Resources

Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Report 2025

This report summarises the work undertaken by Public Health Wales (PHW) to support biodiversity over the last three years. Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires public authorities to ‘seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems’ ensuring biodiversity is considered in business planning, policies, plans and projects.

Authorities are required to report on progress every three years. PHW has published reports in 2019 and 2022, and this report highlights progress made between 2023 and 2025.

Public Health Wales’ Business Travel Policy Infographic

An infographic summarising Public Health Wales’ staff Business Travel Policy.

It includes the key points of the policy, a simplified Travel Decision Tree, carbon emissions via different modes of transport for an example journey from Pontypridd to Cardiff, the health impacts of different modes of transport, and associated costs to the NHS.

Investing in a Healthier Wales: prioritising prevention

Good health is a fundamental right, but in Wales, health outcomes vary unfairly across communities. This report emphasises the importance of investing in prevention to help everyone live longer, healthier lives. Effective prevention programmes offer great value for money and essential for prioritising public funding. They can address health inequalities, reverse the nation’s health decline, and promote well-being.

The report integrates previous findings with recent research on value-for-money public health programmes, highlighting successful interventions across three life stages: early years, healthy adults, and healthy ageing. It highlights that prevention must be part of a broader strategy to reduce health inequalities, focusing on early years and poverty reduction, with targeted spending in Wales’ most deprived communities.

Championing Nature for a Healthy Future – Public Health Wales’ Biodiversity Action Plan 2024-2027

The report sets out how Public Health Wales is taking action to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems. As part of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, section 6, we have a duty to publish a plan and report on our progress. Our work to support biodiversity contributes to the well-being goal of a ‘resilient Wales’ as well as our other strategic priorities. Whilst the plan is focused on what Public Health Wales will do, it also recognises the need to work in partnership across the wider public health system in Wales and with colleagues in other sectors.

The report covers:
• The importance of biodiversity to health and wellbeing and the challenges presented by the current nature crisis
• A summary of what has been achieved since the last Biodiversity Action Plan was published in 2019
• An outline of how the new plan has been developed
• The actions planned for the next 3 years and how we will report our progress

Addressing Single-Use Plastic and Waste in Public Health Wales’ Microbiology Labs

The report highlights the highest carbon emission single-use plastic and waste items used in PHW’s Microbiology Laboratories and identifies recommendations to switch to more sustainable alternatives.

The solutions identified can be replicated across the wider healthcare sector.

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Public Health Wales’ Emissions

The five infographics share the key findings and recommendations of the research project to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to more agile working on Public Health Wales Carbon Footprint.

The infographics cover the overall findings and the impact on emissions for the four key areas; procurement, homeworking, business/ site and travel emissions. They include detail on the overall recommendations for PHW, along with suggestions on how individuals can help to reduce their carbon emissions.

Research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and shift to more agile working, on Public Health Wales’ carbon footprint

The report looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to more agile working on Public Health Wales’ carbon footprint, focusing on both operational and staff homeworking emissions.

The report covers four key areas of emissions, procurement, travel, business/ site and homeworking. The emissions for each area have been calculated for 2019/20 and 2020/21 to compare the difference between the two years, identifying the impact on our carbon footprint for each key area, along with key insights and recommendations.

Tackling the public health effects of climate change – find out how you and your team can take action

Public Health Wales has a new strategic priority: tackling the public health effects of climate change, in recognition of the climate emergency being the greatest health threat facing humanity.

This webinar introduced a free online resource that helps individuals and teams to take action to reduce their environmental impact.

Be the Change – Procurement that doesn’t cost the earth

Procurement is costly. Welsh public sector spends £7 billion on procurement. A huge 62% of the 2018/19 carbon footprint for NHS Wales was from procurement.
Sustainable procurement can mean considering not buying things at all, buying energy and resource efficient goods, ethical goods such as Fairtrade coffee, or locally sourced products and services which support local businesses. It can also support the delivery of organisational priorities and well-being objectives, and ultimately improve the economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being of Wales.
The e-guide gives advice for anyone buying goods and services on ways we can take action by thinking about what we need, where it comes from, how long it will last and the impact it has on people, nature and planet.

Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty Report 2022

The first Public Health Wales’ ‘Biodiversity Duty report’ was published in 2019, in response to the enhanced biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems duty under Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016. The duty requires public authorities to “maintain and enhance biodiversity (so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of their functions) and in doing so promote the resilience of ecosystems”.
In 2023 we have published an updated Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty Report outlining the steps Public Health Wales is taking to promote biodiversity, highlighting progress made between 2019 and 2022 including against actions identified in our Biodiversity Action Plan, Making Space for Nature.

Cutting our Carbon Emissions

This infographic explains why climate change is a significant threat to health. It includes facts about climate change and suggests actions we can all take to reduce our impact to help protect human health as well as the health of the planet.

Green Opportunities Spring/ Summer 2022

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health and Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.

Resources for Sustainable Health

Helping organisations and individuals to consider the natural environment and the health of the planet and people in everything they do.

The Resources for Sustainable Health e-catalogue gives a brief summary of all the resources produced by the Health and Sustainability Hub.

The resources promoted in the e-catalogue will help teams and individuals reduce their impact on the environment and climate change, and encourage sustainable behaviour in both their work and home life.

The resources are a mixture of e-briefs, reports and toolkits, which bring together research, ideas, suggestions and practical actions. Some are aimed at individual or team level, some at organisation, national, or international policy level, to support sustainability, improve health and well-being, help embed the Well-being of Future Generations Act and reduce our impact on the planet.

Public Health Wales Decarbonisation Action Plan 2022/24

Public Health Wales’ Decarbonisation Action Plan (DAP) sets out the key actions and strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) supporting our journey to becoming Net Zero by 2030.

