The new UK government is preparing a statutory plan for the natural environment focused on cleaning up waterways, planting trees, and halting species decline.
The government will review the environmental plan published by the previous ruling party last year in the next four months to reconsider how it can best meet national targets, it said on Tuesday.
“Nature is dying. Nature underpins everything – the economy, food, health and society – but we stand at a moment in history when nature needs us to defend it,” said Steve Reed, the secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, in a statement.
“Today we begin to chart a new course. Working with civil society, business, and local government, we will develop an ambitious programme to turn the tide and save nature,” said Reed.
The process will engage with stakeholders across the environment, farming, resources, waste and water sectors, local authorities, and civil society.
The review aims to provide the foundations to deliver on the targets of the country’s Environment Act 2021, while fulfilling the government’s manifesto promise to expand habitats such as wetlands, peat bogs, and forests.
Five priorities of the government are to:
- Clean up rivers, lakes, and seas
- Create a roadmap to move Britain to a zero-waste economy
- Boost food security
- Ensure nature’s recovery
- Protect communities from the flooding
The UK Labour party secured a resounding victory in the general election last month, with consequences for nature policy.
PROGRESS REPORT
The review announcement comes as the government publishes its annual progress report on the country’s Environmental Improvement Plan, over actions taken in the year up to the end of March.
The report considers what progress has been made towards the 10 goals of the plan, covering the improvement and deterioration of each area according to their indicators.
Source: UK government
Although nine of the goals showed some improvement, six indicated some deterioration.
For the apex target, goal one of thriving plants and wildlife, “the latest data show potential progress”, alongside some deterioration.
For goal one, interim targets include:
- Restore or create 140,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites by Jan. 31, 2028
- All sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) features to have an up-to-date condition assessment by 2028
- 50% of SSSI features to have actions on-track to achieve favourable condition by 2028
- Increase tree canopy and woodland cover by 0.26% of land area (equivalent to 34,000 has) by Jan. 31, 2028
- 48% of designated features in marine protected areas to be in favourable condition by Jan. 31, 2028, with the remainder in recovering condition
However, in goal seven the two indicators of GHG emissions from natural resources and consumption both showed improvements.
By Thomas Cox – t.cox@carbon-pulse.com
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