Policy paper

Environmental Improvement Plan: annual progress report 2023 to 2024

Published 30 July 2024

Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 9 of the Environment Act 2021

© Crown copyright 2024

ISBN 978-1-5286-5118-9

Introduction

In 2023 the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23) was published, in accordance with the Environment Act 2021, as a revision of the 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP) published in 2018. This annual progress report covers April 2023 to March 2024.

EIP23 is set out in 10 goals. Each goal has specific targets and commitments described in the EIP23 that contribute to the goal outcome, including the legally binding targets set under the Environment Act 2021. The annual progress report is set out under these goals. Further information on progress towards the targets can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex, which forms part of the annual progress report.

How data is used in this annual progress report

Commenting on environmental improvement

Section 9 of the Environment Act 2021 requires that annual progress reports:

• describe what has been done, in the period to which the report relates, to implement the Environmental Improvement Plan
• consider, having regard to any data obtained, whether the natural environment has, or particular aspects of it have, improved during that period
• consider the progress that has been made towards achieving any legally binding targets or interim targets set under the Environment Act

Scope of the data

Different data sets are provided in this annual progress report to understand if the environment is improving and to report on individual goals or targets. The main data sources are the Outcome Indicator Framework (OIF) and data from additional monitoring activities against the individual Environment Act 2021 targets. The OIF is a set of indicators describing environmental change relating to EIP23. 

Updates and information on monitoring progress for the legally binding Environment Act targets are provided in the accompanying annex.

Commentary on environmental improvement relating to individual EIP goals is supported by the OIF and evidence around supporting policies.

Reporting on progress towards Environment Act targets: availability of data

Outcome based metrics towards targets are being developed, however, data availability can mean it is difficult to comment on progress for various reasons listed below.

Data provided in annual progress reports will not always reflect the previous calendar year due to different data reporting cycles. For example, data released in 2023 could have been recorded in 2021. This therefore impacts the ability to comment on whether the natural environment has improved over the previous year. This is generally due to timing impacts of quality assurance processes necessary to produce datasets which support reliable analysis of high statistical quality. There may be diverse environmental factors which impact the duration of time needed for data collection (such as weather constraints or seasonality of survey periods). In some instances, it may also be the case that a target is so recently established there is not yet sufficient data to reliably identify a trend at this point.

Quality assurance processes can take time due to the wide range of partners Defra receives its data from. These range from volunteer organisations to its arm’s length bodies. Each organisation has stringent quality assurance processes and once received, data are often assured collectively again by Defra.

Environmental factors can result in much longer delays to reporting, meaning data points will not be updated for up to 5 years for some areas. Examples of environmental factors include:

• needing to gather a full year of data to average across seasons
• waiting for multiple years of data to account for breeding cycles, where only after multiple generations of species arise can population-level effects be understood with certainty

More frequent monitoring is therefore unlikely to be appropriate in such instances as the environment is complex and therefore it takes time for clear trends to emerge.

Examples of assurance processes and environmental factors are provided in the targets monitoring annex. 

Reporting on the natural environment: data on EIP23 goals

Figure 1 summarises the short-term assessment of progress against the 66 indicators in the OIF. These have been grouped together by EIP23 goal. Short-term assessments consider 5 years of environmental change. This allows for lags in data and enables greater certainty in understanding environmental trends beyond normal fluctuations between years.

Figure 1: High level view of short-term progress towards the 10 goals, based on OIF indicators

Proportion of indicator components relevant to each goal which are improving, show little or no change, deteriorating or have not yet been assessed. The legend follows the same order as the stacks in the bars.

This stacked bar chart shows the percentage of indicator components within each goal area that have been assessed as improving, showing little or no change, deteriorating or have not yet been assessed against the stated goal. For example, all of the indicators for goal 7 have shown an improvement in short-term assessments. There has been a reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases from natural resources in England (indicator A2) and a reduction in consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions in England (indicator J1).

