Next First Minister must prioritise climate justice

Friends of the Earth Cymru have written to both Vaughan Gething and Jeremy Miles, asking them to commit, if elected as the next Welsh Labour leader, to put people and the planet first to ensure a just transition to a zero-carbon Wales.

In the letter, Friends of the Earth Cymru Director Haf Elgar says:

 “Climate change exacerbates injustices and inequalities in our society, with communities that are doing the least to cause the climate crisis suffering the most from its impact.”  

Friends of the Earth Cymru urge the next First Minister to view all their decisions through this lens to ensure climate justice is at the heart of their programme for government.

“This is a crucial time in history”, says Haf Elgar. “We are seeing unprecedented warming, and the devastation it brings – heat waves, floods, famines, and fires are becoming ever more frequent and at a pace even faster than predicted.”  

“The decisions Wales makes in the next couple of years is crucial to how quickly and fairly we transition to net zero, and what our impact is on the world and on communities in Wales.”

Those on low incomes, people of colour, and communities whose livelihoods depend on carbon intensive industries, are being hit the worst and so will need the most support.

Read the responses of the candidates to our letter