, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I believe in having those farm-based conversations, because that's the way you rebuild the trust and the confidence going forward, without shying away from the challenges that we have.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I think the hard reality of the last 18 months has been—. My predecessor in this post has had no easy time of making budgetary decisions, not just on the grand scale of the hundreds of millions of pounds within their budget, main expenditure groups and so on…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Two things to pull out of your question, and the question is the right question, because sometimes it can certainly appear that the wheels of Government, particularly, move very slowly. Sometimes, there are good reasons. So, if you're doing, for example…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
And to be clear, Cefin, as well, any decisions that come forward as a result of that review will be based on the evidence, and part of that will include that assessment of whether the 170 kg nitrogen per hectare limit previously committed to is right, or is…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I genuinely, Cefin, don't want to pre-empt what might be the outcomes of this opportunity we have for a four-yearly review, and as I've mentioned before on the floor of the Senedd, we're hoping to shortly make the appointment of the independent chair of that…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
So, I think the main areas that I'm hoping to land and trying to work very hard to land are first of all the future of farming and the economy, and that is, yes, the sustainable farming scheme, without a doubt, but it's the wider landscape of that. Beyond the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
There's no single one thing, Chair. Unfortunately, I can't give you one thing, because the portfolio I have is so vast, and so many are of key, critical importance not just for the future of our rural economy and of farming, but also for facing those climate…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
And Richard.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Diolch, Cadeirydd. Yes. Huw Irranca-Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and this large portfolio that I have that has been put together after the reshuffle. Gian Marco, if you'd like to introduce yourself.
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you very much. We’d definitely be supportive of any measures to introduce a sustainable seaweed industry for food and other uses, because I understand that seaweed now is available for other uses as well, and to do that in a sustainable manner. One of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you very much indeed, Joyce. MARINE Cymru, indeed, because of the remit we're giving to it, could well play some potential within this area of habitat restoration and protection of our marine environment. But on the MPA network that you mentioned, quite…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you. On both points, on the Welsh sea bird conservation strategy, we are very committed to that, and I think the work we've done in that area already is showing its benefits, and, clearly, we'd want to continue that work. The work that's been done I've…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you very much indeed. There were two things that you raised there; one, carbon capture and storage. I was down only last week in Milford Haven talking to companies who are trying to evolve, as part of this transition that we often talk about, away from…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Delyth. It's great to be taking part in this debate with somebody who has consistently been so passionate about the marine environment as well, and the sustainable and productive use of that marine environment and getting the balance…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you very much for that, and can I just echo your points? I know, coming off the climate change committee, where you’ve been a Member for some time there, I'm keen to carry on working with all Members here within the Senedd, and also with the committee…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
From fishing and seafood businesses, to attracting tourists, to the huge, untapped potential of green jobs in offshore wind, people right across Wales rely on the marine environment every single day. Looking globally, oceans are key to climate regulation…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: A sustainable Welsh marine environment
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. This Saturday was World Ocean Day, and I welcome this opportunity to make a statement on our ambitions for our seas. Our seas and coastline are an iconic part of Wales, doubling the size of our country. The marine…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
And it’s simply to say, in everything we do, this has to be a just transition, and that is right across the piece—everything, from when we talk about farming to steel to everything else. That also means it’s not just what we do in Wales; it’s the engagement…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Can I just touch on one other thing?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I'm going to turn to my colleague here, having been, I think, eight weeks I've been in the role now. Jon, what can you tell us?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
And I understand the confusion. So, we're actually overlapping. We're constantly looking ahead to the next one and the next one. So, currently, we're going through an analysis that will inform the next plan, which has got to be published before the end of…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Yes.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
First of all, I should say we very much hope not, but we are looking at what's happened in other administrations to see the lessons we might learn from that. But I think the thrust of everything we've discussed today shows how serious we are, and we're not…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
The statutory target is actually 2050. Our ambition and our leadership on this is 2030. So, it's not a statutory target by 2030, but my goodness, we're working hard, collaboratively, to try and achieve this.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Climate Change scrutiny with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I'm not going to say that we're going to row back on that—no, darn it. I'm going to say that we're going to stick to that ambition, but I predicate it as well on—. We're doing a lot to drive towards that. We have achieved quite a bit. But we need everybody to…
