‘Wales must spend more to combat nature crisis’
THE Welsh Government should aim to spend 5% of its annual budget on combatting the “nature crisis”, according to the leading environmental group WWF.
It warns in a new report that urgent action is needed to deal with the loss of species and habitats, and increasing storms and flooding which threaten Welsh communities.
Recent evidence underlines the need for action, says WWF, which in an earlier report revealed that 666 species are threatened with extinction in Wales, and that of the 3,902 species assessed, 73 have already been lost.
Iconic species like red squirrels and water voles, which were once widespread in Wales, are now restricted to a few sites and under real threat of extinction.
Natural Resources Wales has reported that none of Wales’ natural systems – from coasts to mountains – are healthy enough to face threats such as climate change.
The new report provides suggestions for how the Welsh Government can take immediate action to address the nature crisis, recommending that it:
■ Commits to increasing its annual spending on incentivising and supporting the restoration of nature and combating climate change, to 5% of its total budget;
■ introduces a public competition for pilot projects that use naturebased solutions to restore biodiversity;
■ removes disused and problematic industrial structures such as weirs, dams and culverts from rivers to boost wildlife and tackle flooding;
■ empowers communities to manage land owned by public bodies for projects that use nature-based solutions to restore wildlife and ecosystems;
■ commits to end incidents of avoidable agricultural pollution, working with stakeholders to develop solutions; and
■ incorporates the latest thinking on the links between nature and well-being into the Welsh National Curriculum.
Alexander Phillips, biodiversity policy officer at WWF Cymru, said: “Wales is facing a nature crisis which needs urgent collective action.
“The Welsh Government recognises the need to act and has already provided leadership by declaring a climate and nature emergency.
“It’s also allocated additional environmental funding as a ‘down payment’ in its recent budget. We would like to see Government commit to increasing environmental spend to 5% of the total budget over the medium term, so that Wales can make meaningful progress on tackling the nature crisis.
“We need nature for our health, wellbeing and economy – so the nature crisis deserves an effective response. A future of rivers full of fish, landscapes of healthy soils, woodlands that lock up greenhouse gases and urban parks that buzz with wildflowers and insects will benefit us all.”
The Welsh Government said it had recently launched a major new scheme to help reverse biodiversity declines. In partnership with Keep Wales Tidy, more than 800 pre-paid starter packages are being made available to communities across Wales. They include items like native plants and seeds, peat-free compost, tools, bug and bee hotels.
The idea is that these will lead to 267 new butterfly gardens, 267 fruit gardens and 267 wildlife gardens.
The Local Places for Nature project will see 801 starter packs made available to communities across the country so they can create wildlife and butterfly gardens or fruit orchards.
Environment Minister Lesley Griffiths said it was part of a “wider commitment to making it easy for everyone to protect, restore and enhance the wildlife on our doorstep and all around us”.
This week’s 2020-21 Budget included £140m to cut emissions and increase biodiversity.