Calls for ‘Three Planets’ action

HUGE lifestyle changes affecting everyone in Wales are necessary if we are to leave behind our shameful “Three Planets” status, according to a major report published today.

The report, commissioned by environmental campaign group WWF Cymru, says that if everyone on Earth consumed resources at the rate Wales currently does, the world’s population would need three planets to survive.

Produced by researcher Joe Ravetz of the University of Manchester’s Centre for Urban Regional Ecology, the One Planet Wales report sets out a vision for a radically different Wales, with a 75% cut in the nation’s ecological footprint by 2050.

It identifies seven key areas where it says change must occur:

Food – At present 75% of all food eaten in Wales comes through supermarkets where consumers are faced with 20,000 products, each with sophisticated packaging and advertising. The One Planet Food agenda sees a transformation of the food system at each stage of the supply chain, with an agricultural-environmental agenda on the producer side, and a healthy diet agenda on the consumer side;

Buildings – Many towns and cities in Wales are composed of buildings which are inefficient and unsuited for the 21st Century. While policies for new buildings are much needed, it is the existing building stock which is the bigger challenge. One Planet Buildings in Wales sees a future of low carbon sustainable buildings responsive to the sun and the elements, surrounded by townscapes which are green, clean and human scale;

Transport – The terrain and geography of Wales is certainly a challenge for sustainable transport. The One Planet Transport vision sees a future of low-impact, high-quality, IT-enabled, responsive public transport; a car fleet which has raised its efficiency by several times; and on the demand side, a total coordination of activities and locations to reduce travel needs to a minimum;

Products – In a One Planet Wales economy, the average product will last longer and be adaptable, designed for re-use and reconditioning, built from lower-impact materials with higher efficiency, sourced locally or with low-impact distribution. While most manufacturing in Wales is an integral part of the UK and EU economies, there is great potential for a unique and competitive marketing edge in the One Planet Wales label. In a tough business climate, this needs kick starting by the public sector through procurement and innovation partnerships, followed by extensions of carbon trading industrial markets;

Services – Now that services form the majority of Gross Value Added and employment in Wales, the One Planet agenda needs to focus on these more complex and wide-ranging activities. The vision of One Planet Services in Wales would be led by public sector procurement and based on corporate social responsibility, integrated environmental management, ethical trading and investment, life-cycle carbon trading, IT-enabled distribution and local community ownership;

Energy – The One Planet Energy vision sees a future where Wales’ energy demand is tapered down and local renewable energy sources are accelerated up. Behind this is a wide-ranging transformation of the energy infrastructure and distribution system, from global resources to individual homes and products;

Resources – A One Planet Resource economy is based on re-circulation: recycled, re-manufactured and re-used materials and products would become the norm, and virgin products and imports reduced to a minimum. The challenge is how to fit this to supply chain innovation, retail logistics and packaging, economic value added, consumer lifestyle habits, local charging incentives.

Today, Sustainability Minister Jane Davidson will respond to the report during a conference at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

Morgan Parry, head of WWF Cymru said, “Our very future depends on our ability to live within the limits of the Earth’s natural resources, yet since the 1980s human demand has been exceeding the Earth’s ability to replenish and absorb.

“To meet the unprecedented global challenges we have before us, we need a shared vision and a shared plan. A vision whereby everyone in Wales, by 2050, can enjoy a high quality life, using our fair share of the Earth’s resources.

“The pressure is now on us to make changes in the way we consume, the energy we use and the impact we have on the environment.

“By living sustainably we can find lasting solutions to our problems both today and tomorrow – and we all have a role to play.

“A shift towards a One Planet Wales economy will place Wales at the leading edge of global environmental initiatives through targeting the biggest footprint growth sectors in Wales .

“The One Planet Wales principles are being widely discussed and a chain reaction has been triggered, but some questions remain.

“Are we ready to change our everyday lifestyle choices? More important, are the government and businesses ready to provide services and frameworks for change that will make it easy, attractive and affordable for people to choose more sustainable options?”

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