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Articles on Wales

Displaying 1 - 20 of 254 articles.

Ganrif yn ôl aeth menywod Cymru ati i apelio’n daer am heddwch byd – dyma eu stori

Mererid Hopwood , Aberystwyth University and Jennifer Mathers , Aberystwyth University

A century ago, the women of Wales made an audacious appeal for world peace – this is their story

Jennifer Mathers , Aberystwyth University and Mererid Hopwood , Aberystwyth University

Election 2024: the stakes are higher than they appear, so quality information is essential

Laura Hood , The Conversation

Most Gypsy and Traveller sites in Great Britain are located within 100 metres of major pollutants, shows research

Alice Bloch , University of Manchester and Katharine Quarmby , University of West London

Ignoring Welsh farmers’ protests is a dangerous move for politicians

Lawrence McKay , University of Southampton and Davide Vampa , The University of Edinburgh

Hateful graffiti blights communities and it’s something we need to tackle urgently

Melanie Morgan , Swansea University and Lella Nouri , Swansea University

Four rising Welsh music acts to set your playlist ablaze

Paul Carr , University of South Wales and Robert Smith , University of South Wales

How the pandemic deepened an existing wellbeing crisis in headteaching – new research

Emily Marchant , Swansea University ; Orkan Okan , Bielefeld University , and Tom Crick , Swansea University

Why so few witches were executed in Wales in the middle ages

Mari Ellis Dunning , Aberystwyth University

School results, smoking rates, shop closures? New statistics tool helps you compare local areas in the UK

Richard Harris , University of Bristol

Vaughan Gething elected as Wales’ new first minister – but challenges have just begun for Welsh Labour

Huw L Williams , Cardiff University

Why schools need to take sun safety more seriously – expert explains

Julie Peconi , Swansea University

Why Wales has no national memorial to its independent past

Kathryn Hurlock , Manchester Metropolitan University

Could a couple of Thai otters have helped the UK’s otter population recover? Our study provides a hint

Frank Hailer , Cardiff University ; Elizabeth Chadwick , Cardiff University , and Sarah du Plessis , Cardiff University

Gut bacteria may explain why grey squirrels outcompete reds – new research

Craig Shuttleworth , Bangor University

Six Nations future on terrestrial TV uncertain – what are the implications for rugby and its fans?

Richard Thomas , Swansea University and Iwan Williams , Swansea University

What does Wales’ future hold? New report maps options for more devolution, federal and independent futures

Stephen Clear , Bangor University

Emotional problems in young people were rising rapidly even before the pandemic

Rebecca E Anthony , Cardiff University

565-million - years-old , some of the oldest UK fossils are eerily similar to famous Australian ones

Chris Kirkland , Curtin University and Anthony Clarke , Curtin University

Hedd Wyn: how the life of one of Wales’ most promising poets was cut short by the first world war

Alan Llwyd , Swansea University

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Welsh Government

Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre

Welcome to the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre. Our dedicated team works together with Welsh Government, the NHS, social care, research institutions and the public to deliver vital research to tackle health and social care challenges facing Wales.

Funded by Welsh Government, through Health and Care Research Wales , the Centre answers key questions to improve health and social care policy and provision across Wales.

Along with our collaborating partners, we conduct reviews of existing evidence and new research, to inform policy and practice needs, with a focus on ensuring real-world impact and public benefit that reaches everyone.

• NHS 111 Wales

Public Health Wales joins a new behavioural research hub

Published:  9 November 2023

Public Health Wales is pleased to announce its role in the establishment of Behavioural Research UK (BR-UK), a transformative initiative which will help tackle societal and economic challenges in the UK.  

The hub is being established following a £13 million funding injection from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), marking a huge advancement in the field of behavioural research in the United Kingdom.  The Behavioural Science Unit at Public Health Wales was invited to join the consortium and helped develop the successful funding bid alongside colleagues from Cardiff University and Welsh Government.  

Understanding human behaviour and how it shapes organisations, communities and societies is fundamental to addressing current and future global challenges. The five-year ESRC funding programme will support BR-UK to build a behavioural research community to address these challenges, driving interdisciplinary innovation in the field. 

BR-UK will be co-led led by recognised experts in the field of behavioural research: Professor Linda Bauld, the Bruce and John Usher Chair of Public Health at The University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute, and Chief Social Policy Advisor to the Scottish Government and Professor Susan Michie, Director of the Centre for Behavioural Change at University College London. 

