New report urges shared leadership to build a fair, resilient future for Welsh communities

THE NATIONAL Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) has warned that Wales faces a “perfect storm” of worsening floods, heatwaves, and coastal erosion unless climate action becomes more co-ordinated — and rooted in local communities.

In a new report published on Wednesday (Oct 15), titled A Perfect Storm – Is Wales doing enough to co-ordinate action and engage communities in adapting our infrastructure to a changing climate?, the Commission says that while Wales has made progress in cutting emissions, far less attention has been paid to adapting infrastructure to withstand the realities of a warming world.

NICW found that ageing infrastructure, inconsistent planning, short-term funding cycles and weak co-ordination are leaving Welsh communities and critical services increasingly exposed to climate threats.

Rooted in real Welsh communities

The report was shaped through engagement across Wales, including work with the Community Council in Ceredigion, the Fairbourne Partnership in Gwynedd, community groups in Powys, and a flagship pilot in Grangetown, Cardiff — one of Wales’ most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods.

Over seven months, NICW and the School of International Futures (SOIF), alongside SEF Cymru, Green Soul and the Grange Pavilion Youth Forum, trialled creative “participatory futures” methods to give local people a voice in decisions about climate resilience.

Using poetry, walking tours, role-play and visioning workshops, residents explored how decisions made today would affect future generations. Their message was clear: fairness, inclusivity and co-design must sit at the heart of climate adaptation.

The report calls for the creation of a shared national hub — such as a Futures Academy — to embed these approaches across Wales.

12 key recommendations

NICW makes 12 urgent recommendations for Welsh Government to strengthen resilience and empower communities. These include:

• A new Climate Adaptation Act for Wales with legally binding resilience targets.
• A Chief Participation Officer by 2028 to lead public engagement across government and local authorities.
• Integrating climate resilience into all planning and investment decisions.
• A dedicated Climate Adaptation Fund for Wales.
• A Climate Futures Hub to share data, tools and lessons across sectors.

Urgent call for collective action

Steve Brooks, Lead NICW Commissioner on the project, said: “Yesterday’s infrastructure will not withstand tomorrow’s climate. We need urgent action now — embedding adaptation into planning, strengthening engagement, and building public confidence. By working with communities, businesses and local authorities as well as government, we can protect homes, jobs and the natural environment for generations to come.”

Helen Armstrong, also Lead NICW Commissioner, added: “This report is a wake-up call. We want Wales in 2100 to be a thriving place for people and nature — but extreme weather is already locked in. Acting now will be far less costly and far more effective than waiting until it’s too late.”

Caroline Star, Operations Director at SOIF, said the project demonstrated “the power of communities to imagine their futures and shape the infrastructure that supports them.”

NICW says the work builds on Wales’ Future Generations Act and its recognition of the Nature and Climate Emergencies, showing that combined, community-led action will be key to safeguarding Welsh communities in the long term.

The full report, A Perfect Storm, is available at: nationalinfrastructurecommission.wales/perfectstorm
.