The plan identifies deliverable actions for two years from April 2022 to March 2024, aligning to and supporting NHS Wales’s Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan.

Sustainability Improvement for Teams (SIFT): Healthy Environment Workshop

The SIFT Healthy Environment workshop provides an opportunity for teams to identify their environmental impacts and do something to reduce them. It not only looks at the activity of the whole team but also of the individuals that form the team.

The SIFT Healthy Environment workshop is based on four strategic themes (decarbonisation, biodiversity, zero waste and climate change) to enable teams to develop an action plan to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to any existing environmental management systems within their organisation.

Green Opportunities Winter 2021/2022

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health and Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.

Green Opportunities Autumn 2021

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health and Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.

The autumn edition focuses on biodiversity.

Green Opportunities Summer 2021

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health and Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.

The summer 2021 edition focuses on sustainable and active travel.

Wales and the global goals infographic

This infographic, ‘Wales and the global goals: Ensuring that no one is left behind’ was commissioned by the Health and Sustainability Hub in Public Health Wales to provide a background summary of the global and Wales’ approaches to sustainable development, including the steps to deliver the global agenda in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The infographic also provides information on elements of Wales’ approach, covering:

• A literature review on embedding Wales’ Sustainable Development Principle (‘five ways of working’)
• Annual ‘Well-being of Wales Report’ on progress towards sustainable development
• Wales’ national indicators to measure progress
• A short case-study on Wales’ ‘Health in All Policies’ approach to public policy

Step Change for a Sustainable Planet: Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – A toolkit for global organisations

The Step Change for a Sustainable Planet toolkit was developed as part of the response by the Health and Sustainability Hub in Public Health Wales to take clear and positive action to help organisations and their staff respond to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
Providing information and knowledge, the toolkit also supports staff, on an individual level or by working together as teams, to become ‘changemakers’ by helping them to put into practice the principles of sustainable development.

Be the Change – Sustainable Home and Agile Working

We are living in a fast-changing and uncertain world, in the time of a global climate emergency and a global pandemic, which highlight the importance of acting and living sustainably to preserve and protect our world for both current and future generations.

Covid-19 has changed the way people live and work, instigating an immediate reorientation to home working, where feasible and providing opportunities to live more sustainably.

For those who are able to work from home, the rapid shift to home and agile working has brought both positives and negatives, some more challenging than others. This e-guide will help individuals take sustainable steps while working at home to reduce their impact on the environment.

Be the Change Well-being Goals Challenge

The Well-being Goals Challenge sets out six separate behaviour change challenges that inspire us to act to live more sustainably. They are designed to be undertaken on your own, with your team mates or as a team to team challenge.
Drawing on Wales’ Well-being Goals and the wider United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the challenges focus on Slow Fashion, Plant-based Diet, Towards Zero Waste, Healthy Travel, Ethical Consumer and Supporting Wildlife, with sustainable steps provided to guide you on your challenge journey.

Green Opportunities Spring 2021

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health & Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.
The spring 2021 edition focuses on energy and air pollution.

Green Opportunities Winter 2020

Green Opportunities is a new e-briefing from the Health & Sustainability Hub. The quarterly updates capture learning to aid Wales’ green recovery from COVID-19, identifying sustainable opportunities to support population health.

Cardiff Public Sector Healthy Travel Charter

As one of 14 leading public sector organisations, Public Health Wales signed the Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter in April 2019, showing their commitment to supporting and encouraging staff and visitors to travel in a sustainable way.
The Cardiff Healthy Travel Charter promotes walking, cycling, public transport and ultra-low emission vehicle use. The actions include establishing a champion of sustainable travel champions, developing targeted communications campaigns, offering and promoting the Cycle to Work Scheme and reducing the number of staff journeys.
Promoting and supporting sustainable active travel modes such as walking and cycling enables people to integrate physical activity into their everyday lives, which is essential for good health and contributes to well-being.

Be the Change – Helping Nature to Flourish

Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts now likely on people around the world. Our health and well-being depends upon a healthy environment, which includes using our natural resources in a sustainable way and supporting biodiversity.
This e-guide will help individuals take action for biodiversity at every opportunity to reverse its decline in Wales and globally, for its intrinsic value, and to secure our own well-being.

Making Space for Nature – Public Health Wales’ Biodiversity Plan

Making Space for Nature is Public Health Wales’ Biodiversity Plan to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems.
Healthy ecosystems are vital for health and well-being, providing our food, clothing and medicines, regulating our air and water and controlling disease. However, biodiversity is in decline.
The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 sets out the requirement for the ‘sustainable management of natural resources’ together with new ways of working to achieve this. Under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, public bodies are required to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems in order to reverse this trend, as part of the S6 Duty.

SIFT – Sustainability Improvement for Teams

SIFT stands for Sustainability Improvements For Teams and the SIFT workshop is being developed to support the delivery of the Well-being of Future Generations Act which:
• makes public bodies accountable for appropriately embedding the five ways of working in all work;
• requires public bodies to demonstrate how they have done this. SIFT workshops create an evidence base and this pool of evidence can be incorporated into the objectives of the organisation to support improved learning, planning, collaboration and delivery of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

Implementing the Sustainable Development Principle: Lessons from a Literature Review on Implementing the Five Ways of Working

This resource provides key learning and actions that public bodies, policy makers and practitioners can take to implement the sustainable development principle, as set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystem Duty Report 2019

Public Health Wales’ ‘Biodiversity Duty report’ has been produced in response to the enhanced biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems duty under Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 which requires that public authorities must seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of their functions and in doing so promote the resilience of ecosystems.

The Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty Report 2019 outlines how Public Health Wales has addressed its biodiversity duty under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and achieved the actions identified in its Biodiversity Plan, Making Space for Nature.