A programme of Climate Conversations were held throughout December and up until the end of January 2024. The aim of these events was to build on Wales Climate Week and to encourage national, regional and local discussions on how we can tackle climate change in a fair way.
Around 40 Climate Conversation events took place across Wales. These events were funded by the Welsh Government but organised and hosted by a range of different organisations who successfully applied to participate in the programme.
Wales Climate Week 2023 coincided with the publication of a Welsh Government consultation on a new Just Transition Framework. This followed a Call for Evidence published in December 2022 providing an initial opportunity to shape what this new Framework will look like.
The purpose of the Climate Conversations was to gather evidence to support the consultation on the new Framework and ensure that views were heard from as many people as possible. The key takeouts from the Climate Conversations will be summarised in a final report to be published in 2024 alongside the findings from the Welsh Government consultation.
For more information on how these Climate Conversations were organised, please download the Climate Conversation Organiser’s Pack below:
See below for a list of some of the Climate Conversations held.
Event date and locations:
4 Dec 23: Coleg Cambria Northop, Holywell Road, Northop, Mold, CH7 6AA
5 Dec 23: Coleg Cambria Llysfasi, Ruthin Road, Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 2LB
6 Dec 23: Coleg Cambria Bersham Road, Wrexham, LL13 7UH
7 Dec 23: Coleg Cambria Yale, Grove Park Road, Wrexham, LL12 7AB
12 Dec 23: Coleg Cambria Deeside, Kelsterton Road, Connah’s Quay, Deeside, Flintshire, CH5 4BR
Time: 12-2pm
Description:
A programme of Climate Conversations will be held across Coleg Cambria during and after this year’s Wales Climate Week. The aim is to encourage conversations with young people and the local community on how we can tackle climate change in a fair way. Each event will be facilitated by Sustainability Specialists, Sustainability Group members, and Student Voice Sustainability Officers. The lunchtime events will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about climate change, share their experiences, and develop ideas for action.
Open event
Event date: 6 December 23
Time: 08:30 - 10:30
Location: RedwitherTower,Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham LL13 9XT
Description:
A relaxed informative event where up to 20 selected businesses within Wrexham are invited to discuss their contribution as employers, manufacturers and service providers in taking action to address climate changewithin their organisations as part of Wales Climate Change Week. This wil be an event to explore collectively what we are doing, how we are doing ti and how we can make a difference bv having conversations with like minded businesses supported by a team of external experts (WCBC, Pathway To Carbon Zero &Lite Green).
Closed event
Event date: 6 December 23
Time: 10:00 - 14:15
Location: Bassaleg School, Forge Road, Newport, NP10 8NF
Description:
Teens and Teachers Take Two involves seven schools from across South Wales. Around fifty GCSE and A-Level students will work together, with their teachers, to refine and illustrate the draft climate education entitlement developed at the Cardiff conference in June 2023. This event will strengthen the unique network of pupils, teachers, schools and professionals working collaboratively on improving climate education in Wales. The climate education entitlement, emerging from classrooms in Wales, will inform and empower education practitioners and policy makers to support this generation, and future generations, in mitigating and adapting to the changing world. Delegates on the day will also discuss Welsh Government’s Just Transition approach as part of Wales Climate Week 2023.
Closed event
Event date: 6 December 23
Time: 12:00 - 14:30
Location: Earth community café, Crown House, 11 Well street, Ruthin
Description:
Come along to ReSource CIC’s community café and over a warming bowl of soup explore through friendly and informal conversation ‘how we can tackle climate change in a fair way’. The event is open to all and is suitable for people new to climate conversation to people that are already involved. We will end the session through a ‘hands on activity’ of using ReSource’s plastic processing equipment to create a unique item. This is a FREE event funded by Welsh Government for Climate Action Week.
Open event
Event date: 9 December 23
Time: 11:00 - 12:30
Location: Sero, Unit 4, 15 John Street, Carmarthen
Description:
Siobhan Price describes the journey that she and her family have made in reducing their carbon footprint. She points to the fixes that can be made on a low budget and demonstrates some of them. She describes the possibilities of a just transition.
