Warning of ‘massive’ nature loss across Wales

Chris Haines ICNN Senedd reporter

Senedd members warned of “massive” nature loss in Wales, with one in six species at risk of extinction and wildlife declining by 20% over the past 30 years.

Peter Fox raised a report published by the Senedd’s environment committee this week which found ministers’ vision for halting the worrying trend “lacks planning, action and investment”.

The Tory told the Senedd: “The few targets that the Welsh Government had set out, we read, have been moved from 2025 to 2029 … this reflects a lack of urgency or it would seem…

“It would seem little has been achieved from the targets worked on since 2022 and we shouldn’t be in a position of lagging behind England and Scotland once again.

“It’s a sad state of affairs that we hear too often.”

‘Great deterioration’

Warning Natural Resources Wales (NRW) “continues to be under-resourced”, Mr Fox said the failures of successive Welsh Governments have led to outdated law and policy.

Delyth Jewell was similarly concerned, saying: “There are so many people who want to see more happening. The report warns about a massive decline in wildlife in Wales.”

The deputy leader of Plaid Cymru’s Senedd group cautioned that NRW’s workforce feels dispirited as she called for better communication.

The climate committee inquiry heard Wales is “nowhere near” the key international “30 by 30” biodiversity target of protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.

Ms Jewell said: “There is great concern that if the necessary frameworks are not in place until a year before 2030, that could lead to a great deterioration.”

‘Incredibly important’

Janet Finch-Saunders, a Tory member of the committee, said the Environmental (Wales) Act 2016 was hailed as groundbreaking but has failed to deliver meaningful change.

She said: “Despite various policies, soundbites and statements … it’s fair to say the strategies and legislation delays have caused insufficient actions, and these are now hindering Wales’ biodiversity restoration commitments.”

Jenny Rathbone welcomed ministers “sticking to their guns” on the sustainable farming scheme’s requirement for farmers to have at least 10% of their farm as habitat.

“That’s incredibly important,” she said. “I look forward to the legislation, which will enable us to have robust and stretching targets.”

John Griffiths, a fellow Labour backbencher, hailed the Living Levels partnership which he said has led to a whole host of biodiversity returning to the Gwent levels.

‘Landmark legislation’

Wales’ climate secretary Huw Irranca-Davies witnessed a “quite magical” flock of starlings on a “delightful” visit to the levels with his colleague who represents Newport East.

In a statement on January 21, a day before turning 62, he said the Welsh Government has invested more than £150m in restoring nature since the start of the Senedd term in 2021.

He told the Senedd: “I recognise how strongly people feel about the importance of improving water quality and restoring our rivers, and rightly so. And that’s why we’ve provided Natural Resources Wales with an extra £40 million of funding to do just that.”

He announced an additional 11 projects will be awarded nearly £2.7m as part of the Nature Networks scheme which aims to improve protected sites and connect people to nature.

Mr Irranca-Davies, who is also the deputy first minister, said he will introduce landmark legislation for nature restoration targets and an environmental governance body.