The formation of BR-UK is underpinned by a collaboration of leading academics across a spectrum of disciplines, spanning eight universities, across the UK.  The consortium also includes active engagement of government bodies from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, along with agencies and organisations that intersect with areas such as transport, food security, health protection, communication, entrepreneurship, and more. 

The collaboration will provide leadership to harness, connect and extend the UK’s existing capacity and capability in behavioural research, supporting the mobilisation of research into policy and practice. 

The £13 million funding announced by the ESRC will constitute the centrepiece of the council's commitment to fostering behavioural science research within the United Kingdom. The partnership seeks to catalyse innovation, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and drive the translation of research insights into policy and practical applications. 

Ashley Gould, Programme Director of the Public Health Wales Behavioural Science Unit said: "Our participation in BR-UK reflects our commitment to improving public health outcomes through the routine use of behavioural science. We are proud to have been invited to join the consortium from its inception, and to have contributed to a winning bid for this transformative initiative. 

"The ESRC funding and the establishment of BR-UK represent a huge opportunity to further behavioural research. Our involvement in the consortium will enable us to input to, and then bring to bear, leading behavioural research to increase the impact of public health and social policies." 

The creation of BR-UK holds the promise of revolutionising behavioural science research and its impact on public health and social policy. By harnessing the collective expertise of leading institutions and governmental stakeholders, this initiative is positioned to drive innovation and create a lasting influence on the lives of individuals and communities across the United Kingdom.

Derbyniwch pob cwci os y gwelwch yn dda er mwyn ein helpu i roi'r profiad gorau posibl i chi

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Search Cancer Research Wales

Since 1966, our pioneering research has been saving lives, right here in Wales. Almost 60 years of research has contributed to vast improvements in cancer services and better outcomes for countless people. We are working to make sure the people of Wales do not have to accept cancer as a life-threatening disease. We do this by supporting the best cancer researchers and clinicians to make discoveries which will transform lives, because research is in our DNA.

Research: it's in our DNA

Cancer Research Wales is the only charity wholly dedicated to funding cancer research in Wales, for Wales.

For more than 50 years, we’ve worked with the government and key decision makers to revolutionise cancer research and make the right policy changes for the people of Wales. 

Our work has never been more important. By 2030, it’s estimated that 230,000 people across Wales will have cancer. One in two of us will get cancer, which means we will all be affected by cancer in one way or another. To tackle this, our research is happening all over Wales, in our communities, our hospitals, our GP surgeries. It’s making Wales a healthier, and better place to live. Thanks to the work we’ve already done, we know more about cancer than ever before. Every day, we’re turning this knowledge into better treatments and outcomes for cancer patients. And we’ll keep on learning.

We’ll continue to work towards even better treatments, tests, and drugs for those with cancer, so they can lead better lives with those they love. The work we’re doing is universal – our research is for all cancers, for all people, and for all of Wales.

With research, we can change the narrative of what a cancer diagnosis means. Because hope remains at the core of our DNA. Hope for the next generation of cancer patients, for our children, and for Wales.

Generosity: it's in our DNA

Generosity is in the DNA of our supporters. 

Since 1966, the people of Wales have come together to fund more than £30m exemplary research right here on our doorsteps. This has enabled us to address the priorities of cancer patients across Wales.

It has funded life-saving research and treatments, it has supported neighbours, friends, and family, and it has firmly established Wales as a quality provider of research and innovation.

Cancer is one of Wales’ biggest killers, but our research, funded solely by our supporters, pays for the time and equipment our scientists need. It pays for brilliant scientific minds, right here in Wales, to research cancers and to discover breakthroughs to improve outcomes across the country.

From making a simple donation, to running marathons, to volunteering in our shops – and everything in between – our supporters make a huge difference to thousands of people each and every day.

And by supporting Cancer Research Wales, you too could play an important role in a Wales united against cancer.

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Police and Crime Commissioner elections: How did Wales vote?

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Wales innovates, creating a stronger, fairer, greener wales: delivery plan

How we will deliver the innovation strategy for Wales.

This file may not be fully accessible.

In this page

Introduction.

As promised in our Strategy, Wales Innovates: Creating a Stronger, Fairer, Greener Wales , published in February 2023, the Welsh Government is now releasing its accompanying innovation delivery plan. The strategy was designed to guide Welsh Government research, development and innovation interventions and support over the next 5 years and this plan covers the same period.

