Senedd members warn Wales is 'too late' on environment

Delyth Jewell expressed concerns about delays in introducing the environment bill, which aims to reverse nature loss, with one in six species now at risk of extinction in Wales.
Plaid Cymru's shadow climate secretary said: "For years, Wales has been behind the curve and we've been an unfortunate exception in terms of environmental governance."
Gaps arising from Brexit left Wales with the weakest environmental governance structures in western Europe, according to the Wales Environment Link charity.
The bill would establish the "long-awaited" Office of Environmental Governance Wales (OEGW) to check public bodies' environmental performance and hold them to account.
Similar bodies were set up in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England in 2021.
In 2018, then-climate secretary Julie James committed to legislation to address the governance gap at the "first opportunity."
Ministers declared a climate emergency in 2019 before appointing an interim environmental protection assessor in 2021.
Ms Jewell, who represents South Wales East, told the Senedd: "At last, I welcome the fact that we're now bridging that gap… the need for targets for nature is clear."
If passed by the Senedd, the bill would establish a framework for targets on biodiversity and enable the public to challenge public authorities on environmental issues.
Ms Jewell supported calls for headline targets and timeframes, with much of the detail – which is not included in the bill itself – set to follow in regulations.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives' shadow climate secretary, warned Wales has been lagging on setting biodiversity targets.
"This is, I feel… too little, too late," she said.
Labour's Huw Irranca-Davies explained the bill goes further in some areas than in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, citing the example of a power to enforce urgent compliance.
'We may be behind other UK nations but actually we've been able to learn the lessons from them," he said.
He accepted: "We do now need to proceed with urgency… to refine and craft this."

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Belfast Telegraph

30 minutes ago

• Belfast Telegraph

Nigel Farage shares many similarities with the late Ian Paisley… but they're miles apart on Irish unity

Reform UK leader previously predicted a united Ireland would happen one day Nigel Farage is well known for his love of a tipple, but there'll be no shortage of republicans raising a glass if he becomes prime minister. Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar is right. The Reform UK leader moving into Number 10 would significantly increase support for Irish unity among those in the middle ground. A Reform government would be like the Tory 'bad boys of Brexit' on speed.

Powys County Times

2 hours ago

• Powys County Times

Letter: Welsh politics is an worsening expensive shambles

MP David Chadwick's column (County Times June 6) caused me to grieve at the histrionics of young career politicians. I congratulate him on his progress, despite setbacks, to a £93,904 MP's salary in Westminster, from April 2025, plus expenses and generous pension arrangements. His pension, unlike the state pension for the rest of us, is fully funded, so no surprise there. But penning his thoughts on the 'onslaught of pressure' to farmers, was he aware of Powys County Council's predominately Lib Dem Cabinet's decision to sell some of Powys's county-owned farms? This picking of long held 'low hanging fruit' to boost council coffers, bare through weak management across the entire county council, is short-sighted and disgraceful. This year's council tax increase is 8.9% with inflation at 3.5% (CPI). Next year, who knows? So, cost cutting across the board should be top priority. There is no alternative. Any talk of growth being sufficient to pay ever burgeoning county council costs is bunkum. If the MP was aware of the farm evictions, his column is spurious - if he was not aware, he should have been, and perhaps he and Powys's other MP, Steve Witherden, should get their heads together and bring the strongest pressure to bear on the County Council. Alongside, avoiding the political divide, Senedd members for Powys, Russell George and James Evans, should engage too. As opposed to evictions (CT June 13), cash strapped Powys County Council's cabinet members for a Fairer Powys and a More Prosperous Powys seem keen to welcome a possible 'asylum seekers' deal'. This would see the national government or Senedd handing over 'Cash to boost Powys housing stock'. For whose benefit - for displaced tenant farming families - surely not? Welsh politics is an expensive shambles, shortly to become more so, if a further 36 under-qualified lightweights join the Senedd, ready to plunder the public purse in 2026 - with a likely extra cost of £18 million annually, rising remorselessly.

Wales Online

14 hours ago

• Wales Online

Senedd denied veto over whether assisted dying becomes legal in Wales

Senedd denied veto over whether assisted dying becomes legal in Wales The new bill would allow those aged over 18 and with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die Assisted dying bill protestors gather outside the House of Commons (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror ) MPs in the House of Commons have denied Welsh Parliament a potential veto over whether assisted dying will become legal in Wales. A change made to the bill at an earlier stage, which would have given members of the Senedd the power to decide when the law comes into force, has now been reversed. It means that now, both the UK Government and the Senedd will have the power to pass the regulations on assisted dying services in Wales. A significant decision remains for the Senedd, in a vote set to take place in Autumn, on whether to give consent to the legislation. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . On Friday, MPs voted on whether the bill proceeds for House of Lords consideration. Whilst criminal justice is controlled by the UK Government, health in Wales is handled by the Senedd. It is unclear what would happen in Wales did not come on board. The assisted dying legislation was drawn up by MP Kim Leadbeater. But amendments were made to remove commencement powers for the Senedd, added at an earlier stage by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney. The amendments of the Senedd's powers were passed with 274 votes and 224 against, and "reflected that criminal law is not the Senedd's responsibility". Article continues below Under current law, encouraging or assisting suicide is illegal in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. The new bill would allow those aged over 18 and with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die. During the historic vote in November last year, Alex Barros-Curtis, Anna McMorrin, and Jo Stevens, the MPs for Cardiff West, Cardiff North, and Cardiff East respectively all voted in favour. Meanwhile, Stephen Doughty, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, voted against. In Swansea, Torsten Bell, representing Swansea West, voted in favour, while Carolyn Harris, the MP for Neath and Swansea East, did not record a vote. In Newport, Ruth Jones, the MP for Newport West and Islwyn, and Jessica Morden, the MP for Newport East, both voted against the Bill. Article continues below Bridgend MP Chris Emore voted in favour, as did Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake. Caerfyrddin's Ann Davies voted against. And in north Wales, Wrexham's Andrew Ranger, Bangor Aberconwy's Claire Hughes, and Alyn and Deeside's Mark Tami all voted in favour.