh certified Carbon Literacy trainer in Wales and in April 2020, Cynnal Cymru was recognised as the first Carbon Literacy Training Organisation (CLTO) in Wales.

In 2020, in response, to the Pandemic we launched our first distance learning Carbon Literacy course – and we have since delivered online Carbon Literacy training to a wide range of organisations reaching as far as Australia.

In February 2024 we hit a new milestone with over 1000 learners certified Carbon Literate.

To date we have also:

  • Trained the Sustainable Development forum of Museum Wales, supporting initial efforts by the whole museum sector to develop bespoke Carbon Literacy training.
  • Co-founded and coordinated Carbon Literacy Cartrefi Cymru – a consortium of twenty seven housing associations and overseeing the training of around 140 staff including a ‘Train the Trainer’ programme as well as the development of a dedicated Carbon Literacy course for the social housing sector. Our partners in the consortium are launching a cascade of peer to peer training using their own course.
  • Funded by National Resources Wales, we worked with Manchester Metropolitan University and Great Places Housing group to train over 200 leaders and influencers from the organisations that make up the five Gwent Public Service Boards.
  • Trained the whole cabinet and executive management team of Newport City Council.
  • Developed an introduction to climate change e-learning course for Denbighshire County Council staff that will accompany their Carbon Literacy training.
  • Designed a Carbon Literacy for Engineers course in collaboration with the Flexis programme.
  • Trained and supported Cardiff Council colleagues and cabinet members enabling them to apply for the Bronze Carbon Literacy Organisation accreditation.
  • Regularly provide training for staff at The National Lottery
  • Trained the environmental champions of Sinclair Group
A room full of people attending Carbon Literacy training
  • Took part in the 3rd annual Carbon Literacy Action Day in December 2023 – with 14 organisations joining us at Cardiff University’s Sbarc|Spark building here in Cardiff!
  • Continue to run monthly open courses online for people from all over the world.

The Carbon Literacy Project

The Carbon Literacy Project is wholly owned by The Carbon Literacy Trust, a registered charity (No 1156722) established in 2013 to take responsibility for The Project in perpetuity, for the public good.

The Project delivers no training directly, but works with a host of people and organisations from all walks of life, that all deliver training that is accredited against the Carbon Literacy Standard. The Project then assesses participant’s and certifies successful candidates with their own uniquely numbered Carbon Literacy certificate.

Due to this ‘crowdsourced’ approach, working with everyone, from all walks of life, The Carbon Literacy Project is globally unique – there is nothing else quite like it anywhere. This was recognised by the United Nations at the UN climate negotiations, COP21, in Paris in 2015, where the Project was awarded TAP100 status, – one of 100 projects worldwide recognised as Transformative Action Programmes, that could materially change the way we deal with climate change.

The Carbon Literacy Project Read More »

A large wave crashes onto the edge of the pier with a visible lighthouse in Porthcawl.

National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) launches climate research project

This week NICW has launched a new climate research project run by Cynnal Cymru to explore how climate change is communicated to communities. Over five months, the research team will analyse current trends and meet with communities to ultimately help public bodies engage better with the public to manage long-term climate risks.

Climate change is a serious issue that will transform landscapes worldwide, including Wales. The impact will be particularly significant here in Wales, where 60% of the population and the infrastructure we depend on are located in coastal areas. Many communities in these areas are situated below the high tide line, and rising sea levels and increased storms will gradually erode coastlines at a rate of 20-67m every 100 years. This rate is expected to increase to 82-175m depending on the level of carbon emissions.

However, rising sea levels are not the only change that the people of Wales will experience. Prolonged heat waves, heavy storms, and droughts might become the new norm, posing significant challenges to everyone. Therefore, it is essential to consider these impacts when maintaining and upgrading the infrastructure, which is often over 200 years old.

It is also crucial to recognise that the likelihood and severity of these risks will increase in the coming decades. Public bodies, the Welsh Government, and other important stakeholders must make critical decisions on responding to this risk, which may require responding to this risk and ensuring that communities are also engaged in the difficult decisions around planning and investment.

About the project

The new project launched on November 6, 2023 and is set to end in March 2024. Its main objective is to help public bodies make better decisions and engage with the public to manage long-term climate risks. This learning will be applied to other climate threats as well. The project will focus on engaging those who are directly or indirectly affected by the risks, as well as the wider public, who may be affected in the future by the use of our nation’s infrastructure assets or in their homes. 

