Will the Minister list all actions the Welsh Government has taken in response to the Nature Based Climate Action Memorandum of Understanding?
Answered by Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs | Answered on 29/10/2020
The Nature Based Climate Action Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) commits signatories to ensuring that ecosystem based action and efforts to sustain and restore ecosystem functions are an integral part of climate change mitigation and adaption strategies. It requires Governments to act to:
- increase the resilience of ecosystems;
- safeguard existing carbon sinks;
- promote the sustainable management of natural resources; and, implement nature based solutions that the improved management of ecosystems.
Welsh Government’s work to deliver these commitments are significant, and interlinked, ranging from implementing legislation, tackling the drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss, through to the behaviour change needed to ensure enduring change. Examples include:
- Embedding the ecosystem approach into legislation through the publication of the Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) and Environment (Wales) Act 2016.
- Implementing a Natural Resources Policy which sets out the Welsh Ministers’ commitment to tackling the climate emergency and the decline in biodiversity through the sustainable management of natural resources and nature based solutions.
- A Peatland restoration programme. Peatlands are a significant carbon store, and provide many other important services including the provision of drinking water, habitats for internationally important species and recreation. By March 2021 the Programme will deliver around 600 ha of restoration activity in its first year, with a further 600-800ha of restoration per annum in subsequent years.
- Supporting the restoration of our protected sites and the creation of a National Forest for Wales to support resilient ecological networks.