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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:22 pm on 17 April 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Hannah Blythyn Hannah Blythyn Labour 5:22, 17 April 2018

I thank the Member for his contribution. If my geography is right, I believe I was in the lower Swansea valley on Saturday, if I dare say, at the only premier league team in Wales, but I have to add a caveat: I was there supporting the opposition. It was a draw, so I'll move swiftly on.

On non-native species, I know you didn't ask a question, but you're right to raise Japanese knotweed and the real threat from other non-native species. This was something that was high on the agenda at the last British-Irish Council last month in terms of actually how we work UK-wide and with Ireland to tackle that as an issue that doesn't respect borders and goes across shorelines as well.

I think you might have said something about increasing urban tree coverage. You're right, it isn't just about woodlands in more rural areas or where we would think of where woodland is placed. It's actually about all the innovative different things we can do in terms of green infrastructure, and that actually has the win-win added value of actually improving the local environment in terms of visually and pride in the community, but it also can help us tackle things like flooding and air quality.

If you look at examples not far from here with the Greener Grangetown partnership between Cardiff Council, Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales, they invested £2 million in Greener Grangetown, which actually catches and directs clean rainwater directly into the River Taff rather than pumping it eight miles up the road into the sea. As part of that, they've also replanted thousands of shrubs and plants. If you go through there now, you can really see visually the difference it has made to the community. I think that is something that we can learn from as a working partnership with the various organisations and public bodies, to see initiatives like that rolled out across Wales. There's also the Llanelli RainScape.

One thing I think is really key with these initiatives—and it goes back to the air quality question and the topography and the issue of how close you could be, especially young children, if you're close to the road and the exhausts, and cars idling outside schools. Really, what is key as part of this too is actually starting with a generational change and involving children, because pester power is powerful. I've said that before and I'll say it time and time again: it does have an impact in shaming adults to take action and change their behaviour. It's one of the things in the Eco-Schools project. We're trying it in 35 schools where children will be taking part in air quality monitoring, and then from those results they will initiate their own behavioural change campaigns, and that could include walking buses, scootering to school or a 'no idling' policy. So, I can actually see at one point, if a car is idling outside the school, a six-year-old coming knocking on the window and telling them to turn off their engine.

But in all seriousness, in terms of tackling air quality—obviously, I'll go into more detail next week—the Member raised some valid points about the impact of our topography and, actually, we know there are some places that are worst hit in Wales that will need it, which is the purpose of taking a place-based approach. We're thinking that if we're looking at clean air plans or clean air zones, then they have to actually—. A one-size-fits-all is not going to work, and we need to do things that actually meet the challenges and take action in a way that is suitable for those areas.