GwyrddNi, a community-led movement, is bringing people together from five areas in Gwynedd to take action on climate change.  

Community involvement is at the heart of the Well-being of Future Generations Act and ensuring people’s voices are ingrained in local and national decisions is vital.  

But currently trust in our public institutions is declining, the window to prevent irreversible damage from climate change is closing and inequality is increasing. If people’s voices are not being heard, trust will continue to erode, and we’ll be on track for an unrecognisable future. 

The challenges:

• The climate and nature emergencies are the defining challenges of our generation and are already putting our homes, health and future at risk. 
• The Welsh public sector’s net zero target for 2030 is an important driver for change, but many public bodies will not meet it without additional resources and a cross-sector approach.

GwyrddNi  

A community-led movement working across five areas in Gwynedd, GwyrddNi is bringing people together to take action on climate change.  

Delivered by Datblygiadau Egni Gwledig, Partneriaeth Ogwen, Yr Orsaf, Cwmni Bro, Ynni Llŷn and Cyd Ynni, GwyrddNi has led community assemblies to co-produce local action plans; worked with more than 600 school children to bring their ideas for a greener, more sustainable future to life; and are supporting action around a wide range of projects including repair and re-use, active travel, community energy, retrofit, and nature restoration. 

Communities powering up action  

Inspired by the Well-being of Future Generations Act and recognising the urgent need for action on the climate and nature emergencies, GwyrddNi spent two years involving 500 participants from across Gwynedd in community climate assemblies and workshops.  

Reflecting the area’s demographics, the assemblies explored local experiences of climate change and sparked discussions around potential solutions and projects.  

More than 650 school children were also involved and helped co-create community action plans that were shaped by the area’s specific concerns.  

From the plans, stronger community connections and successful initiatives emerged: 

• With GwyrddNi’s support, Nigel Williams, 60, started the Gardd Nant Community Garden and now organises community events including seed, tree and veg planting days and litter picking with local schools.  

• Paned i’r Blaned sessions have allowed people to meet and informally discuss environmental issues through the medium of Welsh 

• An annual Climate Festival has brought people involved in local climate action together to share experiences and information and offered activities including arts and crafts, cycle tour and bike fixing, creating nesting boxes and planting.  

Flexibility, collaboration, and inclusivity have been essential in the success of this project. Through bridging gaps between Welsh and non-Welsh speakers, training and supporting facilitators and allowing everyone’s voices to be heard, communities built trust and were open to debate and agreeable disagreements.