(1 day, 5 hours ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds)
Today I am laying the environmental improvement plan 2025 in Parliament. This sets out a road map for improving the natural environment. It explains how this Government will protect and restore our iconic places and wildlife, boost biodiversity, create a circular economy, protect environmental security and improve people’s access to nature. It is a prioritised, systems-based plan that is clear on what, how and who will deliver our environmental ambitions.
The EIP underlines our commitment to delivering the statutory Environment Act 2021 targets. It includes updated interim targets for the next five years that are ambitious and achievable. They span air quality, water, terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and resource efficiency and waste reduction.
To be transparent on the actions required to achieve each target, for the first time we are publishing Environment Act target delivery plans alongside the EIP. The EIP and the delivery plans will be delivered in collaboration with partners including Government Departments and bodies, local authorities, landowners, farmers, private companies, third sector organisations and community groups. These delivery plans will be refined over time as we work collaboratively to support, deliver and monitor the impacts of actions.
Laying the EIP in Parliament and publishing it concludes the statutory review of EIP23. In producing this plan, we have reviewed and improved upon EIP23. In particular, our revised plan:
prioritises actions, moving to a clear framework that sets out how objectives and actions “stack up” to contribute to our environmental outcomes;
sets out who is responsible for delivering actions, across Government and wider society;
provides delivery plans for the Environment Act targets, alongside the EIP;
and includes a clearer framework for monitoring and evaluating progress to improve transparency.
The EIP includes a summary of the EIP review and how this revision responds to it.
This Government have already made significant progress in protecting nature. The EIP will drive forward this momentum and sets out how the Government will, for example:
Restore nature, with stronger interim targets to restore or create a total of 250,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites by December 2030, in line with the Government manifesto. Action will be backed by £500 million for landscape recovery alongside funding for tree planting and peatland restoration. This follows announcement of two new national forests backed by £1 billion investment.
Reduce harmful pollutants in the air with revised interim targets to reduce exposure to PM2.5 particles by nearly a third by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. We will consult on new measures to cut emissions from domestic combustion.
Tackle forever chemicals that can harm people and pollute air, land and water. A new PFAS plan will set out how sources, pathways and exposure to forever chemicals will be addressed.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure resilience of the natural environment to climate change with at least £85 million invested in improving and restoring our peatlands and £1 billion in tree planting.
Take tougher measures on waste crime with stronger penalties to ensure that only the right people transport and manage waste and a digital waste tracking service to modernise record keeping, to tackle waste fraud.
Improve access to nature by completing the King Charles III England coast path next year and publishing a Green Paper on measures to ensure everyone has access to nature close to home.
Our revised plan provides the clarity and detail needed to manage competing pressures on our limited land and water, integrating environmental action with our plan for change to grow the economy, build homes, boost food security and meet climate targets.
Achieving our environmental ambitions requires collective action from individuals, communities, and organisations across all sectors. We look forward to working in partnership to achieve them.
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