5. Statement by the Minister for Environment: The Environment in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:51 pm on 17 April 2018.

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Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 4:51, 17 April 2018

Can I look at some specifics, then, to highlight my concerns? Woodlands, forestry. You're now committed to refresh the woodland strategy. Well, what does that mean? Does it mean you're going to bin the current targets and come up with something much less ambitious? You will know that the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee report into woodlands in Wales picked up this issue of the low level of woodland creation being absolutely a key failure. And Confor stated to the committee, and I quote:

'Woodland creation in Wales has been a catastrophic failure. Wales needs to plant 31,800ha of the 35,000ha which should by now have been planted, simply to get back on track'.

We are way behind the target set by the Welsh Government in 2010, where woodland creation was about 500 hectares then, to increase that to 5,000 a year over a 20-year period. We've not even matched, in that whole time, one year's target—12 months. I think this does sum up some of the difficulties we're in. Can I ask you at least in terms of the urban canopy, when you refresh the strategy, to commit the 20 per cent target of woodland canopy cover in our urban areas, which, of course, then means they can be classified as urban forests?

On air quality, I think it's very disappointing that we have this bifurcated approach, where you're making this general statement this week, and you've said, 'Well, actually, the real detail on a very key area will come next week,' but obviously, we will scrutinise you in detail now. I really want to see some ambition in terms of how we're going to target the areas that have had for decades—generations some of them—poor air quality, and how that's going to be combated. And I want to see a more general green spaces strategy, so we have concepts like green roofs, and how green spaces, particularly in our poorer neighbourhoods, are able, with a good anti-congestion policy, to improve radically our air quality in urban areas.

On resource efficiency, I largely agree with what you've said. We need, not just in Wales, but all over Europe and the UK, a plastics strategy—how we use that very useful material, but it is causing real problems in terms of its single use and disposal. And where are we with the bottle deposit scheme? Even the UK Government has gone ahead of us now after a fairly slow start when it comes to deposit schemes. They seem keen on it, but after initial enthusiasm, we don't seem to be getting very far in terms of our plans and how we even define a pilot project caused us problems. And can I just say, I have issued a statement of opinion today, calling on the Commission to acknowledge and join in with plastic-free July, which is a strategy to try to reduce single-use plastics? It'd be a good idea if the Welsh Government did the same—we would all be able to cheer, then.

On joint working, I've already said I think the excellent legislative framework needs to be used. But, we had evidence a month or two months ago, perhaps, from the economy and transport Cabinet Secretary and his officials and they loftily told us that the organising principle was now the future generations Act. So we just asked, 'Well, what sort of training have you had? What review of your current targets and ambitions?' and it was like having some nervous schoolboys in front of you as they tried to splutter out a half coherent response, and they didn't really succeed.

Finally, on Brexit, you're right to say that we don't want regression; we need to maintain high standards. There are a lot of issues here that have to be tackled on a UK basis, and we will support you where you have to make the case for the Welsh Government and the National Assembly in the various fora at a UK level. And I do wonder if you've made any response yet to the UK Government's suggestion that some form of independent monitoring body should operate on a UK level.