North Wales MS hosts Wildlife Trust youth event at the Senedd

Young leaders from Wildlife Trusts across Wales gathered at the Senedd to present their Youth Manifesto for COP16, the United Nations Biodiversity Conference taking place in Colombia this week.

Hosted by Carolyn Thomas, Member of the Senedd for North Wales, the event marked the culmination of a three-year effort by the ‘Stand for Nature Project’ to empower young people to take action on climate change.

The Youth Manifesto, developed by young advocates from five Wildlife Trusts, outlines critical environmental priorities, including expanding green spaces for wildlife across Wales and reducing the use of pesticides in agriculture by two-thirds by 2030.

It also underscores the need to include young voices in decision-making processes, ensuring that future generations can shape environmental policies.

Carolyn Thomas expressed her pride in hosting the young advocates, noting, “It was an honour to sponsor this event and bring young people from Wildlife Trusts to the Senedd. They made some amazing speeches in the presence of Huw Irranca-Davies, the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change. They reminded us of our responsibilities as elected representatives, as well as the changes they would make if they had a day in our shoes.”

For Thomas, the event was a demonstration of Wales’ commitment to intergenerational fairness, as laid out in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. “In Wales, we aren’t just talking the talk,” she added. “The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act ensures that decisions made today must consider the quality of life for future generations.”

The Stand for Nature Project, supported by Wildlife Trusts Wales, has worked since 2020 to inspire and empower young people to engage in local conservation efforts. The visit to the Senedd marked the end of this initial project phase, with participants now determined to see their manifesto’s priorities taken forward.

Tim Birch, Senior Advocacy and Policy Manager at Wildlife Trusts Wales, who organised the event, stressed the urgency of addressing the issues raised by the young activists. “It is vital that the hopes and concerns of the young people of Wales, raised in their Youth Manifesto for climate and wildlife, are acted upon. It is their future at stake, and time is running out,” he said.