10. Plaid Cymru Debate: Climate Justice

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:17 pm on 18 September 2019.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 5:17, 18 September 2019

I've heard lots of criticism here today of our Government by the Tories, but I hope that they will criticise the Tory Government in Westminster on their decision to cancel Green Great Britain Week in November. It reminds us again that, whilst the Tories claim green credentials when it suits them, their support for the climate change agenda doesn't go that far. But contrast that with next month, with the Welsh Labour Government's climate change conference going ahead as planned, and Brexit will not distract the Government from keeping their focus on the issues that must be addressed for the sake of the future of our children and future generations who follow them.

One of the most important actions the Government is taking is to change the way that farmers receive subsidy payments from Government, with proposals that all farmers will be rewarded for the vital contributions they make to looking after the environment, protecting habitats and tackling climate change. And that change will see billions invested in protecting the natural environment in Wales. I note also that Plaid Cymru opposes some of those changes and prefers instead that farmers are given payments based on the amount of land that they farm, and the biggest payment going to the largest farms. I'm sure if Plaid Cymru can today commit to changing that position on this issue, then I'm sure that everyone will warmly welcome it.

I'd also warmly welcome a commitment by Plaid Cymru to welcome some of the work that's going into the Summit to Sea—O'r Mynydd i'r Môr. It's a pioneering project that will rewild the area from the Pumlumon massif, the highest area in mid Wales, down through the wooded valleys to the Dyfi estuary and out into Cardigan bay. And within five years it will bring together one continuous nature-rich area comprising at least 10,000 hectares of land and 28,500 hectares of sea. It's that sort of action that actually will make a difference.

I've heard a lot of people being very emotional here today, and it is, in some ways, a very emotive issue, but there's very little point in anybody, whomsoever they are, sitting on a chair that they haven't actually thought about where that wood has come from. So, people go into department stores and they buy goods that are quite cheap, they take them home and very often they're sitting on the very seats that have created the clearance of the Brazilian rainforest, whilst they're sitting there crying in desperation about what that is doing to the world's climate. So, I suppose my point here is: whilst the politicians will do what they can, some will do more than others, and the citizens also have to look at what they're doing and ask the real questions when they're going about purchasing things for their own use.