Wales Innovates set out a vision to create and nurture a vibrant innovation culture for a stronger, fairer, greener Wales. To achieve this, it highlighted missions in 4 key areas of society:

• Health and wellbeing
• Climate and nature

The delivery plan details for each mission the relevant goals, actions, milestones and measurements which the Welsh Government, after extensive public consultation, wishes to see achieved into the medium and longer-term.

The Welsh Government is only one part of the innovation ecosystem, which is becoming ever more diverse and broad. Governance, finance and support are distributed across the ecosystem, collaboration is increasingly important. The delivery plan is intended as a guide for the ecosystem, setting out the actions for Welsh Government, to build understanding of where more shared efforts and resources can be focused.

It calls for a disciplined approach to align innovative activity with these goals to attract support for specific projects or programmes from Welsh Government.

The innovation ecosystem needs to focus activity on translational research and commercial opportunities, where there are benefits not only for our economy, but for our citizens, and for our environment. Support will be targeted towards achieving this impact, which will be measured as set out in the document, and as new opportunities for measurement emerge.

This delivery plan is intended to be a living, dynamic document with enough flex over time to respond to a changing political, budgetary, and economic landscape, and to identify different and better opportunities in a rapidly changing funding environment.

Future budgets will be included as the plan develops. In the meantime, it lays out certain guiding principles:

• Each mission has underpinning commitments to geographic and demographic equality; a thriving innovation culture; and a joined up, collaborative way of working.
• The Innovation Team, in Welsh Government, will be responsible for bringing together innovation leads to work together collaboratively across Welsh departments and policy areas.
• The Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER), and its Research and Innovation sub-committee will have a key contribution to make in delivery, given its leading role in promoting innovation in Wales, in accordance with the legislation.
• Welsh Government will make key investments from within its own budgets, where possible. We will also work more collaboratively with UK Government to bring investment into the Welsh RD&I ecosystem, to drive progress against our shared objectives.
• We will track the course of the missions, developed through ongoing engagement with Plaid Cymru under the Co-operation Agreement and overseen by the Innovation Advisory Council for Wales (IACW).
• We will review progress at the end of year one, reflecting on what’s changed and how our ecosystem is transitioning away from direct EU funding towards a more leveraged, competitive RD&I model.
• We will run structured evaluations at years 3 and 5 to consider where measurable outcomes, linked to our missions and goals, have been delivered.

Education mission

An education system that supports the development of innovation skills and knowledge throughout people’s lives in Wales. 

Schools, colleges, universities, and research organisations create knowledge through research. This research can lead to commercialisation, create societal value, and support a stronger economy.

Goal: Increase research in new or evolving technologies for ‘real world’ applications and industry collaboration

We will work with Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) (and in the future CTER), Wales Innovation Network (WIN), universities, and the wider tertiary education sector to increase research and innovation funding from external sources, and support collaborations to optimise the value of research and innovation funding for our priorities. This will include engagement with industry and other partners to maximise societal and economic benefits of their research.

• Milestone: 2023-24 £15 million Research Wales Innovation Fund
• Measure: UK Gateway to Research and IUK data on Welsh led proposals

We will work with Innovate UK (IUK), under our new and broader Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and action plan, and with our business community, to continue to offer Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) with the aim of increasing the budget to £1.4 million per year. We will continue to run SMART Partnerships alongside this programme.

• Milestone: 3 year contract from 01/04/2024
• Measure: Subject to IUK Review due to be published 2023
• Measure: £ for £ Return on Investment
• Measure: EDI Data

Goal: Increase innovation experiences for children within the school setting

The new Curriculum for Wales specifically focuses on supporting children and young people to become ‘enterprising, creative contributors’ through their learning. Careers and Work-Related Experiences are a central part of the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools, and Careers Wales will continue to enable young people to connect with innovation and enterprise employers as they develop their future careers.

• Milestone: Annual

We will partner with the WJEC (and other organisations) to expand and deliver the all-Wales Innovation Awards at GCSE and A-Level age groups.

We will work with Careers Wales to deliver Big Ideas Wales enterprise awareness, engaging entrepreneurs in the classroom to develop creative and enterprise capabilities, supporting schools’ delivery of the new Curriculum for Wales.

