Wales ‘lacks plan’ to tackle scale of nature loss

Wales’ Nature Loss: Promises Unmet, Species in Crisis

Water voles, once a common sight along Welsh waterways, have dwindled by over 90% since the 1980s. Today, they’re one of 530 species in Wales at risk of disappearing, as the country grapples with a biodiversity crisis.

A blistering report from the Welsh parliament’s environment committee has accused the government of failing to act on its promises to tackle nature loss and boost biodiversity. "There is no plan, no action, and no investment," warned Llyr Gruffydd MS, the committee’s chairman.

One in six Welsh species, including the humble water vole and thecurlew, face extinction. On average, Wales has seen a 20% decrease in its wildlife over the past three decades. Yet, the committee found that current environmental legislation has not delivered its intended results, with biodiversity still declining.

Key policy documents, meant to guide the Welsh government’s work on saving nature, are "years out-of-date," the report said. Promises to update the Nature Recovery Action Plan, for instance, remain unfulfilled.

The Welsh government is set to unveil a long-awaited Nature Bill later this year, with new environmental protections. However, the committee heard that detailed work on biodiversity targets, initially promised for 2021, is now unlikely to be in place until 2029.

This delay is significant, as Wales committed to a goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 at the COP15 biodiversity summit in Montreal last year. The government also pledged to protect and manage 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.

Alex Philips, Policy and Advocacy Manager at WWF Cymru, urged the Welsh government to prioritize setting targets to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 to align with international commitments.

Annie Smith, head of nature policy and casework at RSPB Cymru, echoed this sentiment, "Ambitious commitments mean nothing if they’re not backed up by action. Chronic under-investment in our species and habitats has led to a situation where only a fraction of our protected areas are in good condition and our wildlife is declining at an alarming rate."

The Welsh government acknowledged the need to increase the scale and pace of its delivery to meet current and future biodiversity targets. According to a spokesperson, £150m has been invested during this term alone on efforts to restore nature.

Yet, the committee warned that the government’s rhetoric on nature loss "isn’t followed up with action," and urged faster action to prevent Wales from reneging on its international commitments.

"If nature suffers, then humanity suffers too," said Llyr Gruffydd, "So, we need to see more than just warm words and idle promises. We need serious action, and we need it now."