The Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Rural Affairs – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has urged the Welsh Government to replicate the UK Government’s commitment on biodiversity recovery, as she says the proposed National Development Framework ‘fails our rural communities.’
The UK Government has this week pledge to increase the amount of protected green land in England from 26% to 30% by 2030. Mrs Finch-Saunders used a speech in the Welsh Parliament this week to urge that the Welsh Government replicate this policy announcement, calling for the protection of rural Wales ‘through the expansion or creation of national parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.’
Commenting on the call to restore Welsh biodiversity, Janet said:
“With the National Development Framework under consideration, the Welsh Government must urgently make an explicit commitment to increase the amount of protected green space in Wales. With global biodiversity loss happening at an alarming rate, this is a chance for Wales to be a world leader in green land protections.
“The National Development Framework offers an unrivalled opportunity to expand the 4% of Welsh land that is categorised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the 19.9% of land that comprise our three National Parks.
“However, instead of sensibly using the more than 600 rivers flowing across Wales to encourage investment in micro and small-scale hydro schemes, the Welsh Government is proposing erecting more windfarms across biodiverse land in mid-Wales. This will only hamper moves to save our green fields and their complex ecosystems.
“The voice of our rural residents must be heard in this plan, and they are greatly worried about the loss of Wales’ natural habitats and open green spaces. As it stands, the NDF lacks ambition and must go further so that Wales can set about restoring our biodiversity.”
ENDS