Open event
Event date: 9 December 23
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: The CRiC Centre, Beaufort Street, Crickhowell, NP8 1BN
Description:
At this event LGV is seeking views on how to develop plans for a large community owned energy farm in a fair way in our rural communities. The scheme will use a variety of generation and storage technologies so drop in to the Community Resource and Information Centre, 10 am to 4 pm, on Beaufort Street, Crickhowell (NP8 1BN); talk to us to learn more and tell us how we can better understand our community views and needs, and keep you informed of our progress; even have a cuppa and a piece of cake!
Open event
Event date: 9 December 23
Time: 11:00 - 13:45
Location: Aberystwyth Bandstand
Description:
Eco Hub Aber will be hosting Climate Conversations at the Festive Extravaganza at Aberystwyth Bandstand. As well as thinking about fair green choices if you arrive before 12:30 you can also bring along up to 2 household to the Aberystwyth Repair Café and volunteer fixers will take a look for you. There will be hot mulled apple juice and mince pies too.
Open event
Event date: 14 December 23
Time: 15:00 - 17:00
Location: Ty Pawb, Market Street, Wrexham LL13 8BB
Description:
The climate conversation at Ty Pawb is an opportunity for any of the residents of Wrexham to meet and discuss Just Transition. As a county, a lot of Wrexham’s wards are considered deprived; therefore, providing individuals to discuss the challenges of transitioning to net-zero justly is vital. The conversation will be open to anyone and will be a drop in session, in order to provide the greatest opportunity for attendance. The session will be facilitated by members of the decarbonisation team at Wrexham County Borough Council in order to ensure the conversation is flowing and on track. During the session, attendees will be presented with a QR code, this will also be shared in the advertising, with a link to an Ideazboard where they can continue to share their ideas after the event or if they are unable to attend.
Open event
Event dates:
13 December 23
16 December 23
Location: Newport
Description:
Kidcare4u will be hosting two Climate Change conversation information events on the week beginning 11thDecember for adult and children from diverse ethnic background from marginalised communities. The first event will be for women from diverse ethnic background living in Newport. There will be additional guests as well to engage everyone and explain about climate change to women who do not speak English well. We will inform and listen to them about the best fair way forward in regards to climate change. This event will be at our main office at Clarence Place.
The second event will take place on the 16th Dec at Pill Millennium Centre and we are expecting around 200 participants. This event is divided into 2 parts and the first part is being delivered by children. They will be doing a play and presentations delivered by children aged from 5- 16 years old to their parents. The second part will involve workshops along with indoor and outdoor activity allowing 1-1 and group conversations about climate change for both adult and children. Both of the events are planned to be fun and enjoyable providing various activities and food.
Closed event
Event date: 6 January 24
Event location: Bangor African and Caribbean Centre (BACC), 346 High Street. LL57 1YA, Bangor Gwynedd
Time: 11:00-13:00
Description:
Black African and Minority Ethnic communities in Wales suffer many socio - economic threats to their livelihoods. Evidence was revealed and published from First Minister’s BAME COVID-19 Advisory Group report of the Socio-economic subgroup which was led by Prof Ogbonna in 2020. Sequel to the development and launch of the Anti-Racism Wales Action Plan (ARWAP), many initiatives have sprung up and are being implemented to engage Ethnic Minority communities in the pursuant to achieving sustainable solutions to the climate and nature emergencies in Wales. This Welsh Government sponsored Climate Conversations serves as an opportunity to engage (dialogue) with Professionals and Practitioners in the Environment sector that are of Ethnic Minority communities, as well as students, families, women, disable etc (All). The event is titled ‘Voices of Ethnic Minority communities in Wales on Just Transition, Climate and Social Justice and Climate Finance. These events will be held in Bangor African and Caribbean Centre (BACC). Bangor Gwynedd.
