2. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to develop its policy for managing natural resources in towns and cities? OAQ54997

Thank you. The Welsh Government's 'Implementing the Natural Resources Policy: a snapshot report' is due to be published next month. Natural Resources Wales's area statements will play a key role in taking forward place-based approaches to help implement the priorities and opportunities in the natural resources policy.

Thank you for that, Minister. Most people in Wales live in urban areas, and, in our inner urban areas, there are many issues around air quality and general lack of green space. So, I think improving those inner urban environments would connect people to the natural world more strongly, and I would hope would lead to better environmental behaviours—whether it's taking part in recycling schemes more effectively, or just generally supporting the great outdoors that we have in Wales. So, I'm interested, Minister, in schemes like Cynefin, which Welsh Government ran, I think, which was quite effective in my area of Newport East, for example. And in the Maindee area now, we have a group at the Maindee library—a group of volunteers, community groups—who have ideas to green the natural environment around the area, and are very interested in Welsh Government support and assistance for that sort of work. So, I'd be interested in what further steps Welsh Government might take to support such groups and to make sure that we do get that quality environment in our inner urban areas.

I very much agree with you in your appraisal of Cynefin. I think it was a scheme that operated—. The principles have been place-centred policies and priorities, and I think it facilitated very much in that partnership working to which you just referred. Since we had Cynefin, we've also introduced the enabling natural resources and well-being grant, the landfill disposals tax community scheme, and, just yesterday, you will have heard my colleague Hannah Blythyn launch the town-centre green infrastructure and biodiversity programme. That programme will very much support the implementation of environment schemes, and reflects the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 through the sustainable introduction of green infrastructure into town centres, so that it's not just environmental benefits, there are also social and economic benefits for local communities. Local authorities will have the funding for that, so, if anybody's interested listening today, they're able to find out how they can get involved by contacting their local authority.

Minister, in our urban renewal strategy, 'Liveable Cities', we in the Welsh Conservatives pledged to ensure that there was a minimum of 20 per cent urban tree canopy covering Wales by 2030. You will see the green town and city movement is now taking off all around the world, and we could really also be part of that, and leading it. I want to see the day when some of the current major arterial ways through our cities are greened for cyclists and pedestrians. And at the minute we desperately need to get to that place where we think differently.

I've been having discussions with both Hannah Blythyn and Ken Skates around this issue. I think you're right; we can really lead the way here. I'm about to launch—probably in April—the environmental growth plan, which was one of the First Minister's manifesto commitments. And we'll certainly be identifying funding for just those sorts of policies, where people can get involved looking at it from your doorstep. So, this will certainly, I think, help us move in the right direction.