The Climate Emergency

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:31 pm on 30 November 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:31, 30 November 2021

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.