8. How is the Welsh Government is ensuring children and young people are aware of the gravity of the climate emergency? OQ57283

The Welsh Government funds a number of initiatives in Wales in this area, including Keep Wales Tidy’s eco-schools programme, empowering young people to make positive environmental changes to their school and community, and to take action on climate change. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Prif Weinidog. I'm very grateful for the work the Welsh Government is doing on this issue in leading the way. In my own constituency, Ysgol Golftyn are a prime example of leading the way on this particular issue. I was written to by every year 2 pupil from the school just recently, and I was invited to the school to answer challenging questions about climate change. The letters and the questions raised the importance of recycling and concerns about the melting polar ice caps and the impact it has on wildlife, and in particular, polar bears. When I attended the school last Friday to answer these seriously challenging questions by the year 2 pupils, I was impressed by their knowledge and understanding. So, First Minister, will you pass your congratulations on to the pupils and staff at Ysgol Golftyn in Alyn and Deeside, and will you ask your officials to look at the work they are doing as the best practice of Wales on climate change issues for pupils and school staff?

I thank Jack Sargeant, Llywydd, for all of that, and absolutely pass my congratulations to those young people for their commitment to this agenda and their interest in it. I think that they are typical of young people in all parts of Wales. I've had the privilege of visiting a number of schools to talk directly to young people about these matters. I took part, with a number of ministerial colleagues, in discussions with young people on Universal Children's Day only a week ago. You never meet a group of young people without them asking you those challenging questions about what adults are doing to secure a future for them free from the fear of what climate change would do in their lives. 

I think we are absolutely right, Llywydd, to be proud of the way in which children and young people in Wales are not simply aware of the gravity of the climate emergency, but are committed to helping to do something about it. The young climate ambassadors who represented Wales at the COP conference in Glasgow were an absolute credit to themselves and to Wales. They really made a difference in taking the message and being those challenging individuals that we need, and they've come back and taken part last week in climate change Week here in Wales—a major event; 110 speakers, 25 sessions, over 3,000 people registered online, and sessions run directly by young people themselves. Not only do they ask challenging questions of us, but they are there trying to create answers to that great global challenge that faces us all. It's great to hear of the way in which young people in Alyn and Deeside are also part of that great national effort. 

I thank the First Minister.