As part of the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities Public Lecture Series, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas – National Assembly for Wales is to give a public lecture at Swansea University on February 23 about the possibility of a carbon free Wales.

The AM for Dwyfor Meirionnydd is also Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, a group that was set up in 2011 to consider energy planning and policy for Wales.

The one-hour lecture titled A Carbon Free Wales: Is it Possible in Time? will consider some of the findings from the committee and also draw on his expertise as Plaid’s spokesperson for Environment and Energy.

Lord Elis-Thomas was nominated to the Lords in 1992, and appointed to chair the Welsh Language Board from 1993 to 1999. He was elected by his colleagues (on three separate occasions) as Presiding Officer and has led improvements and reforms in the Assembly’s ways of working.

These include an accessible Petitions Committee, and new clear standing orders, and a ‘Vote 2011’ campaign to encourage registration especially among new younger voters. As a former researcher and teacher in adult and higher education, he maintains close links with Bangor University as Chancellor, and with Coleg Llandrillo as President. He is also Vice-President of the National Trust Snowdonia Appeal which invests in sustainable farming and conservation in Snowdonia.

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM said, “We all know that climate change is the defining issue of contemporary politics and the greatest threat we face. Wales is already leading the way in terms of setting ambitious recycling and waste reduction targets, but the current Welsh Government needs to work harder to delivers on its pledges and to ensure that Wales can be a world leader on environmental issues. In my role as Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, it’s my duty to ensure that our Welsh Government delivers on its pledges, and to ensure that Wales can be a world leader on environmental and sustainability issues.”

The public lecture is part of a series sponsored by the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) whose remit is to bring together researchers and postgraduates in the College of Arts and Humanities and create a rich research environment geared to excellence and public engagement.

Professor Chris Williams Director of the Research Institute for the Arts and Humanities said: It’s tremendous that someone of Lord Elis-Thomas’s political stature is contributing to the public lecture series. It’s difficult to think of a more important issue facing the people of Wales than the threat to the environment and we look forward with great anticipation to learning more about how Wales may meet its own challenges while at the same time setting an example for other countries to follow.

The RIAH public lecture will be held in Wallace Lecture Theatre, Wallace Building, Swansea University and will start promptly at 5.30pm. Light refreshments will be available from 5 pm; everyone is welcome and admission is free. The lecture will be held in Welsh with simultaneous translation.

For further information please contact RIAH, email riah@swansea.ac.uk or telephone 01792 295190.

This item has been posted on behalf of RIAH by Delyth Purchase, Swansea University Public Relations Office, Tel: 01792 295050, or email: d.purchase@swansea.ac.uk