Overall, there have been improvements in aspects of the natural environment in 9 of the goals, as demonstrated by available data. There has been deterioration in other aspects of the environment in 6 of the goals. For the apex goal of ‘thriving plants and wildlife’ there is a legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and the latest data show potential progress towards this.

There are a number of indicators for which there is not yet a long enough time series to make an assessment. These are categorised as ‘not assessed’. For example, there are 3 indicators published against goal 8, all of which cannot yet allow for a robust assessment of overall trends.

The methodology for these assessments is detailed in the OIF dashboard. Not all 5-year periods cover the same years as data become available at different times for different indicators. For example, the D4i indicator on relative abundance of species in England spans from 1970 to 2022, whereas D2a on the extent of protected sites in England covers 2005 to 2023. The most recent data have been used for each individual indicator. All assessments are refreshed annually to ensure the latest available data are captured. 

Apex goal: Thriving plants and wildlife

England’s wildlife is facing significant pressures – habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species have created steep declines.

There are 6 legally binding Environment Act targets and 5 interim targets associated with the apex goal of ‘thriving plants and wildlife’. More information on these can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Key activities over the past year

Habitats and species

The Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes pay farmers and land managers to deliver outcomes for the climate and environment, alongside food production. In January 2024, an update to the Agricultural Transition Plan was published, which outlined the actions that will be part of the ELM schemes.

Thirty-four projects in the second round of Landscape Recovery were announced in May 2023. This round will involve over 700 farmers and land managers working with their communities to support over 200,000 hectares across England.

In 2023 Natural England declared the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve (NNR). This is part of the new King’s Series of 25 NNRs which drive nature recovery while connecting people with nature.

In January 2024, over 800 new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and 6,600 Mid-Tier agreements started.

In February 2024, the Pebblebed Heaths NNR extension brought together the existing 1,159 hectares NNR, a nationally important lowland heathland, with 90 hectares of wetland at the Otter Estuary. The inter-tidal habitat created as part of the Lower Otter Restoration Project supports climate change adaptation by reconnecting the river with its floodplain. Following a breach of an embankment in September 2023, the land is tidal for the first time in 200 years.

In June 2023, West Penwith Moors and Downs (Halow ha Gonyow Pennwydh West) in Cornwall was confirmed as the latest SSSI by the Natural England Board. The confirmation means that 3,044 hectares of nature rich habitat is protected.

In June 2023, 48 local authorities were appointed as the ‘responsible authority’ to lead the preparation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for their area.

A 12-week consultation on protecting agricultural hedgerows in England was held between 28 June and 20 September 2023. This received 8,841 responses and shaped legislation, which was subsequently made in the 2024 to 2025 reporting year.

Six new landscape-scale nature recovery projects were launched in July 2023 by Natural England and Defra.

Natural England announced in September 2023 that 63 projects across the country have been awarded a share of £14.5 million. This will be used to help recover 150 species nationwide through its Species Recovery Programme.

In March 2024, 20 projects were awarded a share of £25 million from the Species Survival Fund.

In November 2023, a new plan to recover England’s temperate rainforests was published.

In December 2023, the draft 30by30 criteria were published. This publication sets out how land in England can contribute towards an international commitment to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030. An indicative map was also published.

The Environment Act 2021 introduced a strengthened ‘biodiversity duty’. Public authorities who operate in England must consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity in England. Public authorities were required to complete their first consideration of what action to take for biodiversity by 1 January 2024 and then agree policies and objectives to deliver this action as soon as practicable.

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduced a strengthened duty on relevant authorities who must now ‘seek to further’ the purposes of Protected Landscapes.

Since February 2024, developers in England are required to deliver 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for most new developments unless exempt.

Trees and woodlands

In November 2023, £16 million of funding was announced to support new forest research projects to help secure healthy and resilient woodlands, protect woodlands and plant more trees in the long term.

In January 2024, as part of an update to the Agricultural Transition Plan, actions to support in-field agroforestry across various tree densities were announced for introduction throughout 2024.

Countryside Stewardship is supporting the restoration and maintenance of planted ancient woodland sites and greater access to woodland sites for the public.

