Government Releases Environment Bill Factsheets

The UK government has released the Environment Bill after it passed through parliament last month. The seven parts covered in the Bill include environmental governance, waste and resource efficiency, air quality, water and nature, and conservation covenants.

The Bill will bring into UK law environmental protections and recovery, with the government promising to put the environment at the centre of policy making.

The Bill sets out the framework for statutory monitoring, planning and reporting – to drive short term progress using a “triple lock” system:

1. The government must have an Environmental Improvement Plan, setting out the steps it intends to take to improve the environment and review it at least every five years.
2. The government must report on progress towards achieving targets every year.
3. The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will hold the government to account on progress towards achieving targets and every year can recommend how it can make better progress, to which government must respond.

The Bill will embed five internationally recognised environmental principles in government policy-making so that these are factored in to policy development in a clear and evidence-based manner.

These principles include:-

Environmental targets

• Long-term, legally binding targets of a minimum of 15 years to cover a wide range of the natural environment.
• On target required in the four priority areas: air quality, biodiversity, water and waste reduction and resource efficiency.
• Targets set following a robust, evidence-led process with a requirement to see independent expert advice and include roles for stakeholders and the public.
• The statutory instruments for the first set of targets must be brought forward by 31 October 2022 at the latest.

Environmental improvement plans (EIPs)

• The government will set interim targets for each five-year period and lay out the steps it intends to take to improve the natural environment.

Environmental principles

• Environmental principles embedded into domestic law will promote policy-making that seeks to prevent or minimise environmental damage.

UK environmental protections

• The government will be open and transparent about the impacts of future primary legislation on environmental protections.

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)

• A public body will be established with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and the improvement of the natural environment.
• It will provide the necessary legal authority to implement long-term environmental governance.

The policy paper stated “The UK should not bind itself to the legislative systems of the past and those of the Union it is leaving. This government wants to go further and be better on environmental protection and has no intention of lowering our already high standards.”

The information and regulations that will be actioned as a result of the Bill will be one of the key vehicles for delivering the vision set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Some of the measures will be subject to further consultations, expected later in 2020, particularly in relation to “a new direction” for waste and resource management. When this will be seen is currently uncertain as the bill has been suspended due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Acceptance on written evidence is still being accepted but committee approval will be delayed until a new timetable has been drawn up and the committee and go forward and present to parliament.

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