NRW publishes Annual Regulatory Report amid ‘climate, nature and pollution emergencies’

Natural Resources Wales has published its Annual Regulatory Report, highlighting how the organisation is using its regulatory powers to protect Wales’ environment, minimise pollution risk, and target resources where we can make the biggest difference for people and nature.

As Wales’ environmental regulator, Natural Resources Wales plays a vital role in overseeing industries across the country.

From water companies to waste management sites, they respond to the growing number of environmental incidents driven by climate change, nature loss and pollution.

Published today (13 November), NRW’s Regulatory Report provides a comprehensive review of their regulatory and enforcement activities across our remit for the 2024 calendar year. It covers incident response, permitting and licensing, compliance, crime and our enforcement and sanctioning actions.

The 2024 report shows a year of intensified regulatory activity, with a sharp rise in incident reporting, compliance checks and enforcement action.

The data reflects both the scale of the challenges presented by the climate, nature and pollution emergencies, and NRW’s commitment to dealing with incidents that pose the greatest risk to our environment.

The main findings of the report covering the 2024 calendar year:

• NRW received 12,922 incident reports in 2024 – a 46% increase on 2023
• 976 incidents were assessed as ‘high level’ requiring an immediate response. They responded to 95% of high-level incidents within four hours
• NRW attended 20% of all incidents in 2024 (2,118) – comparable to previous years, despite dealing with over 4,400 more incident reports
• Waste and water-related incidents accounted for 80% (8,288) of all in-remit reports in 2024
• Enforcement action was taken against 619 companies and 636 individuals, including 80 prosecution cases that covered 112 offences
• NRW delivered 3,769 compliance assessments, including 650 Water Resources Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulation (CoAPR) inspections
• Formal cautions rose by 39%, with 36 issued
• Intensive farming compliance assessments increased by 27%
• Water discharge permit compliance assessments increased by 91%, totalling 1,243
• The report also highlights NRW’s work across sectors including biodiversity, fisheries, forestry, flood risk, and marine regulation.

NRW has made strategic changes to sharpen its focus on areas where it can deliver the greatest impact. By streamlining operations and concentrating resources on essential services, the organisation says it has been able to invest in priority areas that will generate long-term benefits for Wales’ environment.

Becky Favager, Head of Regulation and Permitting at NRW, said: “We continue to strengthen our regulation by increasing our compliance monitoring – including undertaking more site visits and audits.

The increase in incidents and regulatory activity reflects the growing pressures on our environment, but also the dedication of our teams to protect people and nature.

“We have also been actively seeking additional powers to consider civil sanctions for a broader range of environmental offences, as an additional tool in our enforcement toolkit.

“As we face the impacts of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, we will continue to adapt our approaches, focus our efforts where they matter most, working with partners and communities to deliver lasting improvements.”

Emily Handstock, Business Manager at Envirovue, commented: “Natural Resources Wales’ 2024 Annual Regulatory Report makes clear that waste management remains a critical challenge in Wales. With waste-related incidents accounting for 45 percent of all cases and more than a third of assessed waste sites recording non-compliances, the sector is facing a level of scrutiny that flags a serious issue.

“These figures can’t be viewed as simply regulatory data, it signals a real risk to our communities, environment and the country’s long-term resilience. When waste operations fall short of standards, it is local people, landscapes and ecosystems that face the consequences.

“For businesses, this must serve as an indication of actions required. Leaders must adopt strong environmental management systems and a culture of responsibility. Meeting regulatory expectations is now the minimum standard – the main goal is ensuring that Wales’ natural environment is safeguarded and that the public has confidence in how waste is handled across the country.

“As the sector digests these findings, collaboration and accountability will be key. Every operator has a role to play in raising standards and reducing incidents so that communities and landscapes across the country are protected in the years ahead.”