Open event
Event date: 12 and 16 January 24
Time: 10:30 - 13:00
Location: The Environment Centre, Swansea
Description:
Informal conversations on sustainable living – we’d love to know your thoughts on what a sustainable future might look like for us all, what you’re already doing, and what would make it easier for all of us to do more.
Open event (via booking)
Event date:
11 January 23
18 January 23
25 January 23
Time: 11:00 - 12:00 / 14:00 - 15:00
Location: One-Un, 1 Lewis Buildings, Newton Nottage Road, Newton. Porthcawl. CF36 5PE
Description:
Introductory workshops to how climate change is impacting the farmers who work hard to bring us our favourite drink; coffee. We will form links with Uganda, deepen our understanding of the issues and have easy takeaway actions that we bring into our lives to mitigate against climate change. A personal story and personal journey.
Open event
Event date: 13 January 23
Time: 13:00 - 15:00
Location: Global Gardens Project, Flaxland Allotments, Whitchurch Road, CF14 3NE
Description:
Join us for a climate conversation at the community growing project, Global Gardens Project. We will be exploring how to take individual and community based climate action and the actions we want to see being made at a national level.
There will be a particular focus on the role of food in sustainable community futures.
Open event (via booking)
Event date: 17 January 24
Time: 16:30 - 20:30
Location: Hafan yr Afon, Car Park, Back Ln, Newtown, SY16 2NH
Description:
This climate conversation will be an equitable held space for conversation and ideas to produce and share more local good food. We will be asking three important questions posed by attendees at a ‘World Café’. Before we take part in the ‘World Café’ format, we will hear from four women who work locally in the food growing and sharing space in North Powys. Ideas for key factors needed for us to be able to grow and share local food in our area will be shared. Their testimonies will alert us to current challenges and opportunities for our own grown supply. Locally grown and accessible food to all helps us tackle climate change by reducing emissions and creates community resilience to shocks in our ‘just in time’ food system, as well as creating circular demand and good ecology of food production in the region. At the end of the Q&A we will network and party! Local food and drink and a beautiful venue will make it a pleasure to stay, chat, mingle and hopefully, collaborate much more in the future.
Open event
Event date: 18 January 24
Time: 10:00 - 14:00
Location: Swansea University
Description:
This interactive event targets small businesses, supply chains, academia and consumers to discuss impact of climate change, opportunities, and challenges within their respective sectors. Organized around specific themes and questions, the event aims to facilitate idea sharing. It commences with an overview of climate change, its sector-specific impacts, and the imperative to reduce emissions or develop mitigation strategies. Participants will then actively contribute their insights during thematic discussions. Following this, a breakout session encourages cross-sector collaboration to identify issues, challenges, and formulate climate change mitigation plans. The event will also discuss the need for regulation and policy development to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Open event (via booking)
Event date: 19 January 24
Description:
An interactive event led by the Eco Committee for their peers, parents and carers and wider community to help shape a deeper understanding as to what a fair transition to an environmentally friendly approach looks like to our community.
Closed event
Event date: Sat 13, 20, 27 Jan 24
Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm
Location: The Cross Keys, Llanfyllin
Description:
January 2024 that look to raise awareness and plant the seeds of change!
Through creativity and cake we’ll be exploring local challenges and approaches to tackling the climate crisis with a focus on - Nature & Weather, Waste Reduction, and the vibrant world of Food – Growing and Community Gardens
Let your voice shape the future as we delve into the Welsh Government's Net Zero decarbonization pathway to 2050 and its Just Transition Framework. Share your insights and be a part of the discussion on crafting a sustainable tomorrow.
Expect a spectrum of creative activities and conversations suitable for families and the entire community.
Open event
Event date: 19 January 24
Time: 14:00 - 19:00
Location: Ty Calon, Flintshire
Description:
Join Outside Lives for a day of eco-friendly fun at our Pop-Up Event in January! 🌍🎉 We're hosting Climate Conversations to celebrate and protect our planet while enhancing community well-being. Families can enjoy sustainable activities like art workshops, forest school, drumming, and singing. Plus, be part of Coproduction Sessions, involving you in designing positive change. Explore stalls featuring local businesses, artisans, and eco-friendly vendors, all promoting sustainability and community well-being. Let's make a difference together!
