Carbon cuts plan to be regional

Recharging hubs for electric cars is one suggestion for Pembrokeshire

Different parts of Wales have been given tailor-made priorities for cutting carbon emissions.

It ranges from use of more public and shared transport in the south east, to promoting more local food in north west Wales and video working in west Wales.

The advice across the regions of Wales is set out in a Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) report.

Environment minister Jane Davidson said the report could help Wales meet its commitment to reduce emissions by 3%.

The report, entitled Low Carbon Wales: Regional Priorities for Action, was produced for the assembly government and highlights the different challenges and possibilities for Wales' regions.

CARBON-CUTTING PRIORITIES Central Wales: Protect soil carbon, maximise benefits of renewable energy North east Wales: Increase resource efficiency in industry North west Wales: Promote local food, generate low-carbon electricity, protect soil carbon Pembrokeshire: Work with energy industry to produce low-carbon solutions; electric vehicle recharging hubs and video conferencing to cut transport emissions South east Wales: Reduce need for travel, through teleworking and lower-carbon choices such as public transport, car sharing and cycling Swansea Bay and western valleys: Work towards a low-carbon economy; develop knowledge economy through a focus on skills and technologies Source: SDC Wales

However, some of the actions recommended apply across the country, including "super-insulating" all existing homes, providing smarter transport choices, increasing low carbon transport fuels and electric vehicles, protecting soil carbon stores and increasing local food growing.

The SDC commissioner for Wales, Peter Davies, has warned low-carbon lifestyles needed to be made much easier for the general public.

"It should be easier to take public transport, easier to eat local food and easier to heat our homes cheaply with less fossil fuels. Living a low-carbon life should be a pleasure, not a battle," he said.

The report is the first time anyone has worked out how each region of Wales could make carbon cuts in ways suited to the area, according to the commissioner.

He said: "Each part of Wales is unique - it's not enough to give someone in Pembrokeshire the same advice as someone in Cardiff or Dolgellau.

Infrastructure and services

"The regions of Wales reflect our everyday lives - our journey to the shops, the rugby or to work often cross local boundaries.

"To tackle carbon emissions effectively, we need to break down barriers by working across sectors and across local boundaries in each region of Wales."

The report will feed into the Wales Spatial Plan, a strategic framework for the development of Wales over the next 20 years, and is targeted at both public and private sectors.

Each region will have an area group which will be required to develop plans to move towards becoming a low-carbon region.

Andrew Davies, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said: "Through a collaborative approach we can identify the infrastructure and services needed to enable the citizens of Wales to make low carbon choices."