The government of Wales has launched a new sustainable development scheme entitled “One Wales: One Planet”.
The focus of the Scheme is living within Wales’ environmental limits – by setting out a pathway for using only its fair share of the Earth’s resources and becoming a One Planet nation within the lifetime of a generation.
A One Planet nation is a country where the resources within it are enough to sustain its population, with no external inputs required. If Wales should achieve this goal within proposed timeframes, it will be the first country to do so.
Under the radical plan, Wales also intends to reduce by 80-90% its use of carbon-based energy, resulting in a similar reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
This goal reflects the latest estimates for action needed to address climate change and would require annual 3% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Wales’ ultimate goal is the production of as much electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025 as the country consumes.
In order to achieve this target, Wales will need generate more than 30TWh of electricity from renewable sources annually by 2025 and 3 TWh of heat each year, mainly through biomass .
Wales is also developing a community renewables scheme with European funding to increase support for small-scale renewable energy in the home. Support will be provided for off grid and grid connect solar power systems; ground, water and air source powered heat pumps, wind turbines and biomass electricity or heat generating units.
To further encourage uptake of residential renewable energy, a feed in tariff system will also be introduced.
The One Wales: One Planet report can be downloaded here.
