Addressing climate change and nature recovery requires a behavioural shift but financial incentives to do so are limited, a Swansea Council meeting was told. The council has committed itself to becoming a "net zero" carbon-emitting authority in 2030, and wants the whole county to match this by 2050.
It would require everybody to think more about their actions and make changes. Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting those which cannot be cut, for example by installing solar panels or planting trees.
Swansea Council's energy and transport emissions have reduced by more than 20% between 2018-19 and 2020-21, although reduced activity during the Covid pandemic may explain some of the fall. Members of the council's climate change corporate delivery committee were told that councils encountered a lack of funding to implement climate change actions and a shortage of skills in delivering low-carbon transport and housing schemes. Lead officer Rachel Lewis said there were a lack of incentives and disincentives for councils and also the public at present.
