Concise Minutes - Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 3 Senedd and video

Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Thursday, 18 September 2025

Meeting time: 09.30 - 14.00
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15604

Hybrid

------

Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Llyr Gruffydd MS (Chair) Janet Finch-Saunders MS Delyth Jewell MS Julie Morgan MS Carolyn Thomas MS Joyce Watson MS
Witnesses:	Jean-Francois Dulong, Welsh Local Government Association Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Dorian Brunt, Welsh Government Naomi Matthiessen, Welsh Government Joel Scoberg-Evans, Welsh Government Alice Teague, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Marc Wyn Jones (Clerk) Elizabeth Wilkinson (Second Clerk) Lukas Evans Santos (Deputy Clerk) Katie Wyatt (Legal Adviser) Gruffydd Owen (Legal Adviser) Katy Orford (Researcher) Matthew Sutton (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Welsh Local Government Association

2.1 The Committee received evidence from a representative of the Welsh Local Government Association.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs

3.1 The Committee received evidence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs and his officials.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Papers to note

4.1 The papers were noted.

4.2 Delyth Jewell MS drew Members attention to correspondence received by the Committee from Coal Action Network. Members will consider the next steps.

</AI4>

<AI5>

4.1 Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill

</AI5>

<AI6>

4.2 Bus Services (Wales) Bill

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.3 Deposit Return Scheme

</AI7>

<AI8>

4.4 Licensing of new coal mines

</AI8>

<AI9>

4.5 Restoration of opencast mining sites

</AI9>

<AI10>

4.6 Legislative Consent: Planning and Infrastructure Bill

</AI10>

<AI11>

4.7 Renewable energy developments in Wales

</AI11>

<AI12>

5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) and (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting

5.1 The motion was agreed.

</AI12>

<AI13>

6 Consideration of key issues arising from Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill

6.1 The Committee considered the key issues paper and agreed conclusions and recommendations.

</AI13>

<AI14>

7 Consideration of the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum No.3 and No.4 on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

7.1 Members considered the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum No.3 and No.4 on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

</AI14>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2. FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1 FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2 FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>