In February 2024, a grant funding competition was launched to create a new Forest for the Nation. Organisations from across England were invited to put forward their local areas to become the new Forest for the Nation. The competition offered to support the final winning bid with up to £10 million to fund their project with mentorship from the National Forest Company throughout the initial Forest for the Nation implementation period.

In March 2024, further uplifts in England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) payments were announced to offer farmers and land managers more targeted tree-planting incentives. Alongside this, a new Woodland Creation Fast Track initiative was launched to speed up tree planting rates.

Marine and coastal environments

In March 2024, a new byelaw protecting features in an area of almost 4,000 square kilometres of the sea from damaging fishing activity was introduced. The byelaw prohibits the use of bottom towed gear in specific areas within 13 English offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that contain valuable reef and rocky habitats.

In July 2023, the first 3 Highly Protected Marine Areas were designated. Allonby Bay, North-East of Farnes Deep and Dolphin Head were announced as having received the highest level of protection for marine habitats and species.

Global environment

In December 2022, the UK helped secure a new global deal for nature at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Parties (COP)15. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) has a mission to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss by 2030. The UK has continued to progress implementation of the GBF over the last year.

The UK worked with partners to secure a commitment from G7 and G20 Leaders in 2023 for countries to:

• fully implement the GBF
• publish their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
• mobilise nature finance

In June 2023, the UK and France launched the independent International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits to help shape and scale-up the development of high-integrity biodiversity credits markets.

The UK pledged a financial contribution to the new GBF Fund, contributing £10 million to help launch the fund.

The UK is the chair of the Global Ocean Alliance which is supporting its members to implement the GBF for the ocean and continuing to advocate for ocean action.

The UK played a role in the negotiations on the new UN agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the ‘BBNJ agreement’ - which was adopted in June 2023. The agreement will mean greater protection for the two-thirds of the global ocean that lies beyond national jurisdiction. The agreement was laid before Parliament for scrutiny in October 2023.

The UK government continued to provide support to developing countries to deliver on global nature commitments through the Official Development Assistance programmes. This included:

• launching the second call for proposals for the new Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate to support research and development that can generate evidence and unlock new approaches to addressing biodiversity and climate challenges simultaneously
• committing a further £12.5 million at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the World Bank’s PROBLUE programme, supporting the mobilisation of blue finance towards sustainable ocean sectors and activities in developing countries
• implementing a range of programmes to protect and restore ecosystems including the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund and Blue Planet Fund
• increasing its contributions to the Climate Promise by a further £3 million, enabling the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support developing countries to increase their climate ambition, and implement their commitments to meet the Paris Agreement goal through the use of forests, land and nature
• the £6 million Environment Pollution Programme (running to 2025), which is working with delivery partners on projects that consist of applied research and development with outcomes for nature, climate and people
• completing nature-related risk stress-testing with 5 Central Banks in Ghana, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda and Zambia through the Nature Positive Economy Programme
• supporting work to repurpose environmentally harmful subsidies in 8 developing countries

Improving environmental quality

A healthy environment is essential to restore nature. The following EIP23 goals are critical to improve the quality of our environment:

• Goal 2: Clean air
• Goal 3: Clean and plentiful water
• Goal 4: Managing exposure to chemicals

There are 6 legally binding Environment Act targets and 9 interim targets in the ‘improving environmental quality’ theme. More information can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

As well as the Environment Act 2021 legally binding and interim targets, the ‘clean air’ goal comprises 5 emission reduction targets, set in the National Emissions Ceilings Regulations 2018. The legal emission reduction targets for damaging pollutants by 2030 relative to 2005 levels are to reduce emissions of:

• nitrogen oxides by 73%
• sulphur dioxide by 88%
• PM2.5 by 46%
• ammonia by 16%
• non-methane volatile organic compounds by 39%

Key activities over the past year

Clean air

The Air Quality Strategy was published in April 2023. The Air Quality Strategy makes clear that local authorities are key delivery partners in reaching legal limits and targets for air pollutants.

