Environmental Indicator Framework: Recent updates
Updated 17 March 2026
Applies to England
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Recent updates
The Environmental Indicator Framework was previously known as the Outcome Indicator Framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan but has been renamed to reflect the evolving nature of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).
The Environmental Indicator Framework was previously published on an annual cycle; however, to improve the timeliness and value of the indicators, we will now update them as soon as possible once new data become available.
In the most recent update (March 2026), the following indicators have been updated: B1, E2, E3 and E4.
Indicator specific updates
Indicator E8: Efficient use of water component ‘b’ was revised in December 2025 following the identification of a methodological error in the processing of the input data. This correction required updates to the underlying time series across the entire year range. Despite these revisions, the outcomes of the short-, medium-, and long-term assessments remain unchanged.
Indicator A3: Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air has been revised so as to better align with reporting against the Population Exposure Reduction Target and the Annual Mean Concentration Target for PM2.5. However, while the indicator now presents the same data as are used to assess compliance with these Environment Act targets, the assessment methodology used to formally monitor progress towards the Population Exposure Reduction Target differs from the assessments reported in the A3 indicator.
Indicator A6: Exceedance of damaging levels of nutrient nitrogen deposition on ecosystems has been revised. It now contains 2 components. A6i continues to present the percentage of sensitive habitats exceeding critical loads, and A6ii presents new data on the average accumulated exceedance of nutrient nitrogen. These new data show that although levels of nutrient-nitrogen deposition are falling, critical loads are still exceeded across almost 100% of sensitive habitats in England.
A methodological change has been made to indicator C11, including a name change to C11: Status of sensitive fish species. The underlying indicator, developed for the OSPAR convention is more aligned with UK Marine Strategy Descriptor D1: Biodiversity, as opposed to Descriptor 3: Commercial fish, or D4: Food webs. The species assessed in C11 are not commercially viable, as they are generally uncommon due to depletion or natural rarity. These methods have been produced for fish as opposed to shellfish, the status of which is better described in E9: Percentage of our seafood coming from healthy ecosystems, produced sustainably, H4: Exposure and adverse effects of chemicals on wildlife in the environment and a measure of shellfish sustainability will be included in C10: Productive seas: fish and shellfish stocks fished sustainably, following the UK Marine Strategy Part One update in 2025.
Indicator G4: Engagement with the natural environment has been revised. It continues to present data for adults and children from Natural England’s People and Nature Surveys, but historic data from the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment survey are no longer included in the G4 indicator because they cannot be compared with the more recent People and Nature Survey results. Two additional metrics have also been added to this indicator that report on (i) the proportion of adults visiting green and natural spaces in the past 14 days, and (ii) the gross annual number of adult visits to green and natural spaces.
A methodological change has been made to indicator H5: Exposure to transport noise, introducing new metrics to the indicator. Following the publication of Defra’s new strategic noise maps, the indicator now provides insight into the percentage of the population exposed to transport noise (disaggregated to: road, rail and aircraft noise). These are available for reporting across day-evening-night, weighted across a 24-hour period and for nighttime noise.
Additional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been added to J5: Prevent harmful chemicals from being recycled, including data on the stockpile of brominated chemicals hexabromocyclododecande (HBCDD) & decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE). Metrics showing incineration rates for HBCDD and DecaBDE have also been added.
Indicator K4: Extent and condition of terrestrial and marine protected areas in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) has been revised to better track trends over time. The indicator has been revised to track changes in the percentage of the total marine and terrestrial protected areas and other effective conservation methods across all UKOTs. Additionally, the indicator now includes a breakdown of the percentage of protected areas for each individual UKOT.