<akomaNtoso xmlns:uk="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/UK-AKN" xmlns:ukl="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0 http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/akn-core/v1.0/cos01/part2-specs/schemas/akomantoso30.xsd"><act name="asc"><meta><identification source="#"><FRBRWork><FRBRthis value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4"/><FRBRuri value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4"/><FRBRdate date="2026-04-27" name="enacted"/><FRBRauthor href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/legislature/WelshParliament"/><FRBRcountry value="GB-UKM"/><FRBRnumber value="4"/><FRBRname value="2026 c. 4"/><FRBRprescriptive value="true"/></FRBRWork><FRBRExpression><FRBRthis value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/2026-06-27"/><FRBRuri 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showAs="E+W"/><TLCTerm eId="term-compliance-notice" href="/ontology/term/uk.compliance-notice" showAs="compliance notice"/><TLCTerm eId="term-hysbysiad-cydymffurfio" href="/ontology/term/uk.hysbysiad-cydymffurfio" showAs="hysbysiad cydymffurfio"/><TLCTerm eId="term-effectiveness-of-environmental-law" href="/ontology/term/uk.effectiveness-of-environmental-law" showAs="effectiveness of environmental law"/><TLCTerm eId="term-effeithiolrwydd-cyfraith-amgylcheddol" href="/ontology/term/uk.effeithiolrwydd-cyfraith-amgylcheddol" showAs="effeithiolrwydd cyfraith amgylcheddol"/><TLCTerm eId="term-environment" href="/ontology/term/uk.environment" showAs="environment"/><TLCTerm eId="term-amgylchedd" href="/ontology/term/uk.amgylchedd" showAs="amgylchedd"/><TLCTerm eId="term-the-environment-act" href="/ontology/term/uk.the-environment-act" showAs="the Environment Act"/><TLCTerm eId="term-deddf-yr-amgylchedd" href="/ontology/term/uk.deddf-yr-amgylchedd" showAs="Deddf yr Amgylchedd"/><TLCTerm 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showAs="improvement plan"/><TLCTerm eId="term-cynllun-gwella" href="/ontology/term/uk.cynllun-gwella" showAs="cynllun gwella"/><TLCTerm eId="term-improvement-report" href="/ontology/term/uk.improvement-report" showAs="improvement report"/><TLCTerm eId="term-adroddiad-gwella" href="/ontology/term/uk.adroddiad-gwella" showAs="adroddiad gwella"/><TLCTerm eId="term-information-notice" href="/ontology/term/uk.information-notice" showAs="information notice"/><TLCTerm eId="term-hysbysiad-gwybodaeth" href="/ontology/term/uk.hysbysiad-gwybodaeth" showAs="hysbysiad gwybodaeth"/><TLCTerm eId="term-the-oegw" href="/ontology/term/uk.the-oegw" showAs="the OEGW"/><TLCTerm eId="term-sllac" href="/ontology/term/uk.sllac" showAs="SLlAC"/><TLCTerm eId="term-public-authority" href="/ontology/term/uk.public-authority" showAs="public authority"/><TLCTerm eId="term-awdurdod-cyhoeddus" href="/ontology/term/uk.awdurdod-cyhoeddus" showAs="awdurdod cyhoeddus"/><TLCTerm eId="term-urgent-compliance-notice" href="/ontology/term/uk.urgent-compliance-notice" showAs="urgent compliance notice"/><TLCTerm eId="term-hysbysiad-cydymffurfio-brys" href="/ontology/term/uk.hysbysiad-cydymffurfio-brys" showAs="hysbysiad cydymffurfio brys"/></references><notes source="#"><note ukl:Name="Commentary" ukl:Type="I" class="commentary I" eId="key-5ef18918d28ce71fc80d413af5744c6a" marker="I1"><p>S. 44  in force at 28.4.2026, see <ref eId="na0f256e0ed6e66cb" class="subref operative" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/1">s. 46(1)</ref></p></note></notes><proprietary xmlns:ukm="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/metadata" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" source="#"><dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/44</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><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></proprietary></meta><body eId="body"><part eId="part-4"><num>PART 4</num><heading>GENERAL</heading><section eId="section-44" uk:target="true"><num>44</num><heading>General interpretation</heading><intro><p>In this Act—</p></intro><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-compliance-notice" eId="term-compliance-notice">compliance notice</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-hysbysiad-cydymffurfio"><i>hysbysiad cydymffurfio</i></term>”) means a notice served under section 18;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-effectiveness-of-environmental-law" eId="term-effectiveness-of-environmental-law">effectiveness of environmental law</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-effeithiolrwydd-cyfraith-amgylcheddol"><i>effeithiolrwydd cyfraith amgylcheddol</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 33;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environment" eId="term-environment">environment</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-amgylchedd"><i>amgylchedd</i></term>”) means—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>air, water and land (including the earth’s crust),</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>plants, wild animals and other living organisms and their