Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 2 November 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:46, 2 November 2021

I thank the leader of the opposition for that point. It's a point I agree with. I think I said in answer to an earlier question that the Climate Change Committee tell us that about 60 per cent of the actions needed to reach net zero in Wales by 2050 will rely not on the things that Governments do, or even on what great corporations do, but on what each of us do in our individual lives. COP Cymru will be a real opportunity to have the sort of conversation that he refers to, and climate change Week in Wales at the end of this month will be a further chance for us to bring those voices from right across Wales who are very determined to make their contribution around that virtual table together.

He's right; this cannot be simply a top-down set of actions, nor, indeed, a top-down-led conversation. They have to be conversations led in every part of Wales by all the sorts of organisations that are prepared to play a part in it. I quoted a moment ago, Llywydd, the 'little habits together' changes that children in Mynydd-y-Garreg spoke of; in the same document, Llansaint Women's Institute commit themselves to being recycling warriors in their own community. We should take some heart, Llywydd, I think; these are huge challenges and it is easy for people to feel that it's all beyond them and that there is nothing that they themselves can do, but our recycling targets in Wales and the success we've had together, through the actions of local groups and local authorities, I think tell us that when we take those actions, the small things we can do individually add up with things that our friends or neighbours and others in our communities can do, and together, we really can make that difference.