At Natural Resources Wales (NRW), we are clear about our purpose and priorities.
As Wales' environmental body, we recognise that to tackle the nature and climate emergencies effectively, we must focus on three core objectives: increasing biodiversity and reducing biodiversity loss, helping to adapt to climate change, where the decarbonisation agenda is absolutely central and reducing pollution.
Balancing these priorities is not just important, it's essential. Every action we take needs to deliver gains across these areas, creating a more resilient and sustainable future for Wales.
What’s particularly exciting is that Wales is already leading the way. There is a genuine appetite for change from industry, from government, and from within our communities. This momentum reflects a shared ambition to decarbonise at pace, and at NRW, we are determined to play a central role in enabling that transition.
NRW holds a unique position in this landscape. While my title focuses on the commercial side of our work, our remit extends far beyond that.
We are not only a statutory consultee and environmental advisor but also a developer in our own right. This gives us a wide-reaching influence, and we are committed to using all aspects of our role to drive forward the decarbonisation agenda. Crucially, we believe that economic progress and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive, they can and must go hand in hand.
To support this ambition, we established an Industrial Decarbonisation Team in 2023. This team has been working closely with Net Zero Industry Wales and engaging early with industry partners across the key industrial clusters in South Wales, North Wales, and the Celtic Freeport area. The aim is simple but significant, to offer clear, practical guidance that helps industries decarbonise in a way that is both effective and sustainable.
Decarbonisation often involves complex trade-offs between environmental impact and economic benefit. Our team is helping to navigate these challenges, working with industry partners to design schemes that not only reduce carbon emissions but also secure the necessary environmental approvals efficiently and transparently. By engaging early and offering expert guidance, we are giving industries more certainty about the planning and consent process, helping them to progress their projects at the speed required to meet ambitious net-zero targets.
We are aware that regulatory processes can sometimes be seen as barriers to progress. But we are determined not to be a blocker, we want to be part of the solution. That’s why we are significantly increasing our resources, thanks to support from the Welsh Government, to ensure we are ready to manage the growing volume of projects coming through the pipeline.
The scale of demand is expected to increase five to tenfold over the coming years. We are preparing now to meet that challenge head-on, ensuring that we can process applications at pace while maintaining the environmental integrity that is at the heart of our work.
NRW stands ready to support Wales' transition to a low-carbon economy. Through strategic investment, close collaboration with industry, and a commitment to balancing environmental and economic goals, we believe Wales can achieve net zero in a way that benefits both people and nature.
We are open for business, and ready to help deliver a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future for Wales.
Sarah talks about this and more in the recent Net Zero Industries Wales podcast episode “Building the Future – Wales' Path to Clean Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure” listen to the podcast HERE
