Climate Cymru presents pledge to Labour leadership candidates

A climate action group has presented a pledge document to the Labour leadership candidates with 10 key asks to prioritise should they become First Minister.

Warm this Winter Cymru and Climate Cymru say there is an important opportunity for either Vaughan Gething or Jeremy Miles to take the country forward and create a different story for Wales’ future.

Climate Cymru is a movement of over 370 organisations from all sectors of society,
and 15,000 individuals, calling for urgent and fair action to address the climate and nature emergencies.

The movement believes that climate change is not just another issue competing for attention and public funds – but it is a pathway out of the interconnected crises faced by Wales.

Momentous

Bethan Sayed from Climate Cymru said: “As candidates standing to be the next First Minister of Wales, this is a momentous occasion, and a key opportunity for both Jeremy Miles MS and Vaughan Gething MS to take our Nation forward.

“What they decide to prioritise and promote during this campaign stands to influence who becomes First Minister, shaping the future of Wales. Climate and nature action helps avoid the collapse of the natural systems upon which our society relies, but critically, a climate friendly society also offers a better, healthier and fairer future for the people of Wales.”

Leanne Wood and Ben Ferguson Joint Directors of Community Energy Wales said: “We support this pledge document outlined from Climate Cymru. In Wales, we have our own history around energy, one of exploitation and absent accountability. Community energy and local trading is an opportunity to create a different story for the future”

Alun Prichard, Director of RSPB Cymru said: “The new leader will take up the baton at an absolutely critical time for nature, and one of the first things we will need from them is a firm commitment to deliver the promised new Nature Positive legislation.

“We need high ambition and robust accountability to play our part in meeting global goals, turning the tide on biodiversity loss by 2030 and restoring thriving nature, for the benefit of everyone in Wales, by 2050”.

A significant portion of Labour voters support meaningful climate action. Money
Talks – an initiative focused on building support for international investment in climate
and development – found that 58% of Labour voters said the government should
spend more on climate change.

Research from More in Common has found support for green spending is especially high among the ‘Red Wall’ voters that left Labour for the Conservatives in 2019, but who may return to Labour at the next election.

A report from the Progressive Policy Institute found that working-class voters were
more likely to say the government is not doing or spending enough to try and reduce
carbon emissions.

Barbara Davies Quy, Deputy Director Size of Wales added: “The poorest, most vulnerable communities around the world, people of colour and women are the most affected by climate change. We call on the new First Minister to navigate the transition to a net zero economy in a just and globally responsible way.

“This means ensuring that we consider how our practices here in Wales from food, farming, procurement to finance impact people and nature across the world whilst also seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate global leadership. Without this global outlook we will not be able to tackle the complex causes of the climate and nature crisis.”

Daniel Therkelsen from Coal Action Network said: “We need the incoming First Minister to renew Wales’ commitment to strong climate leadership. With the decarbonisation of Port Talbot Steelworks, now is the time to take a stand alongside Scotland with a clear ban on coal mining – anything less undermines the party’s flagship Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.”

The 10 key asks in the Climate Cymru pledge document are:

• Support and invest in communities.
• Urgently implement part 1 of the Warm Homes Programme and publish
  the second part of the Warm Homes Programme.
• Scale up the creation of community and public renewable energy in Wales.
• Provide more support for vulnerable households.
• A clear ban on coal mining in Wales and fully restore all former opencast
  mining sites in Wales.
• Stop the proposed 2.9% cut to the Climate Change Budget and the 8% cut
  to the Rural Affairs budget in the draft Welsh Government Budget for 2024-25.
• Commit to Race to Zero Cymru.
• A nature positive Wales.
• A nature positive Bill.
• Commit to Wales’ Net Zero 2035 Challenge Group.
• Achieve climate justice in a globally responsible Wales.