Thank you, Rhun, for bringing this debate forward, and whilst you do have some concerns about solar, it’s fair to say, along the north Wales coast, those concerns now extend to the huge windfarm projects that are coming our way.

Dirprwy Lywydd, we know that around 58,000 work in the energy and environment sectors in Wales, generating over £4.8 billion in revenue, and this sector is primed for continued expansion over the coming years. Wales currently has 86 operational windfarms, the potential to generate around 10 GW from marine energy, a mature solar energy sector, and a tidal range capable of providing significant generation opportunities along the Welsh coastline.

The Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 required the Welsh Government to take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status of marine waters by 31 December 2020, and the Minister and I know that that deadline has been missed. Marine biodiversity continues to decline. Why not reverse the trend by seeing offshore windfarms and the seabed connectors used as the basis for seabed ecosystem recovery and blue carbon sequestration?

I’ve been undertaking some very constructive discussions with Professor Chris Baines who lives in my constituency, and he’s a renowned author on such matters. He has rightly outlined that if windfarms can become—. If they’re going to be there, can they become sanctuary areas with minimal seabed disturbance? And if this can be combined with proactive habitat restoration in the form of such things as artificial reef application to the turbine bases, then the wind energy infrastructure could actually make a unique and enormously positive contribution to marine recovery and carbon net zero, while subscribing to our biodiversity and conservation aims. So, Minister, could I ask, what steps are you taking to encourage the involvement of any future renewable energy developers in Welsh marine habitat regeneration projects such as this? What steps are you taking to encourage the diversion of community spend towards planting efforts, like those of seagrass meadows, which are known to capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rain forests?

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’s proposal for a marine development plan would provide clarity on how much development is sustainable within Welsh seas, and where it is best placed. In reply to a written question to you, Minister, you confirmed that the Welsh Government were initiating a two-year programme of work to map potential strategic resource areas. So, with this in mind, would you update us on the progress of this mapping activity and confirm to us today a deadline for delivery?

A report by Zero Waste Scotland estimated that as many as 5,613 turbines will be decommissioned between 2021 and 2050, generating between 1.25 million and 1.4 million tonnes of material. And, of course, I’ve raised concerns myself recently about how the turbine blades, at the moment, are not recyclable. So, in Denmark, the Re-Wind Network is repurposing these structures into various architectural elements, such as bicycle shelters and footbridges. Rotterdam has a 1,200 sq m children’s playground featuring a slide tower, tunnels and ramps, all made from decommissioned wind turbine blades. What steps are you taking to produce data on the windfarm decommissioning process, Minister? And will you commit to working with new developers to introduce a requirement that sees in advance them to repurpose their equipment in a way that actually benefits our communities and, indeed, our environment?

Finally, the Minister knows that the Awel y Môr, BP Morgan and Mona offshore windfarm projects are of a major concern to many. In fact, when these are developed, it has been said by many experts in the field that there will be an over-proliferation of wind turbines on the north Wales coast. Conwy County Borough Council, to date, one of their committees has now shown their true objections to the huge scheme that is the Awel y Môr scheme. It cannot be right that there is such little protection for our fishermen who, Minister—Minister—will be actually, you know, their livelihoods could be threatened by a scheme on the close horizon, just 10.6 km off the coast. We are in a nature crisis, yet there is a real risk that these schemes could have a detrimental impact on marine species, our tourism offer and, indeed—