Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the country’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions minimises damage to ecosystems.

This Government knows that there is no route to tackling climate change that does not involve nature, and no pathway to nature recovery that does not consider climate change. This is why are committed to ensuring that the UK’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions supports, rather than harms, ecosystems.

Nature recovery and preserving our ecosystems are an essential part of the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. As we unblock barriers to the deployment of clean power projects, we are committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, nature recovery is incorporated in development stages and that innovative techniques can be used to encourage nature recovery.

Nature-based solutions which deliver for both climate and nature, such as tree planting and peatland restoration, are an essential part of the story. Later this year, the Government will set out our climate and nature priorities and policies in several key documents including an updated plan covering the policies and proposals which will deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and a revised Environmental Improvement Plan.