habitats, and</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(c)</num><content><p>the natural systems, cycles and processes through which the things in paragraphs (a) and (b) interact;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-the-environment-act" eId="term-the-environment-act">the Environment Act</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-deddf-yr-amgylchedd"><i>Deddf yr Amgylchedd</i></term>”) means the Environment (Wales) Act <ref eId="c00017" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/anaw/2016/3">2016 (anaw 3)</ref>;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environmental-law" eId="term-environmental-law">environmental law</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-cyfraith-amgylcheddol"><i>cyfraith amgylcheddol</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 31;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environmental-objective" eId="term-environmental-objective">environmental objective</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-amcan-amgylcheddol"><i>amcan amgylcheddol</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 1;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environmental-principles" eId="term-environmental-principles">environmental principles</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-egwyddorion-amgylcheddol"><i>egwyddorion amgylcheddol</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 2;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environmental-principles-and-integrating-environmental-protection-statement" eId="term-environmental-principles-and-integrating-environmental-protection-statement">environmental principles and integrating environmental protection statement</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-datganiad-o-egwyddorion-amgylcheddol-ac-integreiddio-diogelu’r-amgylchedd"><i>datganiad o egwyddorion amgylcheddol ac integreiddio diogelu’r amgylchedd</i></term>”) means a statement prepared and published under section‍ 7;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-environmental-protection" eId="term-environmental-protection">environmental protection</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-diogelu’r-amgylchedd"><i>diogelu’r amgylchedd</i></term>”) means—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>protection of the environment from the effects of human activity;</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>maintenance, restoration or enhancement of the environment;</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(c)</num><content><p>protection of people, in particular their health, from the effects of human activity on the environment;</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(d)</num><content><p>monitoring, assessing, considering, advising or reporting on anything in paragraphs (a) to (c);</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-failing-to-comply-with-environmental-law" eId="term-failing-to-comply-with-environmental-law">failing to comply with environmental law</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-methu-â-chydymffurfio-â-chyfraith-amgylcheddol"><i>methu â chydymffurfio â chyfraith amgylcheddol</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 34;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-improvement-plan" eId="term-improvement-plan">improvement plan</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-cynllun-gwella"><i>cynllun gwella</i></term>”) means a plan published under section 24;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-improvement-report" eId="term-improvement-report">improvement report</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-adroddiad-gwella"><i>adroddiad gwella</i></term>”) means a report published under section 22;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-information-notice" eId="term-information-notice">information notice</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-hysbysiad-gwybodaeth"><i>hysbysiad gwybodaeth</i></term>”) means a notice served under section 15;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-the-oegw" eId="term-the-oegw">the OEGW</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-sllac"><i>SLlAC</i></term>”) means the Office of Environmental Governance Wales established under section 8(1);</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-public-authority" eId="term-public-authority">public authority</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-awdurdod-cyhoeddus"><i>awdurdod cyhoeddus</i></term>”) has the meaning given—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>in relation to sections 5 and 6, by section 5(4);</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>in relation to Part 2, by section 32;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-urgent-compliance-notice" eId="term-urgent-compliance-notice">urgent compliance notice</term>” (“<term refersTo="#term-hysbysiad-cydymffurfio-brys"><i>hysbysiad cydymffurfio brys</i></term>”) has the meaning given by section 19(4).</p></content></hcontainer></section></part></body></act></akomaNtoso>