Purpose of the Body
4.—(1) The purpose of the Body is to ensure that the environment and natural resources of Wales are—
(a)sustainably maintained;
(b)sustainably enhanced; and
(c)sustainably used.
(2) In this article—
(a)“sustainably” (“yn gynaliadwy”) means—
(i)with a view to benefitting, and
(ii)in a manner designed to benefit,
the people, environment and economy of Wales in the present and in the future;
(b)“environment” (“amgylchedd”) includes, without limitation, living organisms and ecosystems.
(3) Wherever the Body exercises any function in relation to, or that affects, the Welsh zone (as defined in section 158(1) of the Government of Wales Act 2006(1)), both the references to “Wales” in paragraph (1) are to be interpreted as including references to the Welsh zone.
(4) Wherever the Body exercises a function in relation to, or in a manner that affects, any other area outside Wales, both the references to “Wales” in paragraph (1) are to be interpreted as including references to the area in question.
(5) Paragraph (1) does not give the Body power to—
(a)do anything that it would not otherwise have the power to do, or
(b)exercise any of its functions in a manner contrary to the provisions of any other enactment or any EU obligation(2).
2006 c. 32 (section 158(1)). The definition of the “Welsh zone” was inserted by section 43(2) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23).
“EU obligation” is defined in Schedule 1 to the European Communities Act 1972 (c. 68), as amended by the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c. 7; see section 3 and the Schedule). This definition applies to other legislation by virtue of section 5 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30).