Diolch, Lywydd. I’m grateful to speak in this incredibly important debate today, and, of course, I welcome it and I welcome the ‘State of Nature 2016 Wales’ report. First of all, I want to start by thanking all the organisations involved for their hard work in producing what is a very detailed and informative paper, and, most importantly, to recognise the thousands of dedicated, passionate volunteers who, through their love of nature, donate their time. Without their help, we would not be as well informed about the state of nature in Wales and this would make it incredibly difficult to know where intervention is most needed.

The report does give us a stark insight into biodiversity loss here in Wales and it is, indeed, a mixed picture of severe losses, such as the turtle dove, whinchat and the curlew, though it isn’t all bad news. I was heartened to read of gains in a number of species and success stories, which clearly does demonstrate what can be achieved when stakeholders work together. As elected Members, I believe that we are guardians of the environment for future generations, and that’s been said here today. It has, after all, taken only 50 years to see a 56 per cent reduction in the species studied. In that case, we need to take urgent action, otherwise we will not halt this decline. I don’t think any of us here wants to continue passing that decline as a legacy of our work.

If we look at the UK-wide state of nature report, it does make a few observations. One of those observations is that intensification of agriculture has had the biggest impact on wildlife, and that has been overwhelmingly negative. Thankfully, there are many landowners and farmers who are concerned about the impacts of agriculture on nature and who want to create a positive change through wildlife-friendly farming. I think that’s critically important to the restoration and recovery of habitats and wildlife, given that 84 per cent of land here in Wales is indeed used for agriculture. Of course, for many farmers and landowners, sustainable land management, which has a positive effect on nature, is only possible because of financial support that’s received through Welsh Government and EU grant schemes like Glastir. I am, therefore, deeply concerned about future funding for these critically important schemes once Wales does leave the European Union, and, indeed, about the potential loss of many significant pieces of EU legislation that do protect wildlife, such as the habitats directive, the birds directive and controls on pesticide, which would all have a negative impact on us arresting that decline.

I am aware, of course, that the UK Government has said that they will honour the rural development contracts that have been signed before Wales does leave the European Union, and the direct payments to farmers will be sustained until 2020. But what we have to look at is what happens after that. So, I’d like to know if there’s been any representation made by the Cabinet Secretary to the Westminster Government regarding the long-term funding for agri-environment schemes for Wales in a post-Brexit era, and whether, within those agri-environment schemes, we’re going to receive the money, of course, that we were wildly promised for farmers that would be shared, also, in looking after the environment that we are talking about today.