Welsh universities' come together to tackle climate change

Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea Universities have announced the launch of the Climate Change Consortium of Wales (C3W) – a £4million initiative funded by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) through the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).

Together with additional support from the Countryside Council for Wales and substantial investment from the four universities, the five year project is set to considerably enhance the climate science profile of Wales.

The consortium has been developed by a group of internationally respected academics in collaboration with staff in a wide range of disciplines across the four universities. These disciplines cover the impact of climate change on land, sea, atmosphere and cryosphere, as well as its social consequences.

C3W aims to improve fundamental understanding of the causes, nature, timing and consequences of climate change on earth's environment and on humanity, and to reconfigure climate research in Wales as a recognisable centre of excellence on the world stage.

C3W will provide a central focus for nearly 200 academic staff across the four universities who work in the field of climate change, and encourage formal collaboration between the universities, and build upon already established networks of UK and international partners.

The intention is to be able to inform the decision-making process concerning a sustainable future for Wales, and provide relevant, up-to-date information for schools, universities, businesses and the wider public, so that we can all make informed choices about our future lifestyles.

C3W has targeted four "grand challenges" that need to be addressed through an interdisciplinary approach: earth system modelling; sea-level change; hazard evaluation, mitigation and adaptation; and the Welsh dimension of climate change. A number of collaborative ventures are already underway, including an assessment of the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is implicated in future rising sea levels, and in how the past sedimentary record in the North Atlantic Ocean can inform us about future climate responses to oceanic circulation.

Professor Philip Gummett, chief executive of HEFCW says: "This is an important investment in the future of climate change research in Wales and the UK, and will help the institutions, and C3W, be recognised internationally as a centre of excellence. It will add to other recent investments in Wales in research into a low-carbon future and environmental sustainability, and will help with developing policies in Wales and beyond.

"The C3W team will develop skilled graduates and research fellows in a range of disciplines, and will actively and authoritatively engage with wider public awareness and debate in Wales on climate change, its effects, and how to mitigate them.”

Professor Richard B Davies, Swansea University's vice-chancellor, says: "Climate change research has to address massive challenges and significant progress will require large teams and multidisciplinary approaches. The ambition of the consortium must be no less than establishing Wales as a world-leading centre for climate change research.”