Image description: A tree standing in the middle of a lake, taken in Gwynedd, Wales. Image by Lucas Hartmann / Pexels.

The Welsh Government has introduced a new law intended to protect biodiversity and enhance the wellbeing of the people of Wales.

The Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies said the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill, would ‘play a crucial role’ in safeguarding Wales’ natural environment, if passed in the Senedd.

Key elements of the Bill include:

• Ensuring Welsh Ministers and Natural Resources Wales apply environmental principles and integrate environmental protection when making policy.
• Establishing the Office of Environmental Governance Wales to provide independent oversight of compliance, application and implementation of environmental law in Wales. Their role will include ensuring public authorities, such as Welsh Government, NRW and local authorities, are complying with and implementing the law.
• Enabling Welsh Ministers to set ambitious biodiversity targets that drive actions towards halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity. In particular, through increasing native species abundance, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and strengthening genetic diversity. 

Bringing Wales in line with the UK 

England and Northern Ireland have been covered by the Office for Environmental Protection since 2021. The Scottish government set up Environmental Standards Scotland in the same year, leaving Wales as the only UK nation without a similar body. 

The new Office of Environmental Governance Wales will be tasked with making sure public authorities, such as the Welsh government, Natural Resources Wales and councils are complying with the law.

However, while largely welcoming the Welsh Government’s draft Environment Bil, campaigners have said plans need to be re-thought to protect the OEGW’s independence.

The Green Alliance claimed: “At present, there is no provision in the bill to safeguard the body’s independence or financial security, as there is in English and Scottish legislation.

“The Welsh Government is also proposing to require the OEGW to cede power on its enforcement decisions to a panel which will include people appointed by Welsh Ministers. This would undermine the body’s governance and must be removed from the final version of the bill.”