Thi
s starts with a very local story that’s been bubbling away for some time. But sometimes a local story can serve to illustrate a much wider issue. And that, I believe, is the case here.
◊
BACKGROUND
In essence, a local family wants a hydroelectric scheme on their land. The plan submitted to Eryri planners July 17, 2024, and approved (with conditions) July 15, 2026.
It’s fairly close to the B4391. The road that runs off the (Bala – Trawsfynydd) A4212 to Llan Ffestiniog. The OS map below will give a better idea of the area, and shows clearly ‘Rhaeadr y Cwm’, where Afon Cynfal runs down the gorge.
The picture below, from Google Maps – but 8 years old, I’m afraid – shows the gorge and the waterfall from the B4391.
The reason I’m writing about it now is because it’s still in the news, and protesters are still protesting. As I was reminded by an article in last week’s issue of the Cambrian News. Reproduced for you below.
The article reports that those who’ve been given planning permission are three brothers from a local farming family: Dafydd Elis, Elis Dafydd and Moi Dafydd. With roots in the area. The objectors? Well . . .
The first objector mentioned is ‘Pat Thynne’, who I assume is Patricia Thynne. And I’m guessing she hasn’t lived long at Cwm farm, which was on the market 13 years ago for £650,000.
I believe that until about 10 years ago she was living in Cumbria, in a property sold for £475,000. As might be expected, Ms Thynne is involved with Cymdeithas Eryri (the Snowdonia Society); a well intentioned outfit that unfortunately attracts too many who’ve moved to the area and want to dictate to those who’ve always lived there.
I’ll return to Cymdeithas Eryri later.
Another protester mentioned is “Joe Hope, farmer and ecologist from Machynlleth“. Which means that Joe is certainly not local. And when I think, ‘Welsh farmers’, I’m more likely to think of the three brothers than I am to think of Joe Hope.
But Joe’s objection takes it all to a new level, invoking the Mabinogion, no less.
I came to understand how it was part of a mythic landscape; the Cynfal and Llyn Morwynion are settings for the Mabinogion, where magical hero Llew Llaw Gyffes is married to and betrayed by Blodeuwedd, a bride conjured up from flowers.
Go for it, Joe!
Truth is, most objections were from outside the area through an e-action webpage set up by the Snowdonia Society, Save Our Rivers, the North Wales Wildlife Trust and Buglife.
Ffestiniog Town Council also objected – after previously supporting the project. The council chair is Rory Francis who, until March this year, was Director of Cymdeithas Eryri. It’s all here on his Linkedin profile.
Curiously, perhaps, on a council that should have 16 members, there are 7 vacancies.
What locals everywhere do object to is 800ft-tall wind turbines, and mile after mile of big, ugly pylons. And yet, this is where so many ‘environmentalists’ seem to fall silent. Or are openly supportive.
◊
GLOBALISM AND ‘ENVIRONMENTALISM’
We’ve been living with the climate scam for a long time now. It’s used to influence our behaviour; to deindustrialise the West through net zero, carbon capture and other nonsense; increase our bills; and make lots of money for big corporations.
Those driving this agenda need plausible allies, people and organisations that might get away with pretending they have altruistic motives. And this is where ‘environmentalists’ enter the picture.
Calls to make sacrifices to ‘save the planet’ will be more persuasive when they come from a sincere but brainwashed youngster like the Swedish doom goblin than if they came direct from Larry Fink of BlackRock and the World Economic Forum.
Though I’m not sure how many are still listening to Greta Thunberg since she finally went off the rails. Here’s a recent photo taken, it’s claimed, at a performance by rappers Kneecap in West Belfast. There she is with balaclava and keffiyeh.
She’s beginning to look as unwell as many have always thought she was. But not so long ago she was addressing the United Nations, and dictating to heads of state. Everybody wanted to be photographed with her.
Now she’s a raging anti-Semite, supporting a corrupted form of Irish Republicanism that still wants the Brits out – but the rest of the world allowed in.
I don’t want you to think I’m picking on Greta, but no one better exemplifies the deception I’m describing. Converted or compromised politicians can pretend they’ve been moved by a sweet little Swedish girl rather than admit to having been browbeaten by the aforementioned Mr Fink and his cadre.
Here in Wales, ‘environmental concerns’ too often work against the interests of the native Welsh. For example, to listen to many environmentalists, all the pollution in our waterways is the fault of farmers, and cow farts will be the end of us all.
