Welsh Government commit to 30 by 30!

Wildlife Trusts Wales welcomes the Welsh Government's commitment to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030.

Yesterday, Julie James the Minister for Climate Change announced that the Welsh Government is committing to supporting the 30 by 30 target. That means that 30% of land and sea protected by 2030.

With phase one of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) underway and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) just weeks away, we welcome this news. However, this comes short of the call to restore all nature by 2030. Protecting nature must not be interpreted as designating sites such as National Parks, as sadly most are not actively managed for nature.

Wildlife is disappearing at an alarming rate - some are calling it the next mass extinction. We have lost over 60% of all biodiversity on the planet since 1970, that’s within one generation. Today 1 in 7 species in the UK are at threat of extinction and once common wildlife is now becoming rare.

"We are in a nature crisis with species still becoming extinct. It's easy to designate sites such as National Parks, but these areas are not nature reserves. Welsh Government should lead the way by seeking to restore nature by 2030."

Rachel Sharp, Director, Wildlife Trusts Wales

Red-tailed bumblebee ©Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

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The Wildlife Trusts are calling for at least 30% of our land and sea to be connected and protected for nature’s recovery by 2030. Making more space for nature to become abundant once again will give our struggling wildlife the chance to recover and also restore beautiful wild places - places that store carbon and help to tackle the climate crisis.

30% is the bare minimum that nature needs to start recovering but we are far short of this and need your help to turn things around.

"The next ten years must be a time of renewal, of rewilding our lives, of green recovery. We all need nature more than ever and when we succeed in reaching 30 by 30 we’ll have wilder landscapes that store carbon and provide on-your-doorstep nature for people too. Everyone can support and help us to succeed."

Craig Bennett Chief Executive, The Wildlife Trusts