• Measure: No. of Pupil Interactions (target 30,000)

Goal: Increase innovation capabilities and progression to business for students and graduates of further and higher education

We will support the Employment and Enterprise Bureau’s at further education colleges as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee to enhance student preparedness and transition into employment, develop work-related skills and enterprise capabilities.

• Measure: Number of young people engaged in enterprise
• Measure: Number of students supported to successfully start a business

We will work with HEFCW, and in the future CTER, and the higher education sector to enable students to develop their innovative and entrepreneurial capability to accelerate graduate entrepreneurship and their business survivability.

• Measure: Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) – Graduate Start up (analysis on survivability through FAME database)
• Measure: HEBCIS - No. of Spin-outs

Big Ideas Wales (Business Wales) will work with students and graduates in Further and Higher Education Institutions to increase participation in enterprise, provide advice and guidance to support student and graduate start ups.

• Measure: EDI data (HEFCW/CTER Targeted Employability Support for Students)

Goal: Increase the participation of further education colleges in RD&I activity

We will work closely with CTER, which has a key role in the implementation of the innovation strategy, and will be the first national steward for the whole tertiary education and research sector, bringing responsibility for overseeing Wales' higher and further education, school sixth forms, apprenticeships and research and innovation together in one place.

• Milestone: From April 2024
• Measure: £ funding awarded to FE Colleges for innovation
• Measure: No. of FE collaborations supported

CTER will develop it’s own plan for implementation of the Innovation Strategy.

• Milestone: Q2 2024

Goal: Develop opportunities for net zero skills to support the Innovation agenda and the climate and nature mission

Welsh Government will undertake a public consultation on sector specific skills requirements, including what additional skills are needed at a regional level to support the development and adoption of new ideas.

Milestone: Q3 2023

We will develop a Skills Roadmap for each sector. These will help inform planning and policy on skills, working on the evidence and with the sectors to map and detail the key investments into Wales, legislation and policy shifts, transitioning impacts or any other identified milestones that will result in a shift in skills, competencies and workforce demand.

In implementing the Plan, we will work at a local and regional level to ensure effective engagement, understanding and buy-in to meet our skills commitments in a more co-ordinated way.

Goal: Grow innovation capability and capacity within innovation ecosystem leadership

Welsh Government will work with the Intensive Learning Academies, based in our Welsh Universities, to develop and implement bespoke innovation training and education provision, across all sectors including within Health and Social Care.

• Milestone: Academic year 2024-25
• Measure: Number of Welsh leaders engaging in skills and training provision including sector, location and EDI data

Economy mission

An economy that innovates for growth, collaborates across sectors for solutions to society’s challenges, adopts new technologies for efficiency and productivity, uses resources proportionately, and allows citizens to share wealth through fair work.

Goal: Increase the amount of investment in RD&I activity across all sectors, ensuring a fair regional share aligned to the priorities and strengths in Wales

Capability and capacity building to compete more effectively for funding from international and UK wide sources.

• Collaboration building
• Proposal development
• Advisory support

A closer working relationship with IUK through an MoU and joint plan for collaboration.

Explore opportunities for MoUs with additional UK bodies, including Research Councils within the UKRI structure – monitoring of funding awards into Wales will form part of those arrangements.

Broader engagement and awareness raising of RD&I funding opportunities across UK Government Departments. This aligns with the commitment in the UK Government Levelling up white paper to spend 40% more on RD&I activities outside of the Greater South East by 2030.

• Milestone: 2026 - A 3% share of IUK competitive budget
• Milestone: 2026 - (Year 3) Re-run priority themes analysis to track progress in priority areas
• Milestone: 2028 - (Year 5) Re-run priority themes analysis to track progress in priority areas
• Milestone: 2030 - A 5% share of IUK competitive budget
• Milestone: Immediately – ongoing
• Measure: BERD, HERD, GERD (including as a % of GDP subject to ONS methodology review)
• Measure: % of UK funding awarded in Wales, including regional split (sources of information IUK Data Sharing Agreement, UKRI Gateway to Research)

Goal: To increase the number, impact, diversity and ambition of businesses that are innovation active within Wales

£20 million funding to support organisations to innovate – utilising a range of levers including one to one business support, collaborative activity (eg with universities or the public sector), procurement and grant (complimentary to other sources of funding such as the previously mentioned Research Wales Innovation Fund).

An expanded and flexible offer to include Micro, Small and Medium sized businesses with funding and advisory support (for business development and growth, through Business Wales).