In July 2023, the first progress update with respect to the Environment Act 2021 PM2.5 targets was published, alongside detail about how the targets were calculated. This met a key requirement of the Environment Act Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) 2023 Targets legislation.

The outdoor burning best practice guidance was published in November 2023 to support people to make the most positive choices for themselves regarding air quality and steps to mitigate their own exposure.

Awareness was raised about the impact of domestic burning on air quality and health through the ‘Burn Better, Breathe Better’, communications campaign in March 2023.

£2 million of grant funding was provided for the Small Business Research Initiative in April 2023 for innovative approaches to reducing pollution resulting from domestic burning, or agricultural practices including anaerobic digestion. Grant funding and advice have been provided to help farmers manage slurry better and reduce water pollution also help farmers to reduce ammonia emissions.

Roll-out of UK BAT (Best Available Techniques) continued. Industrial installations with specific types of activity must use BAT to prevent and reduce emissions to air, water, and land.

To meet the requirements of the new target Environment Act (Fine Particulate Matter) regulations and ensure the targets are monitored effectively, an expansion of the PM2.5 monitoring network is being undertaken.

Clean and plentiful water

In April 2023 the Plan for Water was published.

In September 2023, a National Policy Statement on water resources was launched.

In June 2023, companies announced accelerated investment of £350 million for water resilience schemes, including smart water meters.

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) is supporting water companies to deliver new supplies in their Water Resources Management Plans. Seventeen schemes are progressing.

Funding was announced to support water efficiency measures, including the set-up of a water credit market and retrofits, nature-based solutions and piloting agricultural water resources management plans to enable development in Cambridge.

It was announced that over 140 wastewater treatment works must be upgraded by water companies to meet nutrient removal standards in designated areas particularly affected by nutrient pollution – particularly nitrogen and phosphorous. 

In September 2023, an expanded Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan was published.

100% of storm overflows across the water network in England have been now fitted with Event Duration Monitors (EDM).

There were 6 water company prosecutions between April 2023 and March 2024 by the Environment Agency.

The £250,000 cap on variable monetary penalties (a type of civil sanction for water companies who breach environmental permits) was removed and the range of offences to which penalties was expanded.

Funding for the Catchment Sensitive Farming advice service was increased to £15 million per year and expanded its coverage across England.

In 2023, a second round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant (SIG) made £74 million available to farmers.

The Farm Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) supported the acquisition of slurry handling equipment in 2023.

During April 2023 to March 2024, the Environment Agency conducted 4,862 farm inspections in England, and issued 469 warnings and notices to farms for failing to address non-compliance with regulations. In the same period, there were 6 prosecutions relating to polluting agricultural activities.

Since January 2023, a new mine water treatment scheme in Cornwall and 11 interventions to control diffuse metal pollution (in Cumbria and County Durham) have been completed.

Across 2023 to 2024, the Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF) programme, managed by the Environment Agency, spent a total of £8.4 million on 216 projects, and attracted £20.7 million in match funding from partners and external contributions.

The Woodlands for Water project continued with additional contribution payments through the England Woodland Creation Offer for riparian tree planting.

In the 2023 to 2024 financial year, £1 million investment has been leveraged in partnership projects to improve chalk catchments.

Work also continued on the Thames Tideway Improvement Scheme. 

Managing exposure to chemicals

The Environment Agency continued to support partners to manage waste streams that contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to reduce the levels of POPs entering the environment. Targeted risk-based compliance activity was undertaken that resulted in a significant increase in the destruction of POPs contained within waste, such as waste upholstered domestic seating. Regulatory guidance has been updated and research is ongoing to identify priorities for future interventions.

In 2023 the assimilated POPs Regulation was amended to add new POP perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) including its salts and related compound to the list of substances the use, manufacture, and placing on the market of which is prohibited in Great Britain, following the adoption of this substance as a new POP under the Stockholm Convention.

