In 2007 I became Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing. One of the first people across my doorstep was Morgan, then Director of WWF in Wales, delighted by my new responsibilities and determined to help me make the most of the opportunity. That was my first meeting with him; the first of many.
Morgan Parry
Morgan was continually seeking collaborative solutions to environmental threats. The establishment of the Welsh Climate Change Commission was influenced by Morgan, as was the narrative around ‘One Wales One Planet’, the 2009 initiative to put sustainable development at the heart of government decision making. In 2010, he became the Chair of Countryside Council for Wales where he supported merging the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission into Natural Resources Wales to strengthen its voice.
Morgan’s influence was profound because he lived his values. He worried about his and Wales’ carbon footprint, acted accordingly, and challenged the rest of us to do the same. He was a Cymro to the core. If my own Welsh is better discussing the environment than it is for social actions, that is down to Morgan; ever patient, ever helpful, and ever determined that he should be able to use his first language to express his views.
Morgan may have been cruelly wrenched from his family before his time, but his influence lives on in us all. It is now our job to make sure that we create a legacy from his passing to inspire future generations to care as he did.