A renewed communications campaign to raise awareness of and enable broad participation in innovation regardless of background or circumstance.

• Milestone: 2023 – Launch of Flexible Innovation Support
• Measure: UKIS Survey – Number of Innovation Active Businesses (WFG National Indicator)
• Measure: BERD
• Measure: ED&I data (supported organisations)
• Measure: % FTE working on innovation (supported organisations)
• Measure: % turnover invested in RD&I (supported organisations)
• Measure: Increase in turnover as a result of RD&I support from Welsh Government (£)
• Measure: GVA per hour worked (WFG National Indicator)

Expansion of the Digital Accelerator and broader advisory support to help organisations implement more efficient processes within their business, identify and protect their intellectual property and identify energy saving and decarbonisation technologies. This will include a renewed and deeper working relationship with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

• Milestone: Q1 2024 – Procurement exercise for advisory support
• Milestone: Q3 2023 – MoU development begins with the IPO

Goal: Increasing the opportunities within the ecosystem for cross-sector and wider geographical collaboration

Identify and evaluate opportunities for creating and growing nationally important assets based around key science and technology strengths and prospects in both Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0. We will work with CTER to undertake an evaluation of large scale research facilities that currently exist in Welsh universities.

• Milestone: Ongoing
• Measure: £ industry investment
• Measure: £ UK investment (competitive or allocative)

We will use Grant and Procurement mechanisms to drive increased collaboration. This will include potential co-investment with City and Growth Deal Regions and Freeports to encourage place-based innovation and the development of solutions to societal challenges and priorities within the Programme for Government and Regional Economic Frameworks.

• Measure: UKIS Survey Geographical split of funding awards (WG, UKG)

We will provide the ecosystem with opportunities to network and collaborate across borders. This will be done through ongoing membership of the Vanguard Initiative and CRIQUE, while actively seeking opportunities in other overseas locations and networks. Welsh Government will work closely with Wales Higher Education Brussels and Global Wales on this action.

• Milestone: 2024 – Launch of inter-regional funding mechanism through Vanguard Initiative
• Measure: TBC

We will work with industry and academia to identify, develop and support clusters of Science and Technology capability and capacity in priority areas. We will consider, develop or attract Public Sector Research Establishments (PSRE) where appropriate.

• Milestone: 2023 – 2024 for technical assessment studies of potential clusters
• Milestone: 2025 Recognition, designation and growth plans for the clusters
• Milestone: 2026 to 2030 creation and development of clusters. Similarly milestones for PSRE and Themed Research Organisations (TRO)
• Measure: Number and identity of clusters identified
• Measure: Number of clusters created and developed
• Measure: Similarly for PSREs and TROs established in Wales

Goal: Increase the access to specialist private investment into technological-generative innovation

Welsh Government will work with the Development Bank of Wales (DBW) to:

• Build expertise in deep tech investment in Wales
• Seek collaborative relationships with recognised and specialist private finance organisations such as Venture Capitalists and Angel Networks, to raise awareness of investment opportunities in Wales
• Provide targeted support to Welsh organisations to become investor ready
• Measure: DBW investment data – private sector match
• Measure: External data sets focussed on fundraising and equity investment deals made e.g. Beauhurst, Crunch Data, etc

Goal: Increase the use of, and participation in, innovative procurement mechanisms by Welsh organisations.

We will support the use of procurement (and emerging procurement reform measures) for feasibility, testing and demonstration of novel and disruptive technology in the public sector in Wales.

• Measure: UKIS Survey – Number of innovation active businesses (Wellbeing of Future Generations National Indicator)

Work with the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Centre of Excellence to increase the number and breadth of innovation procurement opportunities across the public sector in Wales.

• Measure: % of public sector procurement spend using innovative mechanisms
• Measure: Number of and % increase of Welsh businesses participating in public sector procurement, and innovative procurement projects

Health and wellbeing mission

A coherent innovation ecosystem, where the health and social care sector collaborates with industry, academia and the third sector to deliver greater value and impact for citizens, the economy, and the environment.

Goal: Increase Health and Social Care Research, Development and Innovation support and investment against the 6 areas of ministerial priority published in the NHS Wales planning framework 2022-25

Align health and social care Innovation activity and investment to support delivery and progress against the 6 ministerial priorities. This includes the assessment of Integrated Medium Term Plans (IMTP) and delivery of the Innovation Technology and Partnerships Programme.

