Yes, I move the amendments, thank you, tabled in the name of Darren Millar MS.

When the Welsh Government declared a climate emergency some two years ago, we all hoped as Members that this would trigger a wave of action at home in Wales, the UK and internationally. We didn't, however, expect a series of failures to action such progress. We didn't expect a nature recovery and emergency to be overlooked. Some of those inactions include that Welsh solar photovoltaic capacity has only increased by less than 1 per cent from 2019, there were only five new hydro projects commissioned in 2019, and small private hydropower schemes are on a cliff edge now due to a Welsh Government decision to withdraw business rate relief. Despite poor air quality contributing to a reduced life expectancy and death, tallying up to the equivalent of up to 1,400 mortalities in Wales each year, we all know that the First Minister and his Government failed to deliver the manifesto-promised clean air Act. In fact, the new Minister will know that emission reductions have been dominated by the power sector, and, in particular, the closure of the Aberthaw power station. So, there is a desperate need for action across Wales. Even the report on the climate change Wales regs 2021 stated that

'rhetoric must now be met with bold and decisive action.'

We were reminded of this recently, with CCRA3 disclosing that

'26 risks from climate change in Wales have increased in urgency score.'

These include the risks to terrestrial species and habitats from pests, pathogens and invasive species, with gaps in policy such as a lack of enhanced monitoring, any surveillance and early response measures; the risk to agriculture and forestry from pests and pathogens and invasive species; the failure of the Wales animal health and welfare framework to make explicit reference to specific climate change risks or adaptation actions to manage increased risks related to pests and pathogens for kept-animal health; and the risk to marine species, habitats and fisheries from changing climactic conditions, with current policy lacking detailed actions that include specific outcomes for the marine sector, plans for progress, and reporting that recognises the scale of the climate change risks facing us.

These very recent examples should leave us in no doubt that we must now declare also a nature emergency. We must do this, when considering that the latest 'The State of Natural Resources Report' found that the overall trend is one of serious decline. As Wales Environment Link have highlighted, with such a broad range of drivers, we simply cannot address the nature emergency solely as a subsidiary of the climate emergency. In fact, climate change measures have potential to harm nature, such as the planting of trees in inappropriate places and poorly-located renewable energy infrastructure.

So, I am pleased to call for specific action on biodiversity loss. Plaid Cymru are correct; we should follow the UK Government's decision and introduce legally-binding requirements to reverse biodiversity loss through statutory targets. Similarly, Members will know from the last Senedd that I fully supported the establishment of an independent environmental governance body for Wales. Llyr Gruffydd, Mike Hedges, Jenny Rathbone and Joyce Watson will remember and understand from our past committee work that point 4 could be deemed mischievous, and that the gap was caused by long-term arrangements being placed on the back burner by the Welsh Government. So, I implore you to support amendment 1. 

Similarly, it would be mature for us all to back amendment 2 and work more closely with the UK Government on the response to the climate emergency and nature recovery. Nature knows no border on the British isles. In fact, I have great optimism that such domestic and even, potentially, international co-operation can be achieved this year, thanks to the Convention on Biological Diversity COP15. 

I'll finish by referring to the work of Jason Singh, who believes that we would pay more attention to plants if we could hear them. At Kew Gardens, he has created soundscapes based on the electrical signals generated within plants as they respond to their environment, and converted them into otherworldly soundscapes for us to hear. 'Extinction Songs' give us a voice to nature that needs positive action by us. So, I do hope that the declaration of a nature crisis today is the start of a crescendo of action to tackle these emergencies, and not a duff note, like the Welsh Government's handling of the climate crisis to date. Thank you. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.