Open event
Event date: 20 January 24
Time: 14:30 - 16:30
Location: Stanwell Baptist Church Hall, Victoria Road, Penarth
Description:
Penarth Together for the Climate is a conversation being hosted by Gwyrddio Penarth Greening and Stanwell Road and Eden Baptist Churches’ Social Justice group.
As part of Wales Climate Week, we are organising a conversation with the local community to discuss how we can tackle climate change in Penarth, in a fair way. We know that climate change will impact on different people, in different ways, and we want to hear from as many people as possible about how you think climate change will affect you and what should be done to support a just transition.
If you'd like more info, do get in touch at gwyrddio.penarth.greening@gmail.com
Open event
Event date: 22 January 24
Time: 10:00 - 15:30
Location: YMA, Pontypridd
Description:
A joint RHAwales and RCT Climate Action Network event aimed updating the local community on local climate action and giving them a voice in Wales’s wider ambitions towards a fair, green transition.
Closed event
Event date: 22 - 27 January 24
Time: Mon - Sat 9:30 - 17:30
Location: The Talking Shop Blackwood
Description:
Tackling the Climate Crisis one conversation at a time. Our first week in The Talking Shop in Blackwood in Caerphilly is dedicated to the Climate Emergency.
Starts January 22
Join a free creative session hosted by artists and creatives Monday – Saturday and tell us your thoughts, hopes, fears, frustrations and ideas for the next 5, 15 and 50 years.
#EveryonesInvited #OneConversationAtATime
Open event
Event date: 24 January 24
Time: 15:00 - 19:00
Location: Pelham Hall, Penallt, Monmouthshire
Description:
Come along to Pelham Hall and explore through friendly and informal conversation ‘how we can tackle climate change in a fair way’ over cake and coffee. The event is open to all, will have hands-on activities, and is suitable for people new to climate conversation or people that are already involved. We’ll explore local challenges and approaches to tackling the climate crisis with a focus on nature, communities and farming.
The event will be run by project officers for the Wye Adapt to Climate Change? Project, a partnership project between the Wye Valley National Landscape, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust and Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. The project aims to work with landowners and communities to make their landscape more resilient to climate change through the use of nature-based solutions. Conversation themes will include ways to reduce flood risk through natural flood management, improving the resilience of biodiversity at home and in the local community and the role of farms in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Open event
Event date: 25 January 24
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: Ty Gwyn Community Church
Description:
Foothold Cymru will be running a Climate Conversation in Llanelli with local students who represent their Eco Councils. Supported by Community Leaders, they will prepare a Zero Waste meal to share in the afternoon with a diverse range of community members, who will take part in a consultation on how we can make Net Zero Transitions fair for all. If you live in Llanelli and are interested in taking part, please email Grainne Connoly: grainne@footholdcymru.org.uk
Closed event
Event date: 25 January 24
Time: 10:00 - 19:00
Location: Twynyrodyn Community hub
Description:
This event is aimed at facilitating a space for expression, thoughts and feelings to be heard through our interactive sessions to get people thinking, our fun chat boards and through show casing our own ways of facing climate change through our eco gardens, activities and outcomes. Gardening and food growing, pond dipping and muddy play alongside art and craft mad through lead up sessions based on starting the conversation ,the day will include a snack Buffett and refreshments.
Open event
Event date: 27 January 24
Time: 11:00 - 14:00
Location: Friends And Neighbours Centre, Neath SA11 1HQ
Description:
Join FAN Community Alliance for a screening of their short film “The Planting of a Seed – Sustaining Community in a Time of Climate and Ecological Emergency) and an open discussion on how climate action at all levels can occur without leaving anyone behind or placing the burden of cost on those least able to afford it.
This family friendly event will also have interactive stations around the room focussing on particular themes - energy, food, land use, behaviour change etc, as well as creative activities to help the younger members of our community visualise and express the world they would like to see.
