(Title Image: Plaid Ifanc via Twitter)
Next in my look at the Welsh Government’s delivery record, it’s the environment and rural affairs.
Key Events & Issues of the Fifth Senedd
Brexit’s Impact on Farming & Fisheries – Economics and trade aside, this is where Brexit has hit the hardest. While there’s an opportunity to eventually come up with a “Made in Wales” approach during the Sixth Senedd (assuming the Welsh seafood industry still exists by then), disentangling EU rules from UK ones has caused administrative paralysis. A lot of things have had to be dropped or delayed to accommodate Brexit.
Natural Resources Wales’ Accounts – NRW’s accounts have been qualified by the Wales Audit Office for several years in a row due to issues involving timber contracts. The body was established to make environmental management easier, but it’s become difficult to manage itself. There are hopes that things have stabilised but it’s disappointing that this has dragged on for so long given Wales’ poor forestry creation record.
2020 Floods – The worst flooding to have hit Wales in several years. The recriminations continue, particularly arguments over the need for a public inquiry. It’s brought issues such as the long-term management of coal tips, poor management of waterways/flood defences and climate change into people’s front rooms quite literally.
Air Quality – Poor air quality has been linked to thousands of excess deaths in Wales each year. While the issue is, at long last, being addressed at a national level, again it’s disappointing it’s taken this long to get this far. A Clean Air Bill is likely to be introduced in the next term and will enjoy cross-party support. However, on the ground not enough is being done to address industrial pollution and the decarbonisation of transport.
Climate Emergency Declaration – Brought on by pressure from the world’s youth, the Senedd was one of the first legislatures to declare a climate emergency. Since then it’s been overshadowed by a public health emergency. While there has been progress in some areas – like the beginning of the end for opencast mining in Wales – it’s hard to tell what the declaration means in practice other than making politicians feel better about themselves.
Single-Use Plastics – Another hot topic in Welsh politics sidelined by the pandemic. The first steps have been made to cut down on unnecessary plastic use, with policies being developed on outright bans of some single-use plastics as well as a much-desired deposit-return scheme. Given Wales’ relatively high recycling rates, it’s hard to see what practical use deposit-return would have.
“Lucy’s Law” Debate – Prompted by a BBC Wales investigation, a ban on third-party sales of puppies and kittens has been promised in the Senedd by the end of this term. Given the rise in dog thefts during 2020-21 fuelled by opportunists looking to make money from a boost in demand for pets, the issue needs urgent addressing. Regulations have been tabled at the last minute. Subject to approval, a ban will come into force in September 2021.
Key Committee Inquiries
- Agricultural Policy Post-Brexit (Environment)
- Food Branding & Processing (Environment)
- Welsh Government Woodland Policy (Environment)
- Plastic Waste (Environment)
- Fuel Poverty (Environment)
- Flooding in Wales (Environment)
- Make MTAN Law (Petitions)
- CCTV in Slaughterhouses (Petitions)
Key Legislation
There’s been very little in the way of law-making here besides regulations and various legislative consent motions associated with Brexit. The next term is likely to be busier with proposed Agriculture and Fisheries Bills.
- Wild Animals & Circuses Act 2020 – The only significant piece of primary environmental legislation introduced this term, the Act outlaws the use of wild animals in performing circuses.
- Climate Change Regulations 2021 – Sets hard emissions targets for the Welsh Government to meet by 2050.
- Animal Welfare Regulations 2021 – As mentioned above, set to be voted on next week (23/03/21) the regulations will ban third-party sales of puppies and kittens from September 2021.
There were very, very few environmental pledges in the 2016 Labour manifesto – so that alone is perhaps a big negative.
