In highlighting the need to safeguard family-owned farms in Welsh language communities, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has called on the Welsh Government to establish a Just Transition Commission to ensure that the “burden of decarbonisation” does not fall unequally on rural communities.
Speaking after her question to the Welsh Government Minister for Welsh Language, Janet said:
“Last month, the Welsh Government informed Members of the Senedd that meeting woodland creation targets, in an effort to combat Climate Change, should not affect communities nor change the type of landowners and pledged to take action if there was an issue. This time has now arrived.
“I am aware that the FUW receive almost weekly reports of whole farms or parcels of land being bought up by individuals and businesses from outside of Wales for the purpose of tree planting, including a recent report of a large farm which has been taken over by British Aerospace.
“This is why I wish to see the Welsh Government establish a Just Transition Commission to ensure the burden of decarbonisation does not fall unequally on our rural communities and have a negative impact on the historically thriving Welsh language in rural Wales.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- To find out more about Janet’s work promoting the need to plant the right tree in the right place, please click here.
Photo: by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash