FUNDING PROVIDES A SUSTAINABLE STEP TOWARDS A GREENER WALES

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world.

That’s why a new six figure funding programme is being announced in Wales today to help communities tackle the impact of climate change.

Launched today (30 September 2011), the £620,000 Sustainable Steps programme aims to support communities throughout Wales to reduce carbon emissions by developing skills, changing people’s behaviour and promoting wider sustainable development. The programme will help communities respond to climate change by funding a single project which will deliver climate change advice, training and mentoring support for community groups. As a result, communities will gain the skills they need to take action to address the cause and consequences of climate change

Sustainable Steps is a non-Lottery funding programme which is being delivered through the BIG Fund and is funded by money that has been dormant in bank and building society accounts across the UK for 15 years or more. How the money is being spent in Wales has been determined by Policy Directions issued to the Big Lottery Fund by the Welsh Government.

According to the Welsh Government Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, John Griffiths, the Sustainable Steps funding pot provides Wales with a golden opportunity to make a difference to both communities and the environment: The Minister said: “As highlighted in our Climate Change Strategy for Wales, the Welsh Government and everyone in Wales has a clear role to play in tackling climate change.”

“This fund will enable us to invest a significant sum of money focusing on areas we have prioritised and based on the evidence we have gathered. Unchecked, climate change is one of the most serious threats the world faces because it threatens the basic elements of life for people such as access to water, food production, health and the use of land.”

He added: “The earlier Wales starts to prepare for the impact of climate change, the better equipped we will be to cope with a changing climate. There are many communities already taking action and this programme will help other learn from their example.”

Highlighting the importance of the funding, Big Lottery Fund Director for Wales, John Rose, said: “We consulted widely with voluntary and community sector organisations on the development of this programme and we are looking to fund a single project which is additional to and will complement existing or planned services.”

“We want to arm communities with better knowledge, skills and abilities to enable them to take action to address the causes of climate change, build resilience to climate change and live in a more sustainable way. We want to see more communities reducing their carbon footprint and adapting to the consequences of climate change. The learning from this programme will also be used to inform future climate change and sustainable development policies. Ultimately, we want to ensure this money has a significant long term impact and makes a big difference to the environment and the lives of people throughout Wales.”

Following the release of application materials today, two briefing events will be held in Wales during October 2011 in order for potential partners to begin working together.

The Sustainable Steps programme is the first Dormant Accounts funding programme to be launched in Wales.

A strand focusing on young people will also be launched in 2012.

Guidance notes and application forms for Sustainable Steps are available to download from today by visiting www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Projects have until 12 noon on Friday November 4 2011 to submit an outline proposal form and provide supporting information.

For further information, please email sustainablesteps@biglotteryfund.org.uk or call the enquiries line on 0300 123 0735.

Climate Change – The Facts for Wales:

• Across different parts of Wales the annual average temperatures are projected to rise between 2 and 4°C by the 2080s.
• The relative sea level rise around Wales (taking into account land level changes) is predicted to be 36cm by the 2080’s.
• Future sea level rise along Wales’ coast is likely to result in more severe coastal erosion, and inundation events more likely in low-lying coastal areas.

Source: Climate Change: its impacts for Wales http://wales.gov.uk/docs/desh/policy/091101climateimpactsen.pdf