DELIVERING LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS THROUGH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY Wales Key Message The implementation of the West Wales and the Valleys Operational Programme (OP) is a good example of how to achieve
benefits for regional and local economic development through investment in the natural environment, without dedicating
direct funding to it. The OP features strong implementation arrangements, especially regarding the Programme promo-
tion, the project selection practices and the integration of cross-sectoral principles that can be considered by other EU Cohesion Policy Programmes.
Area of focus Programme implementation arrangements; green infrastructure; delivery of benefits to disadvantaged groups; improving community sense of ownership for biodiversity and the natural environment on its ‘doorstep’.
Type, size and source of funding West Wales and the Valleys is one of two Convergence regions in the UK. It has been allocated a total of €2.2 billion in
Cohesion Policy funding for the 2007-2013 period. The EU contribution is divided into €1.3 billion from the ERDF and €887
million from the ESF. Approximately 18% of the ERDF co-funding was allocated to Priority 4 ‘Creating an attractive business environment’ of which over €75 million have been invested in the Theme 3 ‘Environment for Growth (E4G)’. Although
no direct funding was allocated to code 51 ‘Promotion of biodiversity and nature protection’, other codes related to nature
protection are represented in the budget allocation: 55 ‘Promotion of natural assets’ (€23 million), 56 ‘Protection and development of natural heritage’ (€53 million), and 61 ‘Integrated projects for urban and rural regeneration’ (€171million).
Programme background The importance of a healthy environment to a robust and sustainable economy, and the economic benefits of maintaining a PART .04
high quality environment have long been recognised in government strategies and policy documents in Wales. The Welsh
Government acknowledges the role of biodiversity and nature in the new Natural Environment Framework ‘Sustaining a
Living Wales’ (2012) which proposes an ecosystem approach to managing Wales’ natural resources. The ‘Green Jobs
Strategy for Wales’ (2009) Priority 3 ‘Investing in a more sustainable economy’ is also of particular relevance for biodiversity. Both these strategies have the ambitious objective of a better quality of life and future prospects for the people of Wales through sustainable development, combining economic growth, social cohesion and environmental resilience.
The Programme As a Convergence region, Cohesion Policy funding for West Wales and the Valleys represents a significant investment in
the development of the area. The managing authority is the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO), a governmental institution created specifically for the management of EU-funded Programmes throughout Wales. The ‘Environment for Growth’
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