A 2023 public consultation led by Defra and Welsh Government sought stakeholders’ views on a draft statutory instrument proposed to amend the Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) Regulations (England and Wales) to provide additional clarity regarding requirements relating to PCB-containing equipment.

In March 2024, following public consultation, the PCBs Regulations (England and Wales) were amended to provide extra clarity and remove any potential ambiguity in the way that these regulations are interpreted.

The risk of chemicals manufactured and imported to Great Britain through UK REACH has continued be managed as set out in the annual Work Programme, published by the Health and Safety Executive. The April 2023 to March 2024 Work Programme was published earlier this year. This included continuing work on restrictions on substances in tattoo inks and permanent make-up, lead in ammunition, and initiating a new restriction on polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in fire-fighting foams following the publication of a Risk Management Options Analysis on PFAS.  

The UK played a role in the development and adoption of a new UN Global Framework on Chemicals.

Progress had been made in establishing an intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel for Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Prevention (SPP). This will enable the UK to share its scientific expertise internationally on the sound management of chemicals and waste, gain knowledge on emerging issues and identify opportunities for innovation across sectors.

In June 2023, 4 actions for Integrated Pest Management were launched as part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. Farmers and growers can now be paid to undertake activity which will contribute to reducing their reliance on the use of conventional chemical pesticides.

The Catchment Sensitive Farming elements of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme have been extended to the whole of England. This includes funding to cover priority areas such as pesticide sprayer filling and washdown areas that have been shown to be responsible for the majority of pesticide contamination events on farm. The scheme includes mitigation measures to reduce pesticide runoff to water and to promote the use of buffer zones.

Improving our use of resources

To implement the Environmental Improvement Plan, the following goals will improve use of resources:

• Goal 5: Maximising resources, minimising waste
• Goal 6: Using resources from nature sustainably

There is one legally binding Environment Act target and 8 interim targets that contribute to the Improving the use of our resources theme. More information can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Key activities over the past year

Minimising waste

The statutory waste prevention programme aimed to bring together a range of measures backed by funding which will help to keep products and materials in circulation for as long as possible and at their highest value.

In November 2023, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) published new data on food waste. This showed that between 2007 and 2021, UK per capita food waste fell by 26kg per person per year, an 18.3% reduction. For the retail sector, food waste in 2021 was 26% lower than 2007, manufacturing waste was 34% lower and household food waste was 17% lower.

Councils in England were supported with up to £295 million of capital funding over the 2023 to 2024 period to introduce weekly food waste collections by 31 March 2026.

Figures were announced which show that by 2023, the number of single-use plastic bags sold by the main retailers had fallen by more than 98% since the introduction of the single-use carrier bag charge in 2015.

Bans and restrictions were introduced in October 2023 on a range of polluting single-use plastic items including expanded polystyrene food and drinks containers, plastic cutlery, plastic balloon sticks and cotton buds, plastic straws and drink stirrers, and plastic food containers.

A UK-wide ban was announced on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. This will be enforced after an 18-month transition period after legislation has been passed to allow businesses time to adapt.

The maximum fine councils can issue for littering and fly-tipping has been increased. Fly tipping league tables have been published to increase transparency on the use of fly-tipping fines and regulations laid to ensure councils spend the income on enforcement and clean up.

Using resources from nature sustainably

In September 2023, the Forestry Training Fund (now Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund) was expanded to cover the costs of short technical arboriculture skills courses in recognition of the value that amenity and urban trees contribute to overall canopy cover.

In December 2023, applications for a third round of the Professional Forester Apprenticeship Programme were opened, offering a career pathway into the forestry sector for people from all backgrounds.

In December 2023, a roadmap was published to increase use of timber in the construction of homes and buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. Also, new rounds of the domestic Seed Sourcing Grant and Tree Production Capital Grant were opened.

Over £2.75 million was provided through 4 Woodlands into Management Forestry Innovation Funds to support increased demand for wood and increased levels of woodland management. Forty-three projects received funding to stimulate the development and testing of new ideas to help improve the ecological condition of trees and woodlands and their resilience to climate change.

The Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF) also made over £2.5 million of funding available for 25 projects to support the development and adoption of new technologies and ways of working which will enhance the quantity and quality of available tree planting stock in England.

The first 5 Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) were published in December 2023.

Following the conclusion of annual negotiations for fishing opportunities Defra published a report detailing the sustainability outcomes of these negotiations. For 2024, for the total allowable catches (TACs) which have maximum sustainable yield advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, 52% of TACs were set in line with this advice, compared to 47% in 2021. 

In January 2024, an update to the Agricultural Transition Plan was published. It set out support to the agricultural sector to produce food hand in hand with preserving the diversity and abundance of nature.

In February 2024, the availability of low emissions farming equipment was expanded through Countryside Stewardship and continued funding through the Farm Equipment and Technology Fund. 

The biggest driver of illegal deforestation worldwide is agricultural expansion, and in particular, the production of a small number of commodities. The Environment Act introduced new provisions to make it illegal for larger businesses to use key forest risk commodities that have been grown on land that is illegally occupied or used in their UK commercial activity. The proposed approach to operationalise this through secondary legislation was announced at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in December 2023.

In March 2024, the UK and Indonesia convened the governments that participate in the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Dialogue. They discussed collective approaches to improve the sustainability of supply chains for agricultural commodities associated with deforestation.

In November 2023, the 34 successful projects in the second round of Landscape Recovery were shared.

In March 2023, the first round of the Farming Futures research and development 2023 was announced, providing funding for businesses and researchers to work on longer-term innovation in nutrient management.

In August 2023, 12 new projects receiving £16 million to restore peatlands across England were announced.

In June 2023, the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force Chair’s report was published. This independent report makes recommendations for a more sustainable future for the environment and agriculture on lowland peat soils in England. The government response to the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force Chair’s report agreed to take forward action on all recommendations. It also announced over £7.5 million of new funding on pilot projects for local collaboration and water infrastructure. Additionally, the response announced the grant winners of the £5.6 million Paludiculture Exploration Fund.

As of 1 April 2024, 13,900 live Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2023 agreements were live and held by 13,400 farmers and land managers. This represents over 2 million hectares of land in England. Actions include use of insecticide, nematicide or acaricide on arable crops and permanent crops; establishing and maintaining herbal leys; multi species winter cover crops; very low input grassland and hedgerow management.

As of 1 April 2024, 35,100 Countryside Stewardship (CS) and 6,300 Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements were live and held by 34,100 farmers and land managers. This includes actions to protect, improve and recover soil.

In February 2024, funding awards to improve lowland peat soils were announced, including over £1.3 million to projects across the North. The pilots will produce costed water-management plans.

A £6.6 million Lowland Peat Research and Development programme was launched in June 2023 to identify the best way to reduce emissions from lowland peatlands.

Improving our mitigation of and adaptation to climate change

The ‘improving our mitigation of and adaptation to climate change’ theme includes:

• Goal 7: Mitigating and adapting to climate change
• Goal 8: Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards

The goal to mitigate and adapt to climate change includes the following commitments:

• a UK-wide legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050, including carbon budgets 4, 5, and 6 from 2023 to 2037; and the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution
• to produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment to identify risks, followed by a National Adaptation Programme to address those risks every 5 years
• in accordance with the Montreal Protocol, the UK has phased out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, except for very minor exempted uses
• under the Kigali amendment to the Montreal protocol, the UK has an obligation to phasing down hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) production and consumption by 85% by 2036
• under the Paris Agreement, the UK is committed to pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The goal to reduce risk of harm from environmental hazards includes the following commitments:

• to invest in flood and coastal defence projects to better protect more properties
• to double the number of government-funded projects which include nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and coastal erosion
• to maintain at least 94% of major flood and coastal erosion risk management assets fit for their designed purpose, through to March 2025. The long-term aim is for this to reach 98%

Key activities over the past year

Mitigating and adapting to climate change

The UK has halved greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere since 1990. In 2023, UK territorial emissions:

• reduced 5.4% in terms of total greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2022, amounting to a 52.7% reduction relative to 1990
• reduced 6.6% in terms of CO2 only emissions relative to 2022, amounting to a 49.8% reduction relative to 1990

In 2022 there was a call for evidence on proposals to make changes to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). The UK ETS Authority – made up of the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland – published a joint response in July 2023 to this call for evidence.

