Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the nature crisis in Wales.
I share your concerns surrounding the nature and wildlife of Wales. It is important we continue efforts to restore our environment and ensure our wildlife has a place to thrive. It is regretful that the Welsh Labour-led Government has been too slow to recognise the importance of the environment in Wales.
The Welsh Government has failed to introduce legally binding targets for nature recovery, leading to the decline of species in Wales. 1 in 6 species in Wales are at risk of extinction.
In contrast, the UK Government set a historic legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 through the Environment Act 2021. The UK Government was a signatory at COP15 and COP27, and is investing over £750million in the Nature for Climate Fund.
Whilst Welsh Conservatives support the principle of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, we believe it is vital that environmental targets are not to the detriment of the economic sustainability of agricultural businesses.
My colleagues and I are determined to reverse the decline in the wellbeing of our environment and my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, continues to call for:
- Legal targets for nature
- A National Marine Development Plan
- A Welsh equivalent of the Office for Environmental Protection
Thank you again for contacting me.
Example of correspondence
I’m emailing you today as Wales faces a nature crisis. Wales is one of the most nature depleted countries on earth. 664 species are at risk of extinction and we need to fight for what’s left. Nature underpins every aspect of our lives from the economy to our mental and physical wellbeing.
We know what the problem is, and we know what the solutions are too.
There are five key political actions that need to be taken. I'm asking you to support them and to call on the Welsh Government to make them a priority. I particularly want to highlight the importance of ensuring the new Sustainable Farming Scheme supports nature friendly farming.
90% of land in Wales is used for agriculture so farming must play a major role in nature’s recovery. The new Sustainable Farming Scheme is an opportunity to support farmers to become nature and climate champions. It could help farmers produce food sustainably for future generations and provide wider environmental benefits for society, as well as tackle climate change.
It is important the scheme reward farmers fairly for restoring and looking after our wildlife and the places it lives, and it must start doing this as soon as possible if we are to meet Welsh Government’s commitment to halting the loss of nature by 2030.
The other priority political actions are:
Setting ambitious legal targets for the recovery of nature. 664 (or 18%) of species in Wales are threatened with extinction – we urgently need to turn this around.
Improving protected areas for nature. Only 11% of Wales’ land is protected for nature and only a fraction of this is in good condition.
Properly protecting Wales’ marine life. Wales is vital for seabirds and has the world’s largest population of Manx Shearwaters. We must do more to protect them at sea.
Creating a Nature Service for Wales. Investing in restoration could create up to 7,000 nature-based jobs over the next decade.
I love nature because it is not artificial, it is life and we are part of it.
Thank you for reading this and I ask again that you support these five political actions and call on the Welsh Government to make them a priority.
