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Wellbeing of Wales, 2022 - A resilient Wales

This report provides an update on progress being made in Wales towards the achievement of the 7 wellbeing goals

First published: 29 September 2022

Last updated: 29 September 2022

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The goal for a resilient Wales

Author: Luned Jones

A nation which maintains and enhances a bio-diverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic and ecological resilience and the capacity to adapt to change (for example, climate change).

What have we learnt from the data in the last year?

Many of the national indicators used to measure progress towards this goal are long-term indicators that measure gradual change. These indicators are therefore updated periodically rather than annually.

From those national indicators updated within the last year:

there was a small increase in the proportion of surface and ground water bodies achieving a good or better status in 2021
average concentrations to which people are exposed, of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter decreased between 2019 and 2020; annual variations can be due to a number of factors including the weather
there was a considerable decrease in the amount of waste generated, that is not recycled, per person, between 2012 and 2019
the recycling rate continued to increase with nearly two-thirds of municipal waste reused, recycled or composted in 2020-21; the amount of municipal waste generated was the lowest on record
installed electrical capacity and installed heat capacity from renewable energy both increased slightly, though at a slower rate than in recent years; the amount of renewable electricity generated is over a half (56%) of electricity consumed in Wales

What is the longer term progress towards the goal?

Data for some of the national indicators suggest that progress is being made towards the resilient Wales goal. These include long term improvements to air quality, increased renewable energy capacity, decreases in waste generation and considerable improvements in recycling rates. However, other indicators show that overall, biological diversity is declining and that most habitat types have seen a reduction in diversity during the past hundred years.

The latest comprehensive assessment of Welsh natural resources (SoNaRR) shows that overall, biological diversity is declining.

Most habitat types have seen a reduction in diversity over the last 100 years, with the rate of decline increasing from the 1970s onwards.

The quality of our water whether in seas, rivers, streams or the ground is generally improving.

Air quality has improved greatly since the 1970s, but remains a risk to human health.

Wales has seen decreases in waste generation and considerable improvements in recycling rate, but we continue to use up resources faster than they can be replenished.

Installed electrical capacity from renewable energy continues to increase but at a slower pace than in recent years.

As well as the national indicators, the SoNaRR 2020 report provides a comprehensive assessment of progress against the four aims of the sustainable management of natural resources.

Biodiversity

The loss of biodiversity is accelerating globally and at unprecedented rates in human history. Although there have been improvements in the status of populations of some species in Wales, SoNaRR 2020 shows that, overall, biodiversity is declining. An experimental indicator on the Status of Biological Diversity in Wales published in 2021 showed that the distribution of species in Wales has declined over the long term but has been stable more recently. Further analysis on this topic is available in the Wellbeing of Wales report 2021.

In addition to the national indicator on biodiversity, there are schemes in place which monitor specific species. The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme is a long-term monitoring scheme. Trends for UK butterfly species vary, with about a third of butterfly species assessed in the UK showing a significant long-term decline in abundance (34%), compared to 29% showing a significant long-term increase. However, over the last decade the majority of species are stable, with 7 species (13%) showing a statistically significant increase and no species showing a significant decline.

Main drivers responsible for long-term declines in abundance include changes in the extent, condition and fragmentation of habitats caused by the intensification of farming, changes in forestry practices, urban development, pollution and climate change. Some drivers, such as climate change, are likely to have mixed, species dependent impacts.

The Breeding Bird Survey is a citizen science monitoring scheme that has been running since 1994. Across the UK, 39 species have shown statistically significant long-term increases, and 43 species have significant long-term declines. Population increases include the expansion of recent colonists and non-native species. In Wales, 17 species have statistically significant long-term increases and 14 species have significant long-term declines.

Habitats and soil

Most habitat types have seen a reduction in diversity over the last 100 years, with the rate of decline increasing from the 1970s onwards.

In the 2019 Wellbeing of Wales report we reported that 31% of our land was considered semi-natural. This national indicator is used to assess the proportion of our land that has semi-natural, less modified habitats as these are most likely to form healthy and resilient ecosystems. An updated indicator will be available in 2023.

The Marine Protected Area network covers 50% of Wales’ inshore and offshore waters and protects a representative suite of marine habitats and species. Ensuring the favourable condition of these sites is therefore key to achieving overall resilience of Welsh seas. In January 2018, NRW published indicative condition assessments for marine Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas in Wales. 46% of marine features were assessed to be in favourable condition, 45% were assessed to be in unfavourable condition and 9% were unknown, with underpinning confidence levels assigned to each assessment.

Natural Resources Wales published the Terrestrial and Freshwater Protected sites baseline assessment in 2021. Around half of the features on these sites had enough information to be assessed. An estimated 20% of all features are favourable condition; around 30% are in unfavourable condition and around 50% are not in a desired state.

Well managed soil will safeguard food production, support habitats, help manage flood risk and reduce water treatment costs. The national indicator on soil shows that the concentration of carbon in our soil is generally stable, apart from in habitat land where a loss of carbon has recently been observed.

Water quality and flood risk

The quality of our water whether in seas, rivers, streams or the ground is generally improving.

Water is one of Wales’s natural resources which we rely on constantly including for drinking water, the economy, industry, sewage treatment and agriculture.

In 2021-22 Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy provided around 900 megalitres per day (Ml/d) of potable water to meet demand, with higher demand experienced during peak periods such as during hot dry weather or tourism hot spots. Private water supplies (not on mains) is estimated as 13.8 Ml/d.

At overall status across Wales, 40% of 933 surface and ground water bodies were at good or better status in 2021. This represents a 3 percentage point increase from that reported in 2015 and an 8 percentage point improvement since 2009.