These lies of course tie in with the Globalists’ war on farming. Not because they want to improve our diet, or have better water quality, but because they want to control the food supply, and through that, control us.
◊
LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS AND INITIATIVES
Having realised that Welsh people aren’t happy with wind farms and solar arrays proliferating, and knowing where the profits go, the Welsh political class is finally talking about ‘local benefits’.
In October 2023 the self-styled ‘Welsh Government’ launched Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru (Green Electricity Wales).
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru’s remit from Welsh Government, is to develop and deliver renewable energy projects, starting on the Welsh public estate, with the best possible long-term economic and social benefits for the people of Wales.
In addition, we have Ynni Cymunedol Cymru (Community Energy Wales), where we find that doyenne of all things loony and left, former leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood, acting as secretary. Possibly commissar.
Wolfie Smith would be so proud –“Power to the people!”
There seem to be plenty of similarly-minded individuals among the directors, but I’m not sure what they actually do. I think they just offer advice. (There’s a lot of that goes on in Wales.)
But the real benefit from employing this lot is their political influence in Corruption Bay. Which in turn means funding . . . for the favoured ones. And all too often these seem to be new to Wales. When we turn to ‘local partnerships’, and ‘community involvement’ we find them.
Imagine calling a badly-publicised public meeting, at an awkward time for most people, but making sure your people are there and dominate the meeting. Then you go away and pretend that your people represent the views and wishes of the whole community.
(Just like Communist Party takeovers of union branches I recall from my youth.)
Or maybe you don’t even bother with the charade of a meeting. Groups just emerge.
An example might be Awel Aman Tawe. Which was quick off the mark in 2000, just a year after the first sitting of our then Assembly. Started by people with tenuous links to the valleys north and west of Swansea, but who’d seen an opening.
After 26 years is Awel Aman Tawe commercially viable? Perhaps not. The company has seven outstanding charges shown on its Companies House entry, going back to 2006.
These loans, etc came from: Neath Port Talbot council (3). The Wales Council for Voluntary Action, a conduit for ‘Welsh Government’ funding (2). The National Lottery, which only seems to fund projects approved of by the lanyard-wearing classes (1). With one from the Co-operative Bank.
But Awel Aman Tawe certainly has political connections.
For example, a Member of the linked Awel Coop is Jenny Rathbone, Labour MS for Cardiff Central until May. But more importantly, she sat on the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.
And I shouldn’t have to remind you that her husband John Uden sits on Bute Energy’s Welsh Advisory Board.
Most ‘community projects’ rely on public funding. Justified by high energy costs. The consequence of the climate scam demanding highly subsidised but unreliable ‘renewables’. Supported by the politicians doling out the public funding.
What a system! With an obvious solution.
◊
WATER
Earlier I promised a return to the Snowdonia Society, and here it is.
Last week I was sent a curious document – an invitation, I suppose – to an event planned for Cardiff in October: ‘How Designated Landscapes Can Help Solve the Water Crisis’. Here it is.
There are a few things I’m struggling to make sense of.
First, the invite was sent out by Graeme Cotterill, Vice Chair, Alliance for Welsh Designated Landscapes. (Heard of it?) Second, it was relayed by the Snowdonia Society. Third, it specifically mentions the “Cambrian Mountains“, or Yr Elenydd.
I can answer the first two questions by telling you Cotterill’s day job is Director of the Snowdonia Society – he took over from Rory Francis! Before that, for over 13 years, he was at North Wales Wildlife Trust – which also objected to the hydro project!
Such coincidences!
As for why Yr Elenydd got a mention, that remains a mystery. For Designated Landscapes are National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As you can see from the map below, Yr Elenydd, marked with a cross, is neither.
But as I’ve explained many times, this beautiful wilderness is now under attack; coveted by wind farm bandits and ‘environmentalists’ of the rewilder genus.
But how do we explain the alleged “water crisis” which seems to be the justification for this gathering? Certainly, Yr Elenydd is the source of the Teifi, which runs to the sea at Cardigan. And the Tywi, which meets the sea south of Carmarthen. Also, Llyn Brianne reservoir supplying Swansea; and the Elan reservoirs serving Birmingham.
But why would these interest the Alliance for Welsh Designated Landscapes and the Snowdonia Society? Maybe looking at the speakers might give a clue.
