Here's todays assembly press release i should say congratulations to all the youngsters that entered and especially to those that got picked. to represent their area.

New Climate Change Champions unveiled

Six teenagers from across Wales have won a Welsh Assembly Government competition to become Climate Change Champions - representatives for young people on climate change.

The ‘Climate Change Champions’ competition was launched in 2008 to find six young people who can use their influence to persuade their friends, families and communities to do their bit to help Wales reduce its carbon footprint. The new Champions are:

·      Anna Surridge, 15, from Cardiff,

·      Dafydd Richards, 14, from Merthyr Tydfil,

·      Ffion Roberts, 14, from Gwynedd,

·      Cerith Rhys Jones, 15, from Ammanford,

·      Jordan Nicholls, 14 from Llandridod Wells

·      Charlie Young, 16, Atlantic College, Vale of Glamorgan,

The six youngsters will spend a year ‘in office’ spreading the word about how people can take simple but effective steps to reduce their carbon footprint while saving money at the same time.

Their busy schedule will include taking part in a fact-finding expedition to Brussels in February to learn how other countries are tackling climate change. Whilst there, they will visit eco projects and exhibitions, swap ideas with their young Flemish counterparts and visit a house entirely powered by differing forms of renewable energy. They will also attend and organise events in their local communities and across Wales to communicate to people the positive steps they can take in their everyday lives to reduce their carbon footprint.

To win the competition, the teens impressed judges with entries ranging from short films to newspaper articles outlining their thoughts on the effects of climate change in Wales.

-------------------------------------------

Vaccinate early for 2009

Farmers in Wales should get ready now to vaccinate their livestock against Bluetongue, the Welsh Assembly Government has said as it launches the Bluetongue vaccination strategy for 2009.

The risk of Bluetongue to the Welsh farming industry remains a reality, with the disease circulating widely in Europe, particularly France which had more than 23,000 cases in 2008.