Legally binding targets mark significant milestone for the environment

Reacting to the publication today of the Environment Bill, Sarah Williams, Public Affairs Manager at the Aldersgate Group said: “It is a lack of clarity about the future which deters business investment. This is why businesses have backed the introduction of an ambitious and robust environmental governance framework that includes a comprehensive range of legally binding environmental improvement targets to support investment in the natural environment over the long term. The inclusion of a process to set such targets in the Environment Bill is hugely welcome. Business and civil society look forward to continuing to work with government to develop these targets and ensure they drive immediate action.”

Sarah Williams added: “It is great to see the progress that has been made in many areas of the Bill – importantly the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has improved enforcement powers and will now be able to enforce all climate change legislation. It also includes many enabling powers that will drive delivery, such as the ability to set resource efficiency requirements for products and roll out Extended Producer Responsibility schemes. When developed these will allow the UK to capitalise on the real opportunity to achieve greater resource efficiency in product design.”

Sarah Williams concluded: “Work is still required to strengthen parts of the Bill – for instance, the OEP must be set up in a way that ensures its independence, with at the very least a pre-appointment hearing being held for its chair. We will also need to make sure that environmental principles continue to be robustly applied across government decision-making.”