Gail Davies-Walsh is described by the ‘Welsh Government’ as “a transformative leader in Welsh environmental protection“. She’s CEO of Afonydd Cymru (Wales’ Rivers).
She worked for some years for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. Some believe that since leaving DCWW her role has been to deflect criticism from its woeful performance and pollution record.
Next up is Tom Johnstone founder of We Are Nature Based CIC. I’d never heard of this lot. But then, it’s almost impossible to keep up with ‘environmental’ groups. How many are there?
This outfit was formed just over two years ago and is based in Rhos-on-Sea. Which is a long way from Yr Elenydd, and from the Wye, which is mentioned on the website, and even in the accounts.
Another director of We Are Nature Based is Thomas Rickard, who lives in Devon. The third director is Bethany Ward. A director of Drosi Bikes CIC of Llangollen.
The third billed speaker is Adam Taylor. “Protected Areas Committee chair, Flood Risk Management Committee member, NRW / board member, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority.” A busy boy!
He began his career with the Essex Wildlife Trust. Then it was the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Before crossing the border in November 2019 to become CEO of the Gwent Wildlife Trust. All listed here.
None of them know anything about Yr Elenydd.
But they belong to an ever-expanding network of overlapping and interlinked ‘environmental’ groups. There might soon be 500 of these groups – but perhaps no more than 200 people actually involved.
But with more influence over the political system and economic priorities of Wales than its three million people. Democracy, innit!
◊
HERE’S HOW IT OPERATES
Here I’ll address the ‘circular’ relationship the ‘environmental’ lobby has with the ‘Welsh Government and various bodies. A lobby publicly funded to find that Wales is “nature depleted“, etc, which then allows Corruption Bay to claim it has been “advised“, or “after consultations“, to double down on the anti-farming and other agendas.
Commissioning reports was an essential part of how Labour ran Wales for 27 years. But it was never confined to the environment, or to farming. And it caused chaos.
A report into a fire service found “toxic masculinity“, “misogyny“, “racism“, even “banter” – to the horror of the pearl-clutchers who made the finding. This was used to impose a diversity agenda.
The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was even condemned for not taking the knee for George Floyd! The clip below is in the report produced by Judge Fenella Morris.
The current shambles at the Welsh Rugby Union can be traced back to the WRU deciding that ‘trans women’ (i.e. biological males) should not play in women’s rugby. This outraged certain Labour politicians.
And so, in January 2023, the ‘Welsh Government’ announced that Sport Wales – which it sponsors and funds – had stepped in to “advise” the WRU. Then political appointees – who know little about Wales or rugby – were put in charge of the WRU to push a ‘diversity’ agenda.
And that’s why Welsh rugby is going down the tubes. With Jiffy calling on them all to go. He’s not the only one.
◊
AND FINALLY
In Wales, there’s a colonialist aspect to renewables and ‘saving the planet’. Foreign investors and corporations own all the projects. Most of the activists, lobbyists, and spokespersons in the supporting ‘environmental’ movement come from outside of Wales. Some don’t even live in Wales.
They all want to dictate to us. Ride roughshod over us. And exploit our homeland.
And some of the attitudes are quite horrifying. After ‘moving to the country’ Tarquin and Helena are appalled that some hairy-arsed hill farmer, who might struggle with the English language – owns hundreds of acres!
Land that they could be ‘saving’. (With someone else’s money, of course.) Land that’ll give them a platform from which to gesture away to their heart’s content.
The hydro scheme we began with should be supported. And while we obviously don’t have the hydro resources of Norway or Switzerland, even Scotland, there’s nowhere in Wales that’s far from a fast-flowing stream. And we get the rain to keep them flowing.
As for the October event in Cardiff, I’m still not sure what it’s about. But given who’s involved, I predict with certainty that something is being hatched that will see our country exploited for the benefit and profit of others.
Because the bottom line is that ‘environmentalism’ is just a smaller scam serving the bigger climate scam. ‘Environmentalism’ exists to advance the interests of banks, asset managers, and corporations.
Which is why we find ‘environmentalists’ opposing a genuinely local renewable energy project like Nant Cynfal. That this initiative comes from farmers sitting on land that could be making money for somebody else is perhaps another factor.
‘Environmentalists’ are hypocrites. Damaging Wales and Welsh interests to serve some spiv on Wall Street, others in the City of London, or shy buggers hiding behind addresses on distant, sun-blest isles.
♦ end ♦
© Royston Jones 2026