• Milestone: Q4 2023
• Milestone: Q4 2024
• Measure: £ invested in health and care related innovation activities

Welsh Government and Health and Care Research Wales will implement the plan for Health and Care Research activity in Wales. An annual budget of £47 million has been ringfenced (any budget figures subject to current review).

• Milestone: 2022-23
• Milestone: 2023-24
• Milestone: 2024-25
• Measure: £ investment in health and care research by public/government funders (% increase)
• Measure: £ investment in health and care research by industry/commercial research funders (% increase)
• Measure: Numbers employed in the health and care research workforce (% increase)
• Measure: Public participation in health and social care research (% increase)

Goal: Increase innovation activity and funding awards to the health and social care system, and the Life Sciences sector. Creating the right environment for industry to collaborate with the NHS in Wales

We will explore the availability and development of a funding portal to access innovation funding, which will include grant and innovative procurement mechanisms.

Develop a Life Sciences Policy Statement with clear actions to support the development of the sector in Wales to support health and wellbeing, economy, education and climate and nature missions.

Work with the Life Sciences Hub Wales Ltd to identify opportunities to build strategic partnerships with industry focussed on innovation to deliver better outcomes for patients, and economic impact.

Deliver financial support for innovation through the Innovation, Technology and Partnerships funding programme.

We will commission the Value Based Healthcare Programme to develop a suite of innovation measures linked to resource efficiency, patient outcomes (PROMs) and patient experience (PREMs).

• Milestone: 2023-24 £12.8 million
• Measure: £ invested in health, care and life sciences innovation activities (internal to organisation, WG, UKG/International)
• Measure: Number and value (£) of strategic partnerships between industry and NHS Wales
• Measure: Impact measurement of funding awards:
• Measure: Value based healthcare measures - Patient outcomes and experience, resource usage across relevant clinical areas
• Measure: Referral to Treatment Time (RTT) in clinical areas developing, testing and deploying innovation

Goal: Develop and implement a Social Care Innovation Support Programme

Welsh Government will fund Social Care Wales to develop and support the Social Care Innovation Support Programme.

• Milestone: 2023-24 £1.2 million
• Measure: Social Care Wales will begin work to develop an outcomes framework in September 2023

Goal: Increased innovation activity across NHS Wales, to include the development, protection and commercialisation of intellectual property

A roadmap and directory of the health and care organisations within the innovation ecosystem.

A common innovation assessment tool, to consistently assess innovation opportunities.

A common approach to the creation, protection and management of intellectual property created by NHS Wales staff and organisations.

A clear route to commercialisation and income generation for further investment in innovation.

• Measure: Number of Intellectual Property sharing agreements in place across organisations
• Measure: Income generated
• Measure: Income from innovation activity re-invested in Innovation

Goal: Increase adoption and scale of ‘Adoption and Adaption ready innovation’ across the health and social care system.

Establish the Innovation and Value function of the NHS Wales Executive.

• Milestone: Q1 2025
• Measure: Health Technology Wales Adoption Audit

Develop a list of ‘Adoption and Adaption ready innovation’ aligned to Welsh NHS and Social Care needs and priorities – working with Health Technology Wales, the Regional Innovation Co-ordination Hubs Network.

• Measure: NHS Wales Procurement data
• Measure: Value based healthcare innovation metrics

Climate and nature mission

To optimise our natural resources for the protection and strengthening of climate and nature resilience. We will focus innovation efforts of the ecosystem towards tackling the climate and nature crises simultaneously ensuring a just transition to a wellbeing economy.

Goal: Reduce the level of industry generated carbon emissions and increase adoption of circular economy principles.

Identifying the most appropriate carbon measurement tool for organisations in Wales.

• Milestone: WG will commission research into carbon measurement tools by January 2024
• Measure: Carbon emissions reductions based on tool selection to be used to generate baseline emissions and end of project emissions

Provide support, and identify funding mechanisms (including the Development Bank of Wales Green Business Loan Scheme, which is supporting businesses wanting to invest in decarbonisation infrastructure, including renewables), to adopt technologies and new approaches to reduce carbon output.

Embed carbon measurement tools into the terms of financial support provided to ensure funded innovation does not contribute to increasing carbon emissions.

Provide financial support to Welsh organisations seeking to become more resource-efficient and avoid unnecessary waste, in turn enabling them to become more productive and competitive.