Good quality bathing waters are very important for coastal communities, visitors and the economy in Wales. Bathing water quality is monitored at 105 designated sites around Wales’ coast. In 2021, for the fourth season running, all Welsh bathing waters met the standards set by the Bathing Water Directive. 85 were classified as excellent, 14 achieved good and 6 were classified as the minimum, sufficient, standard.

Pie chart showing that the vast majority (81%) of bathing waters in Wales were assessed as excellent in 2021.

The latest flood risk assessment shows that some homes in Wales are at risk of flooding from seas, rivers and surface water, with some properties at risk from more than one type of flooding.

In 2019, nearly 42,000 properties in Wales were at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers and over 60,000 properties at high or medium risk of tidal flooding. This covers both residential and non-residential properties. Of these, over 20,000 benefit from river flood defences and over 50,000 from tidal flood defences. It’s currently not possible to consider trends over time due to changes in methodology.

Air quality

Air quality has improved greatly since the 1970s, but remains a risk to human health.

The national indicator on nitrogen dioxide(NO₂)emissions shows that overall, the average concentration levels to which people are exposed have been declining over the past decade. After a period of relative stability between 2017 and 2019 (at around 9 µg/m³), the average concentration decreased to 7 µg/m³ in 2020. This is consistent with reduced levels of road traffic during the COVID-19 restriction. Average concentrations to which people are exposed of particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) also decreased between 2019 and 2020.

The highest concentrations of nitrogen dioxide emissions are found in urban areas and near busy roads, reflecting the contribution of traffic and urban activities to poor air quality.

Air pollution has a significant effect on public health. There are currently 44 air quality management areas declared in Wales. One was designated due to the risk of PM₁₀ particulate matter levels exceeding the daily 24-hour mean air quality objective for PM₁₀, and the remainder designated where levels of NO₂ exceed or risk exceeding the air quality objectives for NO₂.

Public Health Wales estimates the burden of long-term air pollution exposure to be the equivalent of 1,000 to 1,400 deaths (at typical ages) each year.

Line chart showing that air quality has improved greatly since the 1970s, though has remained relatively stable in recent years.

Waste and recycling

Wales has made considerable progress in managing waste over the last decade by increasing the amount sent for recycling, and reducing the amount sent for disposal. Wales is a world leader in household recycling, but we continue to use up resources faster than they can be replenished.

here was a considerable decrease in the amount of waste generated, that is not recycled, per person, between 2012 and 2019 (from 794kg to 523kg). The amount of waste not recycled decreased for each of the three components that comprise this national indicator:

household waste
industrial and commercial waste
construction and demolition waste

Total waste generation in the industrial and commercial sectors decreased between the 2012 and 2018 surveys, with two-thirds of this waste prepared for re-use, recycling and composting.

Total waste generation in the construction and demolition sectors was similar in 2012 and 2019 surveys, with a small increase in the proportion of waste prepared for re-use, recycling and composting.

The amount of local authority municipal waste generated in Wales has gradually decreased since the early 2000s, with a 3% decrease between 2019-20 and 2020-21, to the lowest reported figure to date. Care should be taken in comparing the 2020-21 results with previous years since it is not clear which effects are short term because of the pandemic and which are longer term.

Wales is recognised as having the highest household recycling rate in the UK, and the latest data shows that nearly two-thirds (65.4%) of local authority municipal waste was reused, recycled or composted in 2020-21, similar to the proportion a year earlier.

Bar chart showing the percentage of municipal waste reused/recycled/composted in Wales generally increased from 32.4% in 2012-13 to 65.4% in 2020-21.

As part of the National Survey 2021-22, people were asked about environmental behaviours as part of everyday life. Nearly a half (46%) of people minimised the purchase of brand-new items. Of these, nearly a third (30%) cited cost as the main reason, over a half (54%) either didn’t need to buy so many new things, or preferred mending and buying second hand. A further 15% gave limiting the effects of climate change as their main reason for minimising the purchase of new items.

The vast majority of people (92%) have either sold or given away items in the previous 12 months, with most methods of selling or giving away items showing an increase since the questions were last asked in 2018-19. Two-thirds of people have either received or bought second-hand items in the last 12 months (an increase from 57% in 2018-19).

Renewable energy generation

The capacity of renewable energy projects in Wales (electricity and heat) has nearly quadrupled over the last decade, though progress has slowed in recent years.

Around 33% of electricity generated in Wales was from renewable sources in 2020. The amount of renewable electricity generated is the equivalent of approximately 56% of electricity consumed in Wales.

At the end of 2020, the installed electrical capacity for renewable energy was 3,417 megawatts (MW). This is 1% higher than the previous year and more than twice the capacity in 2012. Wind power makes up nearly 59% of renewable electrical capacity and 69% of renewable electricity generation.

Wales generates 67% more electricity than it consumes, making it a net exporter of electricity.

At the end of 2020, the total renewable heat capacity in Wales was 716 MW. This is 4% higher than the previous year and more than twelve times the heat capacity in 2012.

A bar chart showing an overall considerable increase in both renewable electrical and heat capacity in Wales between 2012 and 2020.

According to the National Survey for Wales, 62% of people minimised the use of energy in their home. Of these, cost was the reason given by 62% of people. A quarter of people stated that limiting the effects of climate change was a reason for minimising the use of energy. These questions were asked prior to the recent energy price rises.

Data sources

A prosperous Wales

A healthier Wales

A PDF download of this document will be available soon.

In this page

The goal for a resilient Wales

What have we learnt from the data in the last year?

What is the longer term progress towards the goal?

Biodiversity

Habitats and soil

Water quality and flood risk

Air quality

Waste and recycling

Renewable energy generation

Further reading

Data sources

Biodiversity and habitat

Water

Air quality

Recycling and resource use

Energy

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