Farming Sector Environmental Objectives: objective titles
Published 22 October 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-sector-environmental-objectives/farming-sector-environmental-objectives-objective-titles
Objective name – shorthand title used for referral to the objective.
Objective title – the full title of the objective, detailing the current ambition level and relevant timeframes.
Further information on the requirements and methodology underpinning the environmental objectives can be found in the individual objective pages.
| Objective name | Objective title |
|---|---|
| Ammonia Emissions | The farming sector and delivery partners will contribute to the National Emissions Ceiling Regulations 2018, which stipulates a reduction in ammonia emissions of 16% from 2005 levels by 2030. |
| Agricultural Decarbonisation | The farming sector and delivery partners will deliver at least 1.63 million tonnes CO2e agricultural emissions abatement per annum by the end of Carbon Budget 6 (2037) |
| Peatland Restoration and Management | The farming sector and delivery partners will restore and maintain 240,000 hectares of peatland by 2050, whilst, from 2026, additionally managing circa 100,000 hectares of previously restored peatland. |
| Agricultural Soils in Sustainable Management | The farming sector and delivery partners will transition up to 60% of England’s agricultural soils into sustainable actions by 2030. |
| Tree Canopy and Woodland Cover | The farming sector and delivery partners will increase England’s tree canopy and woodland cover by 15,683 ha by 2030. |
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest | Defra will have actions ‘on track’ on 50% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest features identified as requiring agri-environment scheme intervention to support favourable management by 2030. |
| Wildlife-Rich Habitats: Creation and Restoration | The farming sector and delivery partners will create and restore 300,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042, from a 2023 baseline. |
| Invasive Non-Native Species | The farming sector and delivery partners will deliver 125,000 hectares of actions to control and manage invasive non-native species by 2030. |
| Silvoarable Agroforestry | The farming sector and delivery partners will deliver 358,902ha of agroforestry on arable land in England by 2050. |
| Native Woodland | The farming sector and delivery partners will deliver sufficient suitable AES actions on 137,000 ha of native woodland to support the establishment or maintenance of favourable condition by 2040. |
| Wildlife-Rich Habitat: Maintenance | The farming sector and delivery partners will support the management of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected areas, maintaining the extent in existing schemes as at 2024, increasing to include management of wildlife-rich habitat newly created and restored up to 2042. |
| Farm Wildlife | By 2030, the farming sector and delivery partners will double the number of farms providing sufficient year-round resources for farm wildlife, compared with 2025. |
| Water Quality | The farming sector and delivery partners will deliver a 32-39% reduction in nitrogen (32%), phosphorus (39%) and sediment (37%) input from agriculture into the water environment by 2038, from a 2018 baseline. |
| Hedgerows | The farming sector and delivery partners will create or restore at least 48,200 kilometres of managed hedgerows by 2037, increasing to a total of at least 72,500 kilometres of additional managed hedgerows by 2050. |