The government’s landmark legislation to transform the environment has returned to Parliament after a pause due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Environment Bill sets out a comprehensive and world-leading vision to “allow our environment to prosper for future generations and ensure that we maintain and enhance our environmental protections”.

A key vehicle for delivering the vision set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Bill will enhance wildlife, tackle air pollution, transform how resources and waste are managed, and improve the resilience of water supplies in a changing climate to ensure the natural environment is protected and restored.

Welcoming the Environment Bill back to Parliament, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

“Protecting and enhancing our environment is a priority for this Government, especially as we strive to build back greener from the coronavirus pandemic. The Environment Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation for a generation, and it’s essential that we complete its passage into law as soon as possible so that we can continue our work to transform society and improve our air, water and nature.”

Legally binding targets will be introduced for air quality, nature, water and resource and waste efficiency, and a new, independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will be created to hold government and public bodies to account for their environmental credentials.

The Office’s enforcement powers will cover all climate change legislation and hold the government to account on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The Environment Bill will:

• ensure the environment is at the heart of all government policy making and that both this government and future governments are held to account if they fail to uphold their environmental duties, including meeting net-zero by 2050 and new long-term legally binding targets on biodiversity, air quality, water, and resource and waste efficiency;
• improve air quality – by requiring a legally-binding target to reduce concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the pollutant of most concern for human health, and by increasing local powers to address sources of air pollution;
• restore and enhance nature – through ‘biodiversity net gain’, ensuring new development enhances nature, helping to deliver thriving natural spaces for local communities;
• transform the way waste is managed – through powers to ensure that producers take responsibility for the waste they create, introducing a consistent approach to recycling, including food waste, tackling waste crime, introducing deposit return schemes and more effective litter enforcement. Powers to introduce new charges will minimise the use and impacts of single use plastics, and the export of plastic waste to developing countries will also be banned; and
• protect precious water resources – by increasing sustainable water management through securing long-term, resilient water and wastewater services in the face of a changing climate. Powers to direct water companies to work together to meet current and future demand for water will make planning more robust.

Ahead of the Environment Bill’s return, a number of amendments have been tabled by the government for consideration. These clarify how the OEP should exercise its enforcement powers so as to leave no doubt about its thresholds for action, and to protect its confidence and ability to focus on the most serious cases whilst maintaining its crucial independence.

Following the Bill’s completion of Committee Stage, it will be further scrutinised by the whole House of Commons at Report Stage and Third Reading, after which it will move to the House of Lords for further debate and scrutiny.