Next parliamentary session vital to advance climate and environmental objectives

Ahead of State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday 11 May, the Aldersgate Group calls on Government to place the Environment Bill at the top of its legislative programme. Nick Molho, Executive Director at the Aldersgate Group said: “The Environment Bill must return to Parliament at pace to ensure that the UK establishes an ambitious environmental governance regime which will help reverse the decline of the natural environment. The Bill itself should also be strengthened through the introduction of binding interim targets that ensure continuous action to improve nature, the inclusion of an overarching target which helps guide long-term targets, and guarantees to safeguard the Office for Environmental Protection’s independence.”

Nick Molho added: “Climate and environmental objectives should also be embedded in the Government’s levelling up agenda to ensure that areas such as planning and public procurement contribute towards the UK’s ambitious targets. Incorporating these issues as a core part of the Government’s legislative agenda will help boost economic opportunities across the country and create jobs.”

Nick Molho concluded: “A clear funding strategy from Treasury and a policy programme focused on delivering the UK’s net zero target must also be priorities in the forthcoming parliamentary session. The highly anticipated net zero strategy needs to set out a detailed cross-sector plan across all government departments of what measures will be required in the near future. It must provide a sector-by-sector analysis and ensure that the Government’s economic and industrial policy, as well as its infrastructure spending decisions, are all fully aligned with this target.”