Climate
Climate Camp Cymru campaigners set up camp at Kilvey Hill
THIS weekend (Aug 31), climate campaigners will gather at the first Welsh Climate camp in 15 years. The camp will take place at Kilvey Hill, Swansea. Climate Camp is a movement that organises temporary camps for environmental protesters, in areas threatened by ecocidal developments that increase carbon emissions, but which are organised with the support of the local community.
Kilvey woods is the green lung of Swansea city. It is one of Swansea’s largest urban fringe woodlands and is a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, designated quiet area and open space land. It has the most beautiful footpaths in Swansea city centre, and a walk through the woods will leave your ears ringing with birdsong (birds such as skylark, night jar, linnet, peregrine, redwing, song thrush, fieldfare, raven and whitethroat). The extra noise from proposed 450,000 visitors and light pollution is likely to cause a loss of recently established birdlife and further damage to an area of regenerating landscape. It’s a nature rich site – the rare small blue butterfly, for example, has been recorded here – and a young but established woodland with an existing management plan to slowly return it to native broadleaf trees as the old plantation pines die out. The woodland was planted by the local community, yet now this publicly owned land may be leased to a private company in the face of significant opposition from the local community.
The Welsh Government are spending £4 million to help fund this development despite the fact that it contravenes the National Assembly of Wales Environment Act 2016. This money is also being spent at a time when inflation is high, energy costs are high, and many people are going to food banks. Swansea Council are giving £8 million pounds to this development. They have said that this is a loan that will be repaid without giving any details. Councils elsewhere in the UK who give millions ‘on loan’ to dubious tourist developments often do not get their money back, despite giving guarantees to the public that they will. This is public money and there are better and more responsible things it can be spent on than schemes like this.
Swansea County Council declared a climate and nature emergency in June 2019 and again in November 2021 and have also placed around the city centre planters and information boards to encourage biodiversity and to celebrate and inform people of our natural heritage. Despite this, they are supporting a project that will destroy a woodland area the size of 11 football fields on Kilvey Hill and leave it permanently blighted. That brings Swansea council’s stated claims about climate change and biodiversity into disrepute and means it is questionable whether these aspirations are anything more than empty words.
Climate Camp Cymru will be a space of education with a great number of workshops & skillshare sessions. This includes opportunities to learn from other environmental struggles around the world such as Ende Gelände in Germany and get experience with practical campaigning skills.
A local spokesperson for the Save Kilvey Hill campaign said “Kilvey has magnificent views over Swansea bay and in every other direction you look. It is a quiet and peaceful place where Swansea residents can get away from it all, reconnect with nature, enjoy the views in peace, and de-stress. This will all be destroyed by the buildings, cable cars, steel pylons, concrete ‘Go Kart’ style tracks, restaurants, and so on that are being planned by Skyline and Swansea Council.”
The proposed development will privatise around a third of the publicly accessible land on Kilvey Hill in a central position. It will destroy existing unrecorded paths used on foot and horse for generations. It would be so vast that all areas of the hill around it would be affected by noise pollution, traffic, and air pollution, and be overlooked by 22 cable cars and a 50 metre skyswing. The community roundhouse in a peaceful glade will be directly overlooked by the cable cars. Many community groups use the hill precisely because it is a quiet, natural landscape unspoiled by commercial development.
An individual hosting a workshop at the climate camp added “Wales has had a key role in the emergence of the fossil fuel industry that has become such a massive threat to the very future of civilisation. As books like The Origins of Capitalism by Ellen Meiksins Wood describe, capitalism emerged in the late 1700s in the south of England, and spread from there around the world, pushed in no small part by the British empire. And the rich veins of coal that Wales has were a key source of fuel for this brutal colonial expansion.
With this history in mind, we think that it’s absolutely key that we in Wales also take a leading role in bringing this ecocidal system to an end, and building something more sustainable, more equal in its place”
The camp community and Save Kilvey Hill campaign will join the peaceful demonstration for Palestinian solidarity at the council green on Sunday afternoon, calling on the local council to honour their responsibilities to protect the local environment and the wellbeing of their community, and to draw the links of solidarity with Palestinian communities currently undergoing the devastation of their environment and wellbeing in Gaza and the West Bank.
Charity
Appeal launched after pigeon shot with air gun in Pembrokeshire town
AN APPEAL has been launched after an injured pigeon was found on Charles Street, Milford Haven after being shot through its wing bone with an air gun,
The bird was discovered by a member of the public on April 21 and was taken to All Pets Vet Care.
This incident follows a previous RSPCA appeal as several cats were shot by an air gun in the Hakin area in March. At least one cat died and three were injured.
When examined by a veterinary surgeon, the pigeon was found to have a wound on his left wing, with infection and lots of swelling. A subsequent radiograph showed that a pellet had shattered through its wing bones.
“As a result the pigeons sadly had to be euthanised,” commented Dr Cethin Ravenhill of the All Pets Vet Care. “The RSPCA were informed and as far as I’m aware, this is the only bird we’ve treated with this type of injury “
Meanwhile staff have been asked to radiograph any more injured birds brought in to the veterinary practice.
“I am so shocked and saddened that any individual would shoot an animal with an air gun, as the shot is very unlikely to kill the animal, but just maim and seriously wound them,” added Dr Ravenhill. “This leads to a slow and painful death and significant suffering.
