PART 3BIODIVERSITY TARGETS, ETC.

39Evaluation report

(1)After section 6 of the Environment Act, insert –

6AEvaluation of action to maintain and enhance biodiversity

(1)The Welsh Ministers must prepare a report under this section (an “evaluation report”).

(2)The evaluation report must set out the Welsh Ministers’ assessment of the impact and effectiveness of the proposals set out in accordance with section 6(6) and (6B) in the plan most recently published by them and of action taken in accordance with those proposals.

(3)The Welsh Ministers must publish the first evaluation report before the end of 2031, and, subsequently, before the end of every third year after 2031.

(4)As soon as reasonably practicable after publishing an evaluation report, the Welsh Ministers must send a copy of it to the Office of Environmental Governance Wales.

(5)Sending a copy of the report under subsection (4) is to be treated as a request by the Welsh Ministers to the Office of Environmental Governance Wales for advice under section 13 of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 (asc xx).

(2)In section 24 of the Environment Act—

(a)in subsection (1), before paragraph (a), insert—

(za)an evaluation report prepared under section 6A;;

(b)in subsection (3), after “subsection (1)”, insert “in relation to the documents mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b),”.