PLAID CYMRU has pledged to push for the creation of a citizen’s assembly to tackle the climate emergency, after meeting with Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists. 

Today’s promise from Plaid leader Adam Price came as seven XR hunger strikers entered their 10th day without food. 

Mr Price was the first party leader to meet with XR activists to discuss the movement’s three demands: the declaration of a climate emergency, the creation of a citizen’s assembly and the reduction of carbon emissions to zero by 2025. 

He pledged to push for citizens’ assemblies – jury-like bodies tasked with finding solutions to the climate crisis – at government level both in Cardiff and London.

A Plaid spokesperson said: “Achieving the change that is required needs the involvement of everyone in Wales, and that’s why we support the idea of citizens’ assemblies – so that people can be part of shaping the action we as a nation take to tackle the climate crisis.”

The Greens are also set to meet XR activists next Monday, while the Liberal Democrats and Labour have pledged to arrange meetings in the coming weeks. 

The Tories and the Brexit Party have refused to engage with XR. 

Seven hunger strikers remained outside the offices of the main political parties today. 

One of them, former respiratory professor Peter Cole, 76, said: “This climate emergency is going to wreak havoc on our children’s and grandchildren’s lives, so it behoves the generation who have been partly responsible for generating climate change to take drastic measures to make authorities act.”

Last week, 263 activists pledged to go on hunger strike, joining over 500 people around the world in a bid to pressure governments to take effective action on the climate emergency.