<Legislation xmlns="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4" NumberOfProvisions="92" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation http://www.legislation.gov.uk/schema/legislation.xsd" SchemaVersion="2.0" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><ukm:Metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:ukm="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/metadata">
					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31</dc:identifier><dc:title>Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-07-16</dc:modified><dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor><dct:valid>2026-06-27</dct:valid>
					
					<atom:link rel="self" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.xml" type="application/xml"/><atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/resources" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/resources" title="More Resources"/>
					
					
					
					<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/act" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4" title="whole act"/><atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/introduction" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/introduction" title="introduction"/>
					<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/body" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/body" title="body"/>
					<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/schedules" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/schedules" title="schedules"/>
					
										
					
					
					<atom:link rel="alternate" hreflang="cy" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/welsh"/><atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/tableOfContents" hreflang="cy" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/contents/welsh" title="Table of Contents"/>
					<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/rdf+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.rdf" title="RDF/XML"/><atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/akn+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.akn" title="AKN"/><atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/xhtml+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.xht" title="HTML snippet"/><atom:link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.htm" title="Website (XHTML) Default View"/><atom:link rel="alternate" type="text/csv" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.csv" title="CSV"/><atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/pdf" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.pdf" title="PDF"/>
					<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/akn+xhtml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/data.html" title="HTML5 snippet"/>

					
					<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/tableOfContents" hreflang="en" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/contents" title="Table of Contents"/>
					
					<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/enacted" title="enacted" hreflang="en"/><atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/enacted/welsh" title="enacted" hreflang="cy"/><atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/2026-06-27" title="2026-06-27" hreflang="en"/>
					
					<atom:link rel="up" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4" title="Entire legislation"/><atom:link rel="prev" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/30" title="Provision; Section 30"/><atom:link rel="prevInForce" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/30" title="Provision; Section 30"/><atom:link rel="next" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/32" title="Provision; Section 32"/><atom:link rel="nextInForce" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/32" title="Provision; Section 32"/>
					<ukm:PrimaryMetadata><ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:DocumentCategory Value="primary"/><ukm:DocumentMainType Value="WelshParliamentAct"/><ukm:DocumentStatus Value="revised"/></ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:Year Value="2026"/><ukm:Number Value="4"/><ukm:EnactmentDate Date="2026-04-27"/><ukm:ISBN Value="9780348113983"/></ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
					

                    
									 
					<ukm:Alternatives><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/pdfs/asc_20260004_we.pdf" Date="2026-05-11" Size="2476535" Language="Welsh" Print="false"/><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/pdfs/asc_20260004_en.pdf" Date="2026-05-11" Size="2493561" Print="false"/><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/pdfs/asc_20260004_mi.pdf" Date="2026-05-11" Size="3286135" Language="Mixed" Print="true"/></ukm:Alternatives>
					
					<ukm:Statistics>
									<ukm:TotalParagraphs Value="92"/>
									<ukm:BodyParagraphs Value="58"/>
									<ukm:ScheduleParagraphs Value="34"/>
									<ukm:AttachmentParagraphs Value="0"/>
									<ukm:TotalImages Value="0"/>
								</ukm:Statistics>
				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/body" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/body" NumberOfProvisions="58" NumberFormat="default" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Part DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/part/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/part/2" NumberOfProvisions="27" id="part-2" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Number>PART 2</Number><Title>THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE WALES</Title><Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/part/2/crossheading/interpretation" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/part/2/crossheading/interpretation" NumberOfProvisions="4" id="part-2-crossheading-interpretation" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Title>Interpretation</Title><P1group ConfersPower="true" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Title>Meaning of “environmental law”</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31" id="section-31">
<Pnumber PuncAfter=""><CommentaryRef Ref="key-bb5de4539610a3de7304d9be6a3f833b"/>31</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/1" id="section-31-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In this Part, “<Term id="term-environmental-law">environmental law</Term>” means any devolved provision to the extent that it—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/a" id="section-31-1-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>wholly or mainly relates to environmental protection, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b" id="section-31-1-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>does not relate to—</Text>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b/i" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b/i" id="section-31-1-b-i">
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>disclosure of, or access to, information;</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b/ii" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/1/b/ii" id="section-31-1-b-ii">
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>taxation, finance or budgets.</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/2" id="section-31-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Subsection (1)(b)(i) does not exclude from the meaning of “environmental law” provisions in this Part that relate to the disclosure of information.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/3" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/3" id="section-31-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In subsection (1), “<Term id="term-devolved-provision">devolved provision</Term>” means—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/3/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/3/a" id="section-31-3-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>provision contained in, or in an instrument made under, an Assembly Measure or an Act of Senedd Cymru, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/3/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/3/b" id="section-31-3-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>provision contained in any other enactment which, if contained in an Act of Senedd Cymru, would be within the legislative competence of the Senedd (ignoring any requirement for the consent of a Minister of the Crown imposed under Schedule 7B to the Government of Wales Act <Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2006/32" id="c00012" Year="2006" Number="32" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct">2006 (c. 32)</Citation>).</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/4" id="section-31-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The Welsh Ministers may, by regulations, provide that a devolved provision specified in the regulations is, or is not, within the definition of “environmental law” in subsection (1) (and this Part applies accordingly).</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/5" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/5" id="section-31-5">
<Pnumber>5</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Before making regulations under subsection (4) the Welsh Ministers must consult—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/5/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/5/a" id="section-31-5-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the OEGW, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/31/5/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31/5/b" id="section-31-5-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>such other persons as they consider appropriate.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
</P1para>
</P1></P1group></Pblock></Part></Body></Primary><Commentaries><Commentary id="key-bb5de4539610a3de7304d9be6a3f833b" Type="I"><Para><Text><CitationSubRef SectionRef="section-31" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/31" id="c9a0h7nk6-00152">S. 31</CitationSubRef> in force at 27.6.2026, see <CitationSubRef SectionRef="section-46-2-e" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/2/e" CitationRef="c9a0h7nk6-00149" Operative="true" id="c9a0h7nk6-00153">s. 46(2)(e)</CitationSubRef></Text></Para></Commentary></Commentaries></Legislation>