• Milestone: Launch Circular Economy Fund 2 Q1 2023-24
• Measure: Carbon emissions
• Measure: Waste reduction

Goal: To use innovation to reduce the level of carbon emissions generated by homes and transport.

We will deliver £70 million worth of funding to the social sector landlords to decarbonise homes (subject to budget review).

• Milestone: 2023 to 2024
• Measure: External data collected and collated via data sensors installed in retrofitted homes

Development Bank of Wales will run a pilot to incentivise owner-occupiers to decarbonise their homes.

We will focus efforts to encourage active and public transport trialling:

• Milestone: 2027
• Measure: Evidence of a trials
• Milestone: 2023
• Measure: Trial currently underway in Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) – due to complete later this year
• Milestone: 2023 to 2025
• Measure: Trial currently underway
• Milestone: 2024 to 2026
• Measure: Evidence of trials
• Milestone: Trials currently underway
• Measure: Evidence from trials

Goals: Innovate to accelerate the development and take up of renewable energy generation and storage.

We will apply a whole system approach to innovate pre-market decarbonisation solutions to test and prototype new power generation and storage approaches essential for grid stability and integrating renewable energy into the grid.

• Milestone: Launch of Whole Systems Research and Innovation for Decarbonisation (WSRID) SBRI annual fund Spring 2024
• Measure: Carbon emission reductions
• Measure: Commercialisation and investment target metrics %

This will include focus on developing new innovative ways of delivering integrated hydrogen storage, carrier media (such as ammonia), distribution systems and the associated supply chains for developing the Welsh hydrogen economy and its potential value chain.

Storage and distribution supply chain innovation includes pipelines and vessels, on-vehicle transport, storage tanks and surface infrastructure, monitoring and system controls and also refuelling and blending.

Goal: Reduce current levels of air quality pollution, including ammonia pollution

We will support the development and testing of new technologies and methods to reduce air quality pollution in Wales, using the grant and procurement mechanisms.

We will work closely with organisations in the area of ammonia emissions, to support the development and uptake of new technologies, such as bacterial treatment.

• Milestone: 2030 – 16% reduction
• Measure: Ammonia emissions

Goal: Reduce current levels of water pollution, including nutrient levels in water courses and other forms of surface water pollutants.

We will support the development and testing of new technologies and methods to reduce water nutrient pollution in Wales, using the available grant and procurement mechanisms.

• Milestone: 2023-24 Water Quality Capital Grant Scheme
• Measure: Nutrient levels and water quality – relevant to innovation activity

We will consider new methodologies for measuring pollution levels and removing pollutants, preferably at source, before entering our waterways.

We will work closely with relevant stakeholders to support the development and uptake of new technologies, such as nutrient recycling and nature-based solutions.

Goal: Embed nature recovery within all of our innovation activities

We will develop principles for responsible investment to ensure that any innovation funding awarded supports our ambitions for nature recovery. This will be built in to our funding award letters and contracts.

Appendix 1: Health and care priorities and innovation challenge statement list

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EU Member States adopt recommendations to enhance research security

Today, the EU made an important step towards ensuring that international research and innovation cooperation can take place in a way that is both open and safe. At the meeting of the Council of the EU, research ministers adopted a Recommendation on enhancing research security, which puts forward measures designed to protect research and innovation from misuse.

Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

“Openness and international cooperation are at the core of great science and innovation, but they also make it particularly vulnerable to security threats. With these recommendations, the EU responds to the calls for clarity and guidance from researchers and innovators. We will work together to safeguard sensitive knowledge from being misused, supporting research organisations in fulfilling their responsibilities while protecting academic freedom and building a resilient ecosystem.”

The Recommendation is based on a Commission proposal tabled on 24 January 2024 as part of measures underpinning the European Economic Security Strategy. It strikes a balance between being open and safe, while respecting and safeguarding crucial principles such as academic freedom, institutional autonomy and non-discrimination.

Today’s agreement will enable the Member States to address research security in a collective and coordinated way. Alignment and consistency across the EU are key to an effective response to these threats. 

With the adoption of this Recommendation, EU Member States commit to work jointly on the issue. Next steps on their part include developing a coherent set of policy measures and support structures for the research sector, introducing research security questions in grant application forms and encouraging research performing organisations to introduce research security risk management.

For its part, the Commission will follow up on the recommendations by leveraging the European Research Area governance structures bringing together Member States’ experts, funding organisations, and EU level stakeholders.

