The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2025

Made: 29 July 2025

The Welsh Ministers make the following Order in exercise of the power contained in section 30(3) of the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024[^f00001].

Title and interpretation

1

• (1) The title of this Order is the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2025.

• (2) In this Order, “the Act” means the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024.

Provisions coming into force on 31 July 2025

2

The following provisions of the Act come into force on 31 July 2025—

• (a) section 16 (local authority air quality reviews);

• (b) section 17 (action plans in relation to air quality management areas);

• (c) section 18 (Welsh Ministers’ powers of direction);

• (d) section 19 (regulation of smoke and fuel in smoke control areas);

• (e) section 20 (guidance for local authorities in relation to smoke control areas);

• (f) section 21 (further provision relating to smoke control);

• (g) Schedule 1 (smoke control).

Signed

Huw Irranca-Davies — Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, one of the Welsh Ministers — 29 July 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Order is the second commencement order made by the Welsh Ministers under the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024 (“the Act”).

Article 2 of this Order brings a number of provisions regarding local authority air quality reviews and smoke control into force on 31 July 2025, namely, sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Act.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2024 asc 2.