This is a blog by the RSPB Cymru advocacy team.
I ddarllen y blog yma yn y Gymraeg, cliciwch yma os gwelwch yn dda.
The future of Welsh wildlife hangs in the balance. As many of you are aware, the recent State of Nature Report revealed that over the last 50 years 56% of UK species studied have declined. In Wales, over the long-term this includes 60% of butterfly species showing as being in decline, whilst 40% of bird species assessed are in decline, and 57% of vascular plant species are in decline. These figures indicate the extreme level of biodiversity loss both in Wales and across the UK in recent years. The severity of this analysis, however, has been a catalyst for change - provoking an unprecedented positive response from the National Assembly for Wales and environmental NGOs.
Andy Hay rspb-images.com
United for Biodiversity
In a landmark debate on Wednesday 9th November, the National Assembly for Wales saw Assembly Members from all political parties unite for biodiversity. The debate was sparked by September’s publication of the ‘State of Nature Report 2016’ – the second report of its kind compiling evidence from over 50 conservation and research organisations across the UK to assess the state of the nation’s wildlife and plantlife. The report found that the UK has lost significantly more nature over the long term than the global average, and the declines are ongoing.
Assembly Members impassioned by the findings spoke of their concern and shock at the state of Welsh nature. In the first debate of its kind there was consensus from political parties in the Senedd on the need to address biodiversity loss as a matter of urgency. Many Members speaking in the debate were species champions, representing waxcap fungi, lapwing, chough, pine marten, water vole and curlew. Speaking passionately about the need to reverse declines in the species they represent, they urged the Government to tackle head-on those issues at the root cause of the losses.
There was much agreement that the recent legislation of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act and Environment (Wales) Act provide a real opportunity to improve the state of nature in Wales if the Government ensures that they prioritise addressing wildlife declines. Members also raised the importance of ensuring that Brexit doesn’t hamper our efforts to recover nature, but emphasised the need to seize the new opportunities it presents, such as the chance to build a new sustainable land management policy in Wales (post-CAP). In response, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, reiterated that:
“Following the decision to leave the EU, we will not roll back on our legislation or on our commitment to biodiversity. Our legislation will allow us to promote new, innovative, pioneering and long term approaches to the management of our wildlife. We are committed to reversing the decline in biodiversity and indeed to see it thrive”.
Grahame Madge rspb-images.com
But will Wales meet its biodiversity targets for 2020?
Despite the Assembly’s enthusiasm and evident commitment to nurturing Welsh wildlife, recent news indicates we are not doing so well. Six years ago Wales committed to meet a set of international targets (AICHI targets) that pledge to halt biodiversity loss by 2020. But last week at the Convention on Biodiversity COP in Mexico, a report by BirdLife International and partners revealed that the UK - on its current trajectory – will not meet them. For the Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales this news will be particularly difficult to swallow as the recent legislation makes very strong commitments to protecting and promoting wildlife.
But do not fear! This bad news for Wales might just come at a very good time - there are three key reasons why:
All of which means that this news could in fact be another significant push in the right direction for saving nature in Wales.
As Huw Irranca-Davies AM said in his conclusion of the State of Nature debate,
“We know we have the tools, we know we have the ambition—it’s now for us to work together… to reverse the biodiversity loss, to repair our damaged ecosystems, and to hand on to future generations a healing planet and a healthy planet.”
And he’s right – we do have the tools. The Wellbeing for Future Generations (Wales) Act and the Environment (Wales) Act, if implemented effectively, do present an important opportunity for Wales to demonstrate its leadership to reverse nature declines on the global stage. Let’s hope the recent events galvanise political action to save nature in Wales.