The United Nations Framework on Convention on Climate Change COP28 took place in December 2023. Parties at COP28 agreed strong representation of nature, including the ocean, forests, and the importance of sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems in negotiated text. The negotiated text also contains reference to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), recognising the interlinked nature of the climate and biodiversity crises. 

At COP28 the UK announced new funding for forests and the ocean and action to help increase transparency around finance needs to support countries to protect nature. The UK endorsed several important nature related initiatives, including: 

• a Joint Statement by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) on Climate, Nature and People which commits to coordinate and simultaneously implement nature and climate strategies
• the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action
• the Mangrove Breakthrough and Coral Reef Breakthrough frameworks for international action on marine ecosystems

Reduced risks from environmental hazards

In the third year of the 6-year £5.6 billion Flood and Coastal Defence Investment Programme, 135 flood protection schemes were delivered. In July 2023, the third National Adaptation Programme was unveiled which sets out a 5-year plan to boost resilience and protect people, homes, businesses, and cultural heritage against climate change risks such as flooding, drought, and heatwaves.

In September 2023, 3 additional areas joined the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme, which is trialling and testing opportunities to help communities to plan for the long term. These are Charmouth, Bude and Swanage.

In February 2024, a £75 million, one-off grant scheme was announced for internal drainage boards to protect agricultural land and rural communities from flooding.

The Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme was made available twice between April 2023 and March 2024 - for Storm Babet and Storm Henk. This enabled eligible flood-hit property owners to apply for up to £5,000 to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding.

In February 2024, it was announced that 40 projects will benefit from £25 million to support natural flood management schemes across England.

Improving our biosecurity

Delivering the targets and commitments for the biosecurity goal will require a range of actions that improve safeguarding and response measures. This includes to:

• reduce the number of establishments of invasive non-native species by at least 50% in 2030, compared to levels seen in 2000, supporting delivery of the convention on biological diversity global target on invasive species
• ensure at least 97% of export health certificates (EHCs) and licences are issued correctly within agreed timeframes to support safe and secure trade
• invest in the Science Capability in Animal Health Programme at Weybridge
• achieve official bovine tuberculosis free status for England by 2038

Key activities over the past year

Tackling invasive non-native species

Twelve Local Action Groups in England were awarded a total of £300,000 over 2 years under the Local Invasive Species Management Fund to tackle invasive, non-native species.

The biological control research programme continued to test the use of natural enemies to target a range of invasive, non-native species. Testing of the weevil Listronotus elongatus has been successful, with clear ongoing control of floating pennywort at many of the 19 test sites.

Through the Invasive Non-Native Inspectorate, a total of 1,378 inspections took place in 2023 to 2024. The Inspectorate has determined that non-compliance with respect to key invasive species legislation across all key sectors is at 11% in 2023 to 2024.

Protecting and enhancing animal and plant health

In January 2024, the introduction of new border controls to guard against incoming diseases and pests while minimising burdens and costs for traders and consumers was announced. The controls coming into effect are part of the Border Target Operating Model which continues to be rolled out, including bringing the EU further within the scope of import controls.  

The latest statistics for bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) for the 12-month period to March 2024 were published in June 2024. The latest figure for percentage of herds officially bovine TB free is 95.6% at end March 2024. This figure is updated on a quarterly basis and usually shows small fluctuations. Large fluctuations are not expected.

Campaigns to raise awareness about the threats to plant and bee health are ongoing. This included working with 32 organisations on the third annual National Plant Health Week in May 2023. This raised awareness of the threats to plant health, alongside promotion of the “Don’t risk it campaign” in May at 2023 RHS Chelsea on the importance of biosecurity.