Open event
Event date: 27 January 24
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Location: The Swan Hotel - Hay On Wye, HR3 5DQ
Description:
The Hay Community Resilience Initiative is a way for a small market town to address both the Climate and Cost of Living Crises. It’s purpose is to help us reduce our environmental and carbon impact, whilst ensuring there is affordable food and energy for us all, while also looking after the mental wellbeing of our citizens.
THE FOOD ASSEMBLY QUESTION: How might we support Hay-on-Wye, as a community, to become as self-sufficient as possible in sustainably-grown local food? Eventually producing enough to feed the town and its environs, much as we did in the 1950s and 60s?
Each of the three Assemblies (FOOD - ENERGY - MENTAL WELLBEING) is tasked to take a clear set of positive actions, to be delivered by the community for the benefit of the whole. Management teams will be set up to implement those actions, whilst reporting back to their respective Assembly.
Open event (via booking)
Event date: 29 January 23
Time: 19:00 - 23:00
Location: Hi Tide Porthcawl
Description:
Public Film Launch ‘Sleepwalking into Climate Change’, a series of three 12 minute films, which are largely filmed in Porthcawl (Bridgend Borough). They aim to locate climate change in the place where we live and will be used to stimulate debate and action locally. The event’s guest invitees, will be Bridgend Borough Council leader, Huw David, Sarah Murphy MS, local town politicians, the film’s main contributors (e.g. young people, NRW, Cenin Renewables and Hi Tide Managing Directors, WWF Cymru, Churches Together),Fairtrade Group, Y Centre, Porthcawl Chamber of Trade, other local groups and the general public will be invited. PR will include letters of invite, posters, general media presswork, adverts and social media. The event venue will be comfortable and offer attendees hospitality. Discussions will be held as outlined in the specified questions in the event pack after viewing films and also consideration of the outcomes.
Open event
Event date: 29 January 24
Location: Bute Exhibition Space. Room 0.66, Bute Building. King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB
Time: 14:00 - 16:00
Description:
Open event (via booking)
Event date: 30 January 24
Location: FareShare Cymru, Unit S5, Capital Business Park, Cardiff CF3 2PU
Description:
FareShare Cymru is Wales largest food redistribution charity, working with suppliers in the food industry to access surplus food. This food is redistributed to charities running food projects across Wales. Come and hear from community food projects about how they support their service users with sustainability on a budget. There will also be the option to have a tour of the FareShare Cymru warehouse.
Open event (via booking)
Event date: 30 January 24
Location: Temple of Peace, Cardiff
Time: 18:00 - 20:00
Description:
The Bengal Dragons Foundation (BDF) is excited to extend an invitation for our upcoming Climate Conversation event, scheduled for January 30, 2024, at The Temple of Peace in Cardiff.
In this panel discussion, we aim to explore the intersection of faith and environmental responsibility, with a focus on Islamic environmental ethics. We are honoured to have esteemed speakers, contributing unique insights to the conversation.
Open event
Event date: 31 January 24
Time: 10:00 - 15:00
Location: Mount Zion Baptist Chapel, Mansel Road, Bonymaen, Swansea SA1 7JR + online
Description:
Those who have the least agency, and those whose carbon footprint is disproportionately small, have the most to lose in climate breakdown. We work out of Mount Zion Baptist Chapel in Bonymaen, Swansea that houses Eastside Food Bank.
When poverty plays such a defining role in many people’s lives why would the climate emergency become of paramount concern? When people “are scraping along the bottom”, to quote the Baptist Minister of the chapel, how does the existential threat to our presence on the planet become meaningful?
In our Climate Conversation in Bonymaen a number of speakers from a range of backgrounds will try to set out strategies for instilling active community engagement and participation against this backdrop.
Many ‘hard to reach’ communities suffer, for good reason, the tyranny of circumscribed horizons, where concern for the immediate day-to day realities of sustaining oneself preclude a wider world view and climate-driven perspective. We tackle climate change in a fair way by drilling down into this dichotomy.
Open event