Welsh Government minister for natural resources and food, Alun Davies, has put forward his objectives for the coming year, which will include an increasing focus on green growth.
In a statement yesterday (October 22), Mr Davies set out his departments roadmap of initiatives, stating that: the sustainable management of our natural resources is critical to the future success of our economy and critical in creating a future for all of our communities.
According to the minister, who was appointed to the role in March (see letsrecycle.com story), in 2010/11 Wales share of the UK green economy was over 5 billion. This is an increase of 4.5% on the previous year, but Mr Davies said there was scope for further growth.
He said that focusing on resource efficiency through the likes of waste management policies would create income by turning waste into a resource and provide low-cost items to those in poverty, such as discarded household goods.
Waste strategy
The minister promised to continue work on implementing the Wales waste strategy, Towards Zero Waste, in order to boost jobs in the waste management industry and increase resource security.
As part of the strategy, Mr Davies highlighted an Industrial and Commercial Sector plan as well as a Food Manufacture, Service and Retail Sector plan to reduce and prevent waste in each industry, both of which have previously been consulted on.
‘the sustainable management of our natural resources is critical to the future success of our economy and critical in creating a future for all of our communities’
Alun Davies, Welsh Government minister for natural resources and food
Both plans support the Waste Prevention Programme for Wales, which Mr Davies confirmed would be published before the end of 2013 following the consultation earlier this year.
The Programme will focus on re-using or extending the life of products; reducing the negative impacts of waste on the environment and human health; and reducing the content of harmful substances in materials and products.
Mr Davies said: In striving for greater resource efficiency, we will continue our successful work to implement Towards Zero Waste, the Wales waste strategy, through the delivery of the Sector Plans setting out proposals to cut waste, increase business competitiveness and job security by driving down business costs, create new jobs in new recycling industries in Wales and increase resource security.
Data
Elsewhere, the minister outlined his aims to improve access to environmental data and to simplify the sharing of environmental information between people and organisations.
As part of this, he said, his department will be working with Natural Resources Wales formerly the Welsh Environment Agency to create a new data-hub, which is slated to be published by the end of 2014.
The Environment (Wales) Bill white paper is also set to be published for consultation in late October, which seeks to better integrate environment management and protection in Wales.
Mr Davies said the Bill would focus on managing natural resources in a joined-up way and ensuring that Natural Resources Wales has the right framework to support delivery against its statutory purpose.
In August, Wales met its first statutory recycling target of 52% across the country (see letsrecycle.com story).
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