In October 2024, global governments will be coming together in Colombia to discuss the nature emergency. The conference, known as COP16, will review how well each country is doing against targets set in 2022 (at COP15 in Canada) to bring about nature's recovery by 2030.

With nature still in decline in Wales and in some cases going backwards on the targets set, Wildlife Trusts Wales
share what the Welsh Government needs to do to meet global targets and lead on the world stage.

For over a decade, The Wildlife Trusts have campaigned with other environmental organisations in the UK for new laws to provide better protection for marine habitats and wildlife. As a result, the ground-breaking Marine and Coastal Access Act (Marine Act) was introduced in November 2009, providing UK Government with the tools needed to revolutionise the management of our marine environment. Wildlife Trusts Wales are calling for the Marine Act to be effectively implemented in Wales, and the opportunities provided by the Act seized to ensure real benefits for biodiversity around the Welsh coast.

Surveys should be carried out by professional ecologists, registered with IEEM. When surveys involve protected species, such as bats, great crested newts or dormice, the surveyor should hold a license from Natural Resources Wales.

Most local authorities will provide plans and other documents for a planning application online. If not, you can ask the local planning authority to send you copies. Read everything thoroughly. If you don’t understand something, you can ask the case officer or look at Planning Aid Wales.