Gareth Clubb
Director – Cymru at Friends of the Earth www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/cymru_about_us.html

Gareth Clubb – Director of Friends Of The Earth Cymru.

Speech:

Friends.

This Friday, in Stockholm, the foremost climate scientists of the world will gather to reveal their latest findings about climate change.

I’m not expecting good news on Friday.

Because despite all the efforts of those countries that have committed to rein in climate change, and the greenhouse gases that cause it, the statistics are going in just one direction, more rapidly than ever before.

Up and up, with more and more greenhouse gases being produced.

Climate change: the biggest problem facing humanity. No, not my words. As far back as 2006, people like Tony Blair, Sir Nicholas Stern, and even Arnold Schwartzenneger all understood the threat.

So when we’re talking about unconventional gas, we need to frame the debate in terms of this monumental challenge of climate change. And under those circumstances, we come to the conclusion that these are immoral industries. Immoral because they all know the threat that climate change poses to people right around the planet. They know that wrenching more and more fossil fuels out of the planet can only make things worse. But the thirst for profit drives them nonetheless.

Friends, we have, here in Wales, the power to put a stop to these immoral industries.

How? I hear you ask.

By putting in place a moratorium, so that the Welsh Government can examine all the evidence and come to a decision:
can unconventional gas sit side-by-side with our commitments to future generations;
can unconventional gas be extracted without damage to our environment and our communities; and
is it possible to use unconventional gas and keep our climate promises to the global community.

We’ll see how these dirty, polluting industries stack up when they’re pitted against the will of every single community that has had the misfortune to attract their interest.

A moratorium, as Bulgaria has done, as France has done, as Ireland has done, and as the Czech Republic is intending to do as from next month.

And that’s why we’ve gathered here today, to ask of our Assembly Members:
Act on our behalf, execute a moratorium on fracking in Wales.

Ffracio Senedd

Cyfeillion.

Ddydd Gwener yma, fe fydd gwyddonwyr pennaf hinsawdd yn datgelu eu canfyddiadau ynghylch newid hinsawdd.

Dydw i ddim yn disgwyl newyddion da ddydd Gwener yma.

Er gwaethaf ymdrechion oll y gwledydd hynny sydd wedi ymrwymo i ffrwyno newid hinsawdd, a’r allyriadau tŷ gwydr sy’n ei achosi, dim ond i un cyfeiriad mae’r ystadegau yn mynd, a hynny yn gyflymach nag erioed o’r blaen.

I fyny ac i fyny, mwy a mwy o allyriadau nwyon tŷ gwydr.

Newid hinsawdd: problem mwyaf sy’n wynebu dynolryw. Na, nid fy ngeiriau i. Mor bell yn ôl â 2006, roedd Tony Blair, Sir Nicholas Stern, a hyd yn oed Arnold Schwartzenegger i gyd yn deall y bygythiad.

Felly mae’n rhaid trafod y diwydiannau nwy anghonfensiynol yng nghyd-destun y broblem enfawr yma: newid hinsawdd. Ac o dan yr amgylchiadau hyn, rydyn ni’n dod i’r casgliad mai diwydiannau anfoesol ydynt. Anfoesol oherwydd maent yn ymwybodol mai newid hinsawdd yw problem mwyaf dynolryw. Maent yn ymwybodol nid trwy echdynnu mwy fyth o danwydd ffosil o’r ddaear yw’r ffordd i fynd i’r afael â newid hinsawdd. Ond dyna a wnânt.

Cyfeillion, mae gyda ni y grym yng Nghymru i roi terfyn ar y diwydiannau anfoesol hyn sydd ac un diben yn unig – elw iddynt hwy eu hunain a naw wfft i’r blaned.

Sut? dwi’n clywed rhai yn gofyn.

Trwy osod moratoriwm, fel bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gallu archwilio’r holl dystiolaeth a dod i gasglaid:
a ydy nwy anghonfensiynol yn cyd-fynd â’n hymrwymiadau i’r cenhedloedd i ddod;
a ydy nwy anghonfensiynol yn gallu cael ei echdynnu heb niwed i’r amgylchedd a’n cymunedau; a
a ydy hi’n bosib i ni ddefnyddio nwy anghonfensiynol a chadw ein haddewidion i bobloedd y byd o ran newid hinsawdd.

Cawn weld sut gall y diwydiannau brwnt, llwgr yma gyfiawnhau eu bodolaeth yn erbyn ewyllys pob un gymuned sydd wedi codi i fyny yn eu herbyn.

Moratoriwm, fel mae Bwlgaria wedi gwneud, fel mae Ffrainc wedi gwneud, fel mae Iwerddon wedi gwneud, a fel mae gweriniaeth Tsiec yn bwriadu gwneud mis nesaf.

A dyna pam rydyn ni wedi ymgasglu yma heddiw, i ymofyn i’n Haelodau Cynulliad:
Gweithredwch drosom ni, a mynnwch foratoriwm ffracio yng Nghymru.

A coalition calling for a cross party motion on Shale Gas extraction Fracking in Wales.

Tues 24 Sept 2013, Y Senedd Cardiff Bay.