OpenLegislation

Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026

2026 asc 4 · Enacted 27 April 2026 · Extends to England and Wales

Not fully up to date. 26 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 5 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 4 para. 5coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(d)
s. 12coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 13coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 14coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 15coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 16coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 17coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 18coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 19coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 20coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 21coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 22coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 23coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 24coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 25coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 26coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 27coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 28coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
Sch. 2 para. 2coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 11coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 29coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
Sch. 1 para. 10coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(b)
Sch. 1 para. 21coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(b)
Sch. 2 para. 1coming into forceEnvironment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)
s. 28(5)(a)substitutedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 3 para. 80(a)
s. 28(5)(c)omittedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 3 para. 80(b)

An Act of Senedd Cymru to make provision about environmental principles and the integration of environmental protection; to establish the Office of Environmental Governance Wales with powers to ensure public authorities’ compliance with environmental law; to make provision for the setting of biodiversity targets; and for connected purposes.

[27 April 2026]

Having been passed by Senedd Cymru and having received the assent of His Majesty, it is enacted as follows:

Contents

  1. Part 1: ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPLES
  2. 1Environmental objective
  3. 2Environmental principles
  4. 3Welsh Ministers’ duties when making policy Not yet in force
  5. 4Natural Resources Wales’ duties when making policy Not yet in force
  6. 5Environmental assessments: public authorities’ duties Not yet in force
  7. 6Environmental principles and integrating environmental protection statement
  8. 7Environmental principles and integrating environmental protection statement: procedural requirements
  9. Part 2: THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE WALES
  10. The Office of Environmental Governance Wales
  11. 8Establishment of the Office of Environmental Governance Wales
  12. 9Independence of the OEGW
  13. 10General purpose etc.
  14. 11Duty to prepare and publish strategy Not yet in force
  15. Monitoring, reporting and advising functions Not yet in force
  16. 12Monitoring and reporting Not yet in force
  17. 13Advising the Welsh Ministers Not yet in force
  18. 14Advice, guidance and assistance on environmental law Not yet in force
  19. Information notices Not yet in force
  20. 15Information notices Not yet in force
  21. Representations Not yet in force
  22. 16Representations Not yet in force
  23. Investigations Not yet in force
  24. 17Investigations Not yet in force
  25. Compliance notices Not yet in force
  26. 18Compliance notices Not yet in force
  27. 19Urgent compliance notices Not yet in force
  28. 20OEGW’s review of compliance notices Not yet in force
  29. 21High Court review after failure to take specified action Not yet in force
  30. Improvement reports and improvement plans Not yet in force
  31. 22Improvement reports Not yet in force
  32. 23Improvement reports: content Not yet in force
  33. 24Improvement plans Not yet in force
  34. Co-operation duties Not yet in force
  35. 25Co-operation duties Not yet in force
  36. Disclosure of information and confidentiality Not yet in force
  37. 26Disclosure of information to the OEGW Not yet in force
  38. 27Confidentiality requirements: the OEGW Not yet in force
  39. 28Confidentiality requirements: public authorities Not yet in force
  40. 29Application of Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Not yet in force
  41. Staff transfer schemes
  42. 30Staff transfer schemes
  43. Interpretation
  44. 31Meaning of “environmental law”
  45. 32Meaning of “public authority”
  46. 33Meaning of “effectiveness of environmental law”
  47. 34Meaning of “failing to comply with environmental law”
  48. Part 3: BIODIVERSITY TARGETS, ETC.
  49. 35Biodiversity targets
  50. 36Public authorities’ duties
  51. 37Welsh Ministers’ plans under section 6 of the Environment Act
  52. 38Reports under section 6 of the Environment Act
  53. 39Evaluation report
  54. 40Promoting awareness of biodiversity
  55. Part 4: GENERAL
  56. 41Power to make consequential etc. provision
  57. 42Regulations
  58. 43Service of notices and other documents
  59. 44General interpretation
  60. 45Consequential amendments
  61. 46Coming into force
  62. 47Short title
  63. Schedule 1: THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE WALES
  64. Part 1: STATUS
  65. 1Status
  66. Part 2: MEMBERSHIP
  67. 2Members
  68. 3Disqualification
  69. 4Terms of non-executive members
  70. 5Removal etc. of non-executive members
  71. Part 3: STAFF
  72. 6Chief executive
  73. 7Other staff
  74. Part 4: APPOINTMENT REQUIREMENTS
  75. 8Appointment requirements
  76. 9Disapplication of appointment requirements: interim members
  77. Part 5: COMMITTEES AND DELEGATION
  78. 10Review committee Not yet in force
  79. 11Other committees and sub-committees
  80. 12Joint committees
  81. 13Delegation
  82. Part 6: PROCEDURE ETC.
  83. 14Procedure
  84. 15Validity of proceedings and acts
  85. Part 7: FINANCIAL MATTERS
  86. 16Funding
  87. 17Accounting officer
  88. 18Accounts
  89. 19Audit
  90. 20Examination into use of resources
  91. Part 8: REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Not yet in force
  92. 21Annual report Not yet in force
  93. Part 9: SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
  94. 22Register of interests
  95. 23Supplementary powers
  96. Schedule 2: THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE WALES: STRATEGY Not yet in force
  97. 1Content Not yet in force
  98. 2Procedural requirements Not yet in force
  99. Schedule 3: STAFF TRANSFER SCHEMES
  100. 1Power to make staff transfer schemes
  101. 2Modification of staff transfer schemes
  102. 3Duty to lay staff transfer schemes before Senedd Cymru
  103. 4Interpretation
  104. Schedule 4: CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  105. 1Environment Act 1995 (c. 25)
  106. 2Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32)
  107. 3Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (nawm 1)
  108. 4Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 (anaw 7)
  109. 5Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 2) Not yet in force