(Secretary of
State): Today, I am introducing the Environment Bill into
the House of Commons, which will play a crucial role in delivering
on the Government’s goal that this will be the first generation to
leave our environment in a better state than we found it.
The case for tackling biodiversity loss and climate change is
clear. The accelerating impact of climate change in this country,
and around the world, is of profound public concern, as is the
damage to nature with species loss, habitat erosion and the
disappearance of cherished wildlife.
The Environment Bill, building on the vision set out in the 25
Year Environment Plan, will help to manage the impact of human
activity on the environment, create a more sustainable economy,
and enhance well-being and quality of life.
A key aim of the Bill is to engage and empower citizens, local
government and businesses to deliver environmental outcomes and
create a positive legacy for future generations. It will also
support recent legislation on reaching net-zero carbon emissions
by 2050 by reducing waste, improving air and water quality, and
restoring habitats to allow plants and wildlife to thrive.
The Bill will transform our environmental governance by creating
a new, world-leading system tailored to a UK context once we
leave the EU. It will introduce new statutory cycle of
monitoring, planning and reporting on the environment, coupled
with a framework to set long-term legally binding targets, on
biodiversity, air quality, waste and resource efficiency, and
water. This will deliver significant environmental improvement
and ensure that the Government can be held to account for its
actions.
This new framework will ensure that environmental principles are
embedded in Government decision-making and policy development.
A new public body – the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)
– will act as an independent watchdog. The OEP will provide
scrutiny and advice, and enforce the delivery of environmental
law (including on climate) by public authorities where necessary.
Together, these measures form a robust framework which will
maintain and enhance our environmental standards as we leave the
EU. They will enable the UK to take a global lead on
environmental concerns such as nature recovery and the protection
of biodiversity.
The Environment Bill takes action to address some of the biggest
environmental priorities of our age: air quality, nature
recovery, waste and resource efficiency, and water resource
management. For example, mandatory biodiversity net gain
principles will ensure that new developments enhance biodiversity
in conjunction with Local Nature Recovery Strategies which will
help restore wildlife rich habitats to enable ecosystems to
recover and thrive.
The Bill strengthens the ability for local authorities to tackle
air quality issues. It will also require Government to set a
legally-binding target for the pollutant with the most
significant impact on human health, fine particulate matter. The
Bill improves water company planning for future water supply and
wastewater and drainage networks, enabling more resilient
solutions to drought and flooding in a changing climate.
Extended Producer Responsibility and powers to set resource
efficiency standards will drive a shift in the market towards
products that can be more easily recycled, re-used and repaired.
This, and other measures in the Bill, will play a significant
part in addressing public concern about plastics waste and
pollution.
This Environment Bill is a landmark commitment to protecting and
improving the environment for future generations. It grasps
opportunities created from leaving the European Union and I hope
that it will deliver a step-change in environmental protection
and recovery.
