New Welsh Government plans could shape how Wales tackles the nature and climate emergencies. We look at what’s being proposed – and why strong action, investment and scrutiny will be vital.
5 min read
August saw the completion of the ‘first 100 days’ of the new Welsh Government, and with it an announcement by Cabinet Minister Llyr Gruffudd of work commencing on a Climate and Nature Action Plan. According to the announcement the Plan will address climate and nature loss together, rather than as separate issues. This is welcome – they are two sides of the same coin, both signalling an environment that is under too much pressure.
The Plan will set a target of Net Zero by 2040 and substantive nature recovery by 2050 – the latter aligns with the Global Biodiversity Vision, that by 2050 biodiversity will be valued, conserved, restored and wisely used…delivering benefits essential for all people’. To achieve this, Ministers will have to take urgent action in this Senedd term – by 2030 - to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and set nature on the pathway to recovery.
A Plan that addresses biodiversity loss and climate change together must embrace nature as our greatest ally in the fight against climate change. Protecting and restoring habitats, as well as building more resilient populations of our struggling species, will contribute to decarbonisation and help communities adapt to the worsening impacts of hotter summers and wetter winters.
To distinguish itself from existing government plans for nature, the Climate and Nature Action Plan must be owned by the whole Government and drive actions by all departments and sectors. It should be costed, and funds identified for its delivery. As the RSPB’s new report – the Economic Case for Nature – points out, we ignore nature’s decline at our peril, but investing in recovery stands to generate billions of pounds in economic output and create thousands of new jobs.
Another Welsh Government publication during this busy summer period has been the Rural Proofing and Environmental Sustainability White Paper, launched on 22 July. In addition to proposals for a rural proofing duty, the White Paper sets out largely technical and specific changes to legislation on climate change, forestry and waste. One section of the White Paper, however, has come as a shock to us and gives us cause for serious concern. This is a proposal for a sweeping power for Ministers to revise, replace or scrap a long list of environmental laws via secondary legislation.
During the last Senedd the Welsh Government was criticised by MSs for an over-reliance on framework Bills – Bills that provide little detail about how the law will operate in practice, but give powers to the Welsh Ministers to set this out in regulations at a later date. The new government is proposing to follow the same path by giving itself the ability to change some of the most important laws for protecting wildlife and the environment, with little Senedd oversight. We see no justification for the broad power Ministers are proposing.