“It’ss very upsetting to think there is someone in the local area doing this to both cats, and sadly pigeons.”
RSPCA Cymru fears other cats and wildlife may have been targeted and is now calling on the community to look out for any suspicious behaviour and report potential offences.
RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben, who is investigating the incident, said: “We are extremely concerned about reports of a pigeon and cats being deliberately targeted and killed in this way.
“Our hearts go out to the owners and to anyone who has been involved or discovered an animal injured in this way.
“It is always very distressing to think that people may be taking pleasure in causing such horrific injuries to defenceless animals.
“Unfortunately at the moment we only have limited information and so we hope an appeal for information will help with our enquiries.
“We would urge anyone who saw what happened, or who may have any further information, to please get in touch with us as soon as possible. We would also ask parents and carers to speak and educate young people about this.”
Anyone caught deliberately using an air gun to injure an animal can face up to five years in prison and/or an unlimited fine if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act.
Deliberately injuring or killing wild birds is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the RSPCA appeals line number on 0300 123 8018 and refer to incident number 01794965.
Every year the RSPCA receives almost 1,000 calls to investigate cases, and help hundreds of animals that are the victims of air gun attacks.
Cats and wildlife are the animals most vulnerable to being shot simply because they are out in the open with no one to protect them. Unfortunately, air rifle attacks are not as rare as the charity would like. The injuries caused by such attacks can be horrific and often fatal.
Keith added: said: “We want to see a world where every kind of animal is treated with compassion and respect, and deliberate and brutal acts of cruelty should be consigned to the past.
“We continue to call for tighter controls on air weapons. This, along with better education and explanation of the law when buying an air gun, and requirements that everyone must receive basic safety training before being allowed to walk out of the shop, could help relieve the problem.”
Climate
Chris Packham backs Carmarthen ‘nature crisis’ climate screening
BROADCASTER and environmental campaigner Chris Packham has backed a free public screening in Carmarthen aimed at encouraging local discussion about the climate and nature crisis.
The People’s Emergency Briefing will be shown at St Peters Civic Hall, Carmarthen, on Friday, May 22, at 7:00pm.
The screening will be followed by a facilitated community discussion involving residents, local leaders and invited decision-makers.
The event forms part of a UK-wide programme intended to help the public and policymakers better understand the risks posed by climate change and biodiversity loss.
The film follows the National Emergency Briefing held at Westminster Central Hall in November 2025, where more than 1,200 MPs, peers and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media gathered to hear evidence from leading experts.
The briefing, introduced by Chris Packham CBE, examined the impact of climate and nature breakdown on food security, public health, infrastructure, the economy and national security.
It has since been adapted into a 50-minute public film, which launched nationally in April and is now being screened in communities across the UK.
Chris Packham said: “I’d encourage people everywhere to attend a screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing.
“It creates exactly the kind of honest local conversation we now urgently need, both about what these changes mean where we live, and about what we can do together to address them.”
Organisers say the Carmarthen event comes at a time of growing local concern over flooding on the rivers Towy and Gwili, as well as biodiversity loss linked to pollution incidents.
After the film, those attending will be invited to take part in a structured discussion about the issues raised and what they may mean locally.
Local MPs, councillors and other influential figures have also been invited.
Philip Hughes, one of the organisers, said: “This is about creating space for people to come together, look at the evidence, and begin a more open and informed conversation about what it means for our community.
“It is also about how we can support the bolder action now called for by the science, which will also do so much to improve lives, as the film explains.”
Tickets for the Carmarthen screening are free, but advance registration is encouraged.

Climate
Welsh windfarms to power major construction materials firm
A MAJOR construction materials company has signed a long-term deal to use renewable energy from Welsh windfarms as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions.
Energy firm RWE has agreed a 15-year contract to supply electricity to Breedon Group plc, which operates sites across Great Britain producing materials including concrete, asphalt and cement.
Under the agreement, RWE will provide around 70 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity each year from its windfarm portfolio.
The power will initially come from the Gwynt y Môr offshore windfarm, about 24km off the coast of North Wales in the Irish Sea. From 2033, supply will switch to the Brechfa Forest West onshore windfarm in Wales.
The electricity will support the production of key building materials, helping Breedon reduce emissions linked to its energy use in a sector widely regarded as difficult to decarbonise.
RWE said the agreement highlighted the role renewable energy can play in helping heavy industry move towards lower-carbon operations.
Olaf Lubenow, head of commodity solutions at RWE, said: “This agreement underlines our commitment to supporting the construction materials sector on its journey towards a more sustainable future.
“By supplying renewable electricity from our wind portfolio, we are helping to reduce the carbon footprint of Breedon’s operations.”
Breedon said the deal would also provide long-term energy stability while supporting its wider sustainability plans.
Donna Hunt, the company’s sustainability director, said the agreement marked “a meaningful step forward”.
She said: “It secures long-term energy supply and helps accelerate the reduction of emissions from our operations.”
The company has set targets to cut emissions across its business by more than 20% by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050.
The agreement reflects a growing trend of major industrial firms turning to renewable energy to help meet climate targets while managing rising energy costs.
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