As part of the accreditation process for the bronze level award a Carbon Literacy training programme has to be created and registered with the Carbon Literacy Project, ready for delivery to staff, and at least one senior member of the organisation has to have undertaken and passed this training.

Following Carbon Literacy Project approved training designed and delivered by sustainable development charity Cynnal Cymru, three Cardiff Council Cabinet members at the forefront of Cardiff’s One Planet Cardiff strategy for a carbon neutral city: Cllr Caro Wild (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport), Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, Cllr Michael Michael, and Cllr Chris Weaver (Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance), and staff from services across the organisation, have been certified as Carbon Literate.

If the training is rolled out further, and a substantial percentage of employees are certified as carbon literate, the council could go on to achieve Silver status.

Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, Cllr Michael Michael, said: “Carbon Literacy training is designed to change the way we act, and help us really think about our carbon emissions. There’s already good work being done by the council in this area - direct carbon emissions are down by 45% since 2005 and we working hard to bring them down further. This learning will enhance that work, but it will also carry through to our lives as individual residents with a contribution to make as Cardiff strives to become a carbon neutral, One Planet city.”

“Statistics show that if everyone in the world consumed natural resources, and generated carbon dioxide at the rate we do in Cardiff, then we would need the resources of three planets to enable us to carry on as we do.

“Something has to give, and I would urge residents, businesses and organisations to join us in making the changes we all need to make if we are to safeguard the future of Cardiff, and the planet.”

Dave Coleman, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, said:  “Wales has been at the forefront of thinking on low carbon for some time, recognising the benefits of determined action on climate to education, jobs, and the Welsh economy, but also to the health, lifestyle, and prosperity of current and future generations of Welsh people. Therefore as the first Welsh local authority to be accredited as a Carbon Literate Organisation, it’s great to see Cardiff at the forefront of this thinking amongst Welsh local authorities, and we look forward to seeing the capital build further on such a positive start.”

Rhodri Thomas, Principal Consultant at Cynnal Cymru, said: ”We are delighted that Cardiff Council has been recognised as a Carbon Literate Organisation at the bronze level. We provided training for a core group of colleagues and three Cabinet Members and are supporting the council to roll out Carbon Literacy training for the majority of Council staff.

“This level of commitment shows that the Council is serious about its declaration of a climate emergency, and as more colleagues become Carbon Literate, the easier it will become for the Council to implement practical action and generate new ideas that will safeguard citizens and colleagues while creating a greener, cleaner, healthier and more prosperous city."

Carbon Literacy is defined as ‘an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.’