Overview

This Environment Bill sets long-term environmental targets for air quality, water, biodiversity, and resource efficiency. It establishes the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) to oversee environmental standards and enforcement, introduces measures to improve waste management and resource efficiency, and enhances nature conservation.

Description

The bill's key aspects include:

• Environmental Targets: Sets long-term environmental targets (minimum 15 years) across key areas, with reporting duties and reviews to ensure progress. A specific target for PM2.5 air quality is mandated.
• Office for Environmental Protection (OEP): Creates an independent OEP with powers to monitor, report on, and enforce environmental law. The OEP will have a strategy and enforcement policy, and cooperate with relevant authorities.
• Waste and Resource Efficiency: Strengthens producer responsibility for waste disposal costs, introduces resource efficiency information requirements, promotes deposit return schemes, and mandates improved household