CIEEM response to the CCEI inquiry into halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030

Here you will find our response to the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee (CCEI) inquiry into halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030 (closed 23rd August 2024).

This response was developed by our Wales Policy Group.

Key points:

Effectiveness of Current Policies

  • Budgetary constraints: limit the implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of policies. The proposed job cuts at Natural Resources Wales (NRW) are further cause for concern.
  • Local Authorities (LAs): struggle to monitor or enforce planning conditions due to funding issues, and the lack of maintenance budgets hinders habitat restoration efforts.
  • Guidance from Government: is often outdated or absent and this has meant that local authorities have, in some situations, had to produce their own guidance.

Progress on Biodiversity Deep Dive Recommendations

  • Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs): are effective but have been overlooked and are in need of more support.
  • Skills and Capacity Crisis: is ongoing in the ecological sector which will be exacerbated by job cuts.
  • NRW’s Area Statements: are currently inadequate and under-utilised.
  • Independent Advice: cuts to NRW may impact the provision of independent advice to the government and the ability of both to lead by example using best practice.

Monitoring Biodiversity

  • Impact of job cuts: will lead to loss of skills and consistency in monitoring.
  • Monitoring should be a statutory duty: as the current reliance on voluntary efforts is unsustainable.
  • Monitoring should inform effective action: not just record decline.

New Approaches Needed

  • Existing funding structures need to change: current economic models exacerbate threats to biodiversity; there is a need to overhaul these and the funding structures they underlie.
  • Threat reduction targets: should be established, in addition to targets for biodiversity itself.

Additional Points

  • Funding for nature must been seen as an investment: with concurrent benefits for a range of interlinked issues, including climate adaptation and societal health.
  • Strong duty for environmental principles and targets is needed: for Welsh Ministers and all relevant Public Bodies.
  • Set an ambitious headline target: the headline target to halt nature loss by 2030 and restore by 2050 should remain in the forthcoming bill and be ambitious enough to drive urgent action.