An outbreak of Colorado beetle in Kent was successfully managed, preventing establishment of this invasive species. The Colorado beetle poses a major threat to potato crops and would have a significant impact on the potato industry.

The import regime was further updated through new legislation to mitigate threats identified and assessed through the UK Plant Health Risk Group, including new measures to regulate certain pests of tomato and pepper, including Pepper chat fruit viroid and Tomato planta macho viroid.

Trees were removed or treated to contain or eradicate ongoing priority quarantine tree pests and diseases including Phytophthora pluvialis, oak processionary moth and sweet chestnut blight and over 20 outbreaks of Ips typographus, which could have a significant impact to the forestry industry, if it became established.

Evaluation and testing of new forms of grant support continued through the Tree Health Pilot, which helps land managers deal with tree pests and diseases and increases the resilience of the treescape.

Investigation and development of schemes for increasing the numbers of trees outside of woodlands, and boosting the resilience of treescapes, continued through research and pilots. Through these pilots, 56,000 trees were planted in April 2023 to March 2024 in 5 participating local authority areas. This work informed updates to April 2023 to March 2024 schemes for replacing lost trees outside woodland, such as the Local Authority Treescapes Fund and Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

In June 2023, the Plant Health Research and Development Plan was published, which set out the approach to research to meet plant health policy needs. The plant health research programme provided over £6 million to support 104 research projects in 2023 to 2024. This includes co-funding with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) the Future of UK Treescapes Programme and the Bacterial Plant Diseases Programme.

In July 2023, the pilot on biosecure sourcing policy, which applied to public sector funded planting, was extended to several additional grant schemes. The trial was extended to the Local Authority Treescapes Fund, Urban Tree Challenge Fund, Coronation Living Heritage Fund and the HS2 Woodland fund.

Enhancing beauty, heritage, and our engagement with the natural environment

Delivering the goal outcomes will require meeting a range of targets and commitments including the following key commitments:

• everyone should live within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space
• make the England Coast path fully walkable by the end of 2024
• deliver a new National Trail along the route of the Coast-to-Coast path by 2025

Key activities over the past year

Protect our landscapes and their heritage

In November 2023, a package of measures was announced to aid recovery of nature and access to the outdoors in England’s National Parks and National Landscapes - the new name for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). This builds on legislation introduced through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.

In January 2024, targets were set for all 44 Protected Landscapes (National Parks and National Landscapes).

Improve access to nature

In September 2023 Active Travel England announced £60 million for cycle training for children (‘Bikeability’) and to support active travel to and from schools. This was followed by a further £101m announced in March 2024 to support local authorities in delivering cycling and walking schemes.

In June 2023, new incentives within Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes were announced including:

• paying for new permissive access routes, and increasing the length of paths available for cycling and horse riding
• increasing the number of accessible gates and bridges
• improving the condition of existing paths so that they can be used by prams, mobility scooters and others

In August 2023, a £2.5 million tree planting fund was opened to support local authorities to plant thousands of trees across England close to where people live to commemorate King Charles III’s coronation. The fund will see more trees being planted outside of woodlands through the creation of micro woodlands in urban areas and new community orchards.

In October 2023, Natural England, working with Defra and local authorities, completed over 1,000 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path as the Ramsgate to Whitstable stretch opened.

During National Tree Week (25 November to 3 December 2023), the Woodland Access Implementation Plan was published.

It was also announced that 2 additional community forests will be created in Derbyshire and the Tees Valley.

In December 2023, the results on the impact of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund were published.

Further rounds of the Local Authority Treescapes Fund and Urban Tree Challenge Fund were run.

Natural England’s ‘Green Infrastructure Framework: Principles and Standards for England’ was launched at the same time as the publication of EIP23. Since then, Natural England has started to embed the framework through training and support.

The Green Infrastructure Framework includes visual mapping and analyses to help understand local opportunities and issues relating to green space, blue space, and walking and cycling routes.

Connecting children and nature

In November 2023, £2.5 million was committed to helping children experience the benefits of the great outdoors. This will build on the Generation Green project.