The Commission has already started to explore possibilities for establishing a European Centre of Expertise on Research Security and for supporting capacity building and peer learning for national administrations.

The Commission will continue to actively engage with our key partners around the globe to seek alignment between safeguarding measures. The first European Flagship Conference on Research Security, expected to take place in autumn 2025, will take stock of the progress made.

The Commission tabled its  proposal for a Council Recommendation on enhancing research security on 24 January 2024 as part of a  follow-up package to the European Economic Security Strategy, which was launched on 20 June 2023 by a  joint Communication . 

For its proposal the Commission took into account the  policy debate on knowledge security and responsible internationalisation that Ministers of Research had at their meeting of 23 May 2023, as well as the feedback from stakeholders received following a  call for evidence , end of 2023. It is also in line with the 2021 Commission  Communication on the Global Approach to Research and Innovation : Europe's strategy for international cooperation in a changing world.

Following today’s adoption by the Council, the official publication of the Council Recommendation is expected in the coming days.

More information  

Factsheet: Council recommendation on research security

Factsheet: Building blocks for risk appraisal

Press contact:

EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation

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Swansea University celebrates new edition of award-winning novel and recent research depicting South Wales steel industry

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Swansea University, in partnership with Parthian Books , recently joined the local community to explore the literature and history of Wales and its steel industry.

The special event showcased the new edition of Professor Christopher Meredith’s Shifts , which draws on his experience of Ebbw Vale Steelworks to portray the decline of the steel industry in fictionalised versions of its surrounding communities and the life of the working class in 1970s South Wales.

First published in 1988, this classic novel was recently reissued as part of the Library of Wales  Series, a Welsh Government initiative designed to ensure that the rich and extensive literature of Wales written in English is available to readers in and beyond Wales.

To explore the connection between steel and the local community, Swansea University’s Cultures and Communities Research Institute , with support from the Local Challenges Research Office , hosted an event in Port Talbot’s historic Plaza .

Christopher Meredith, Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of South Wales, began his talk by offering solidarity with the people of Port Talbot and the steel community on behalf of the Steering Committee of the Society of Authors in Wales .

The Tredegar-born author then read a collection of extracts before giving the audience an exclusive insight into the shared history of himself and his critically acclaimed novel.

Professor Meredith said: ”For me, from a steelworker background, this was a moving event. Novels can apprehend with intensity the real through the imaginary - I'm lucky that a book I wrote forty years ago can still resonate, and the sense of warmth, intelligence and connection in The Plaza was palpable. To speak and especially to listen in Port Talbot at a crucial time for this great town was a huge privilege.”

Professor Kirsti Bohata, from the Department of English Literature and Creative Writing at Swansea University, led the event.

She said: “ Shifts is one of the greatest novels ever written about Wales, and it was a privilege to hear people who have worked in the steel industry in Port Talbot immediately connect with it.

“The purpose of the Library of Wales series of English-language classics is to make Wales’ literary heritage widely available, and this event shows how meaningful that can be.”

The event also featured Professor Louise Miskell from the School of Culture and Communication , who spoke on the profound history and significance of the steelworks in the twentieth century.

Professor Miskell highlighted three key dates in the town: 1918, 1951, and 2001, to show the ever-changing nature of the steel industry and public perceptions.

She said: “Port Talbot has a long and distinguished history as a steel town, but in the current climate of uncertainty, this history is all too easily overshadowed. For me, this event was all about revisiting some of the pivotal moments of the last one hundred years, when steel-making most closely defined Port Talbot’s sense of place and identity.”

Attendees included former and current steelworkers, members of local history societies and heritage groups, and relatives of steelworkers, who shared reflections on the industry’s impact on their families and accounts of the continued emotional connection the town has with the steel industry.

Professor David Turner, Director of the Cultures and Communities Research Institute, said: “Swansea University’s new Research Institute for Cultures and Communities was proud to support this event, which demonstrated powerfully the role of steel manufacturing in shaping the identity of Welsh communities such as Port Talbot and Ebbw Vale.

“Steelmaking has not just shaped this region’s social and economic life; it is part of its cultural DNA, too. In the current climate of change and uncertainty, it is important that the history of the impact of steelmaking on the cultures and communities of industrial south Wales is not forgotten.”

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• Friday 24 May 2024 11:00 BST
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