9. What action is the Welsh Government taking to tackle the climate emergency? OQ58111

Llywydd, at the heart of the three-year budget approved by this Senedd there lies £1.8 billion capital investment in creating a national forest, sustaining biodiversity, decarbonising housing, prioritising renewable energy and preventing flooding. These are amongst the actions we are taking to tackle the climate emergency.

Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I think, Prif Weinidog, that if we are to effectively tackle the climate emergency, we must properly protect areas such as the Gwent levels, and I thank you very much for your commitment, and indeed your colleague Julie James's commitment, to those levels, and indeed I've been very pleased to chair the Gwent levels working group. Would you agree with me, First Minister, that a great deal of good work has already been done through the Living Levels partnership, which has effectively engaged the local community, business, local authorities and a range of third sector organisations to work out the ideas and the actions necessary to build on the progress to date, and, further, that it's absolutely essential that we get the planning guidance and the planning systems right if we are to properly sustain and protect the unique Gwent levels for the future?

Well, Llywydd, first of all, I'd like to thank John Griffiths for the work that he has done in chairing that group, and the group has achievements already, to its credit, in habitat restoration and management, and particularly in the points that John Griffiths made in terms of community engagement. Together with my colleague Julie James, there is more we know that we can do to support the work of the group and to support the preservation of the Gwent levels in a state that makes it fit for future generations.

The Minister for Climate Change recently approved the development of strategic planning guidance for the area. This will be the first time that we will have put into practice the 'Future Wales' policy approach for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem resilience into planning policies within an area like the Gwent levels. It will be a pilot of that whole approach and I'm very glad indeed that we're able to do it in that very important landscape. The Minister has also provided Natural Resources Wales with nearly £3 million in additional funding to renew and increase the coverage of land management agreements. We know that land management agreements are absolutely essential to the Gwent levels, to make sure that work goes on to manage the habitat there and to enhance the biodiversity of the site of special scientific interest that it represents. 

Thirdly, and finally, Llywydd, I recently met with Julie James to review the suitability of land that was acquired for the M4 relief road, so that now, instead of having it with concrete and tarmac poured all over it, it will be able to provide a contribution to biodiversity enhancements across the levels, to make sure, as I said, that they go on for future generations being that outstanding example of the sort of landscape that people have enjoyed over generations. We want to make sure they go on enjoying them in full and in good heart for the future. 

Thank you, First Minister.