Cross Party Group on Climate, Nature and Wellbeing
Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Hinsawdd, Natur a Lles
17:00 – 18:00
10.02.2025
Virtual Meeting over Zoom
Cyfarfod ar-lein dros Zoom
1. Croeso a chyflwyniad
Welcome and introduction
Delyth Jewell AS/MS
2. Cofnodion y cyfarfod diwethaf
Minutes of the last meeting Delyth Jewell AS/MS
3. Diweddariad ar Waith Afonydd Glanach
- Llysgenhadon Hinsawdd Ieuenctid Cymru
Update on Cleaner Rivers work - Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales
4. Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol
Annual General Meeting
5. Busnes arall
Any other business and date of next meeting
Delyth Jewell AS/MS
Attendees: Annie Fabian (AF), Ollie John (OJ), Alexander Phillips (AP), Michaela Rohmann (MR), Molly Hucker (MH), Nan Hughes Parry (NHP), Dafydd Huw (DH), Emily Darney (ED), Delun Gibby (DG)
MSs in attendance: Delyth Jewell MS (DJ), Carolyn Thomas MS (CT), Mike Hedges MS (MH)
Minutes:
1. Croeso a chyflwyniad | Welcome and introduction
Delyth Jewell AS/MS
DJ Welcomed the group and introduced CT as the new Vice Chair.
The AGM was moved further up the agenda.
4. Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol | Annual General Meeting
MH nominated DJ as Chair, this was seconded by CT. DJ nominated CT as Vice Chair, this was seconded by MH.
RCPsych Wales to continue as secretariat and the Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales (YCA) will continue as Co-conveners.
CT introduced herself, she was a Biodiversity Champion for Flintshire Council for 13 years and then became a Member of Senedd. She has been working on a project managing green verges for wildlife and is also on the Senedd Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee.
DJ highlighted the importance of having young people’s voices heard, especially in the field of Climate Change, and handed over to the YCA.
2. Cofnodion y cyfarfod diwethaf | Minutes of the last meeting
Delyth Jewell AS/MS
The minutes of the last meeting were approved.
3. Diweddariad ar Waith Afonydd Glanach | Update on Cleaner Rivers work Llysgenhadon Hinsawdd Ieuenctid Cymru | Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales
MR updated that the focus for the YCA last year was on recycling, culminating in a sustainable fashion show in the Temple of Peace, Cardiff. This year the focus is on rivers.
YCA will be launching a petition about rewilding Welsh rivers, with an emphasis on flood plains and urban areas. This is to support natural flood management. The group are currently looking for feedback on which angle would make the petition most successful.
There are currently a number of different asks the petition could have, including asking to allocate more budget to natural flood management, turning more rivers into nature reserves or including river management more strongly in the sustainable farming scheme.
CT responded that farmers need to plant hedgerows and trees along riverbanks to stop cattle breaking them up and fouling the water, this is something which is being discussed with the Cabinet Secretary.
They have also been looking at water catchment to help with flooding at high levels.
Welsh Government have also agreed to reintroduce beavers, this was due to a Noth Wales Wildlife Trust Campaign on this.
Seagrass projects can also help to act as flood management, as well as carbon stores and habitats for fish.
Going forwards, there has to be specific asks, such as planting along riverbanks and stopping invasive species which can erode these. There also needs to be more emphasis on natural flood management.
AP from WWF introduced himself and added that they are currently in the final draft of their manifesto and that river health is one of their 4 main focuses. A piece of work will soon be published on everything that is in place in terms of regulation, legislation and in the treaty commitments on Welsh rivers, along with who is responsible for them and how they’re being managed.
This work will be used to inform the Environmental Governance Bill which will appear in the summer.
There is also ongoing work around mapping out specific targets around water regulation and who is responsible for this.
In terms of rewilding rivers, AP continued that WWF had some work a few years ago around restoring nature to rivers and that there is some upcoming work around restoring the natural path of the river Ely.
AP attended a presentation at Cardiff University recently on planting trees in the uplands for flood management, the logistics of this work is currently being looked into.
AP asked the group to contact him at APhillips@wwf.org.uk if they wanted to speak more about this.
OJ raised the impacts on mental health of flooding and added that there is ongoing research into the impact of waiting on annual flooding on mental health.
DJ added that it would be good to find an emotive pull for the YCA petition on rivers to increase the uptake of it.
MR moved the presentation on to how to gather the most signatures for the petition, such as disseminating it in schools and NGOs. The aim is 10,000 signatures in order to have it debated in the Senedd. The YCA are also planning on writing an open letter to each party.
CT declared an interest as Chair of Petitions.
5. Busnes arall | Any other business
Delyth Jewell AS/MS
OJ updated that the RCPsych International Congress will be taking place in June with approximately 2000 psychiatrists attending. There will be a session on embedding nature-based interventions in mental healthcare.
There is a lot of evidence that access to nature can be therapeutic and this is starting to be included in the curriculum for medical students and psychiatrists.
If group members so wishes, there may be an opportunity for them to attend these settings.
The College is also doing work to enable sections of society to get access to the green spaces which they may be unable to currently.
DJ moved on to the date of the next meeting, which will be set. The group consensus was that 5pm – 6pm was still suitable.
DJ closed the meeting.