Published: 04 December 2006
Delivering the Good Life in Wales
Welsh Councils can play a key role in making existing homes and services in Wales more sustainable so that individuals actions to combat climate change can be accelerated, says a new report released by WWF Cymru.
The report - One Planet Living in the Suburbs - co-authored by sustainable community specialists BioRegional Consulting, demonstrates the crucial need to cut carbon emissions from existing homes if the UK Government is to meet its target to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 2050.
It recommends that local authorities should give council tax rebates for improvements in home energy & environmental performance and work with local communities to understand the barriers to sustainable lifestyles.
Wales has the oldest housing stock of any Western European country, with much of it in a poor condition, especially in terms of its energy efficiency.
More than 30% of all housing stock in Wales was built prior to 1919 with a further 12% built between the First
and Second World Wars.
With our homes contributing 27% of the UK's carbon emissions, WWF Cymru believes it is crucial for the Welsh Assembly Government and local authorities to provide schemes and incentives to cut carbon emissions from existing dwellings.
Morgan Parry, Head of WWF Cymru said:
"Current legislation still tends to concentrate on improving the sustainability of buildings being built now and in the future, whilst WWF Cymru welcomes this it is clear that existing homes in the UK need to be addressed as over two thirds of the dwellings that will exist in 2050 have already been built.
If the government is to meet its target, it must begin to develop ways to 'retrofit' sustainability into our lives now, starting with our homes and communities."
One Planet Living in the Suburbs is designed to provide practical suggestions for national and local governments as well as businesses to develop strategies and policies to make sustainable, One Planet Living (2), easy affordable and attractive for the majority of people".
The report focuses on communities and housing in suburbia where around 86% of the UK population lives.
It suggests that national governments should provide incentives & grants for communities and individuals to encourage the take-up of sustainable options such as retrofitted renewable systems and water efficiency measures.
It reinforces the importance of using the Ecological Footprint as an indicator for sustainable development, which the Welsh Assembly Government has committed to, but WWF Cymru is concerned that policies are not in place to start stabilizing, let alone reducing Wales' Footprint.
Currently the average Welsh person requires - three planets to sustain their lifestyle and this is the equivalent land area of six rugby pitches per person.
Mr Parry added:
"Everyone agrees that we need to tackle climate change as a matter of urgency.
While individuals can play their part, the Welsh Assembly Government should be using the data it has on Wales' footprint to inform policy decisions and develop strategies to move Wales towards a One Planet Living country."
The report concludes that whilst, suburban life can be inherently unsustainable and carry a high ecological footprint due to a large percentage of detached and semi-detached housing, high car use and high energy use, suburbia also provides significant opportunities for sustainable living.
Detached housing is easy to adapt and with a large percentage of owner-occupied homes, residents will benefit directly from energy efficient measures. There is also usually ample space for food growing in gardens or on allotments.
Significantly the report highlights that no one national or even city-wide solution or policy can be applied to promote sustainable development as the challenges and opportunities in existing suburban areas differ greatly.
Therefore the participation and support of local authorities and local businesses in developing relevant, workable strategies cannot be underestimated.
Further information
One Planet Living in the suburbs
Summary version
BioRegional Consulting
One Million Sustainable Homes campaign
Ecological Footprint
WWF Cymru
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