Wildlife and Countryside Link welcomes Government review of Environmental Improvement Plan

30 July 2024

• Defra is a "mission critical" department for Government, with the future of the economy, public health, social equality and climate action all depending on halting nature's decline by 2030
• Office for Environmental Protection found that the last Government was set to miss its nature targets
• Aspirations of the plan must now be turned into an action plan

The Government’s review of the Environmental Improvement Plan, has been welcomed by Wildlife and Countryside Link, though the green group cautions that the challenge now lies in turning the plan into effective action for nature.

With healthy nature being the foundation of climate action, strong public health, climate action and social equality, Defra must be seen as a ‘mission critical’ department for Government.

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:

“The official nature watchdog found that the last government was set to miss its nature targets, so we are delighted that the Government will review and strengthen the Environmental Improvement Plan. Nature’s health has ramifications for so much of society, so if we get it right this will be more than an Environmental Improvement Plan. It will be an Economic Improvement Plan, a Health Improvement Plan, and a Climate Improvement Plan.”

“The challenge is to turn a lengthy list of aspirations into an action plan fit to reverse decades of decline in nature. The agriculture, water, and development sectors all need rapid transformation. Reviving threatened species populations and protecting 30% of the land and sea for nature will require cross-government commitment, backed by greater investment and tough regulation to root out polluters.”

Wildlife and Countryside Link is calling for the following improvements to be made to the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP):

1. The Government should set out cross-Departmental delivery framework, with clear timelines and accountability for implementation of key actions.
2. It should scale up and speed up delivery of priority actions, including:
   1. Scaling up investment in nature, with a £1bn annual Wild Isles Fund
   2. Scaling up nature-friendly farming, with higher standards and incentives
   3. Speeding up private sector investment, with corporate “polluter pays” plans
   4. Speeding up action for access to nature, focusing on nature-deprived areas.
3. The Government should publish evidence of how actions in the plan add up to delivery of the Environment Act targets.

Key targets for thriving plants and wildlife. Relevant Environment Act targets, binding in law:

1. To halt the decline in species abundance by 2030.
2. To ensure that species abundance in 2042 is greater than in 2022, and at least 10% greater than 2030.
3. Improve the Red List Index of endangered species by 2042.
4. To restore or create in excess of 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042, compared to 2022 levels.
5. That 70% of the designated features in Marine Protected Areas to be in favourable condition by 2042, with the remainder in recovering condition.

Banner image: John Bridges