Welsh Government launches consultation on environmental principles statement

The statement is required to be prepared and published by the Welsh Ministers under sections 6 and 7 of the Environmental Governance Act (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) 2026, which received royal assent in April this year.

The 2026 Act includes provisions setting out an environmental objective and principles, and establishing a stronger legislative framework for environmental governance in Wales.

It also places new duties on the Welsh Ministers, Natural Resource Wales and certain public authorities in relation to the environmental principles and integrating environmental protection.

Responses to the consultation will inform the final wording of the Statement to ensure it is comprehensive and effective, the Welsh Government said.

In a written statement announcing the consultation, Llyr Gruffydd MS, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, said: "Part 1 of the Environmental Governance Act sets out an environmental objective and environmental principles.

"These duties are intended to help ensure environmental protection, and the need for the improvement of the environment, are at the heart of policy making and strategic environmental assessment in Wales. This will support our ambition for net zero by 2040 and substantive nature recovery by 2050.

"The Statement will be a vital tool for policy and decision makers in Wales, placing internationally recognised environmental principles at the centre of environmental protection and improvement in Wales. This includes the principle of prevention, the precautionary principle, rectification at source and the polluter pays principle."

He added: "The Environmental Governance Act requires the Welsh Ministers and Natural Resources Wales, when making policy and certain other public authorities, when carrying out strategic environmental assessment, to apply the four environmental principles and integrate environmental protection into their work."

The consultation closes on 11 September 2026.

Adam Carey