To accomplish these goals, the project will analyse current and emerging data about climate threats and ways to communicate these threats through interviews with stakeholders, including the NICW. Additionally, the analysis of the call for evidence, which is currently open, will be considered. Ultimately, this is a scoping project that aims to assist NICW in establishing a wider research program for 2024/2025 and provide recommendations on governance.

Cynnal Cymru, a sustainable development charity, was chosen to run the project due to their innovative approach to how the public, including policymakers, can act in the face of uncertainty.

Cynnal Cymru

“We are excited to contribute to this important initiative by providing direct insight on climate, engagement, and decision-making to those whose decisions will directly impact the well-being of communities in Wales”.

Helen Armstrong 

“We commissioned this project because we wanted to be pushed and challenged about how we think and communicate climate change with the public and decision-makers in Wales.” 

Steve Brooks 

“Climate change affects us all, but its effects vary across Wales and we want to ensure diverse voices are part of our strategy.” 

About the National Infrastructure 

The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) was established in 2018 as an independent, non-statutory advisory body to Welsh Ministers. Its key purpose is to analyse, advise and make recommendations on Wales’ longer-term strategic economic and environmental infrastructure needs over a 5-80-year period. Welsh Ministers have recently set the NICW a new remit for this Senedd term which includes investigating and making recommendations to the Welsh Government on climate change resilience.  

About Cynnal Cymru 

Since 2002, Cynnal Cymru has paved the way for sustainable development in Wales. We aim to help organisations create a fairer and more secure future for all through training, consultancy, research, and facilitation. A fair and secure future is sustainable and climate literate, which is why we provide training and consultancy as a partner of the Carbon Literacy Project and across other sustainability areas. Our Fair Work team help businesses create fairer working practices as the Welsh accreditor of the real Living Wage. 

National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) launches climate research project Read More »

Logo of One Mind In Wales

Mind and Local Minds – linking mental health with sustainability

The challenge 

Mental health charities are increasingly interested in issues around climate change and are eager to know what role they can play and how they can positively contribute to the sustainable development goals, and the seven wellbeing goals here in Wales. However, as with many other organisations, local Minds in Wales do not always have in-house experts, sustainability professionals, or the appropriate capacity to help them integrate sustainability into their operations. As a result, there is often concern and worry about not knowing where to start and what to do.

The challenge was to create a shared understanding of what sustainability means to local Minds in Wales, so that as a federation they are all on the same page.  Local Minds in Wales are in the process of implementing their Network Strategy for 2023 to 2026, where plans around environmental sustainability feature within implementation plan tasks, and they have reached out to us for help.

The session came about from interest expressed by local Mind leaders to find out more about this subject area.

Our approach 

We find that the best way to approach such complex challenges is to make their everyday impacts relatable within our clients’ own experiences and areas of operation. Their concerns and frames of reference need to shape what we are delivering and have space to be aired and explored. That way the priorities or solutions that emerge are tangible and relevant rather than theoretical or out of touch. In this case, we chose to show Local Minds that the current crises their clients are facing are only going to be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. Since Local Minds are specialists in mental health, we approached the challenge by referring to emotions and lived experiences. That said, rather than showing statistics, we asked them to imagine what it is like to live in spaces affected by climate change and inequalities such as housing, access to public transport, costs of living, community spaces, and job insecurities – the structures that they and the people they work with are already having to navigate.   

To deliver this interactive session we relied on key reports: The Links Between the Environment and our Mental Health and What Europe Could Do About It; The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change; and Health and wellbeing impacts of climate change by Public Health Wales (pdf)  

How we helped 

The CEOs of local Minds in Wales already knew about the importance of green spaces, such as the role they played during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our presentation widened this understanding to the connection between the wider environment and mental health. Attendees left with a full understanding that the challenges that climate change poses to mental health are unlike any experienced to date. Some of the impacts of the climate crisis are already being experienced by Mind clients and people new to the organisations are also accessing their services due to climate anxiety. They also understood that they have a key role to play in society in advocating for climate action as a necessary component of preserving and protecting public mental health.

The impact   

The local Mind CEOs have already committed to integrated sustainability into their network strategy so that together they can take actions to lower their footprint on the environment, and make decisions that ultimately benefit the communities they operate in, their staff; their suppliers and contractors, and the environment.

They also decided they needed another session with Cynnal Cymru to support them do achieve this.

We have made a commitment to developing plans around environmental sustainability as part of our Strategic Plan, and will very much look forward to working with the team at Cynnal Cymru to realise these plans. Simon Stephens, Head of Networks (Wales), Mind Cymru

To find out more about the local Mind network and how you can access support through one of our 18 local Minds in Wales, visit the Local Minds web page.

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