Assembly Committee to meet at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth

The Sustainability Committee of the National Assembly for Wales will hold its next meeting on Thursday 15 May at The Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth. The meeting will start at 2.30.

The Committee will be gathering evidence for its current inquiry into carbon reduction in Wales. The Committee has been carrying out an inquiry into carbon reduction since October and due to the size of the project has split the inquiry into six parts. This fourth part of the inquiry is concentrating on electricity generation and members will hear evidence from experts from the Centre on renewable energy and micro-generation.

Before the meeting, Members will visit the Life Active Blanket Bog Project run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Countryside Council for Wales, with funding from the EU Life-Nature programme, on a fact finding mission for the next stage of their inquiry into carbon reduction through land use. Blanket bogs are important carbon sinks, and over the years have stored huge quantities of carbon. Damaged blanket bogs release large quantities of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides, greenhouse gases that have been implicated in global warming.  

Mike German AM, the Temporary Chair of the Committee said: “I'm delighted that the committee is getting out and about - its really important that politicians get outside the Senedd and their own areas from time to time to see the best of what Wales has to offer. Taking the committee out of Cardiff Bay, to see some of the good things that are going on in Wales, and how we can make improvements, is a key part of the committee's work.

I am passionate about the potential micro-generation offers for the future of electricity generation. The committee will want to hear and see what the Centre for Alternative Technology has to say on this and other ways of reducing effects of global warming."

The meeting takes place at the Straw Bale Theatre, The Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth from 2:30pm until 4.00pm.

Further information about the committee