Protecting the environment and biodiversity in my constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire and across Wales is of the utmost importance to our long-term goals of improving the natural environment for future generations. Parties across this Parliament all agree that we must reverse biodiversity loss, and work to ensure we're at the global forefront of creating a thriving environment for nature, in order to provide the people of Wales with higher living standards and to protect our environment.

Brecon and Radnorshire is world renowned due to the beautiful Brecon Beacons national park, which runs across the southern ridge of my constituency, and, to the north, the Elan valley, which is a jewel in the Welsh crown. It attracts people from all corners of the globe—from hikers to horse riders, trail runners and nature observers. It's vital to the economy and the people who live within my community to not only maintain, but to enhance the environment. 

The first part of this debate calls for legally binding requirements to reverse biodiversity loss through statutory targets. In principle, I broadly support this, but I will struggle to support this if the targets implemented come at a cost to the rural economy and people's jobs in Brecon and Radnorshire. I'm already seeing certain phosphate legislation by NRW massively impacting rural house building. We must be extremely careful to get the right balance.

This debate calls for an establishment of an independent environmental governance body for Wales. I do believe in small government, and I do not believe that vast sums of public money should be spent when, I believe, we could work across the border with the UK Government to manage this crucial issue. It's not just an issue for Wales, but the whole of the UK to enhance and protect biodiversity.

What I want to see from the proposers of this debate as they close are more clear reasons for why this organisation should be established independently in Wales, and why it could not be shared with the UK Government in a real joined-up approach to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. I am concerned this could become another organisation that will simply just waste money and achieve very little, when the money could be put to better use in other areas of Wales to clean up the environment. 

As I said, I really want to work across parties in this Chamber to help and enhance biodiversity and our environment, and I welcome conversations with the parties opposite to see how I can do that going forward in this term of Parliament. Diolch, Deputy Llywydd.