Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024

3 Target-setting process

(1) Before making regulations under section 1 or 2, the Welsh Ministers must—

(a) seek advice from persons they consider to be independent and to have relevant expertise, and

(b) have regard to scientific knowledge on air pollution.

(2) Before making regulations under section 1 or 2 which set or amend a target in respect of a particular pollutant, the Welsh Ministers must have regard to any guidelines for that pollutant published by the World Health Organisation in its most recent global air quality guidelines.

(3) Before making regulations under section 1 or 2 which set or amend a target, the Welsh Ministers must be satisfied that the target or amended target can be met.

(4) The Welsh Ministers may not make regulations under section 1 or 2 which revoke or lower a target (the “existing target”) unless they are satisfied that—

(a) meeting the existing target would have no significant benefit compared with not meeting it or with meeting a lower target, or

(b) because of changes in circumstances since the existing target was set or last amended, the environmental, social, economic or other costs of meeting it would be disproportionate to the benefits.

(5) Before making regulations under section 1 or 2 which revoke or lower a target, the Welsh Ministers must lay before Senedd Cymru, and publish, a statement explaining why the Welsh Ministers are satisfied as mentioned in subsection (4).

(6) Regulations lower a target if, to any extent, they—

(a) replace the specified standard with a lower standard, or

(b) replace the specified date with a later date.

(7) Regulations under section 1 may not revoke the air quality target that has been set to comply with subsection (2) of that section (but may amend it in accordance with this section).

(8) Regulations under section 2 may not revoke a PM2.5 air quality target (but may amend it in accordance with this section).

(9) For the purposes of this Chapter, a target is met if the specified standard is achieved by the specified date.

(10) The Welsh Ministers must lay a draft of a statutory instrument containing the regulations required by section 1(2) before Senedd Cymru before the end of the period of 6 years beginning with the date on which this Act receives Royal Assent.

(11) The Welsh Ministers must lay a draft of a statutory instrument containing regulations setting a PM2.5 air quality target before Senedd Cymru before the end of the period of 3 years beginning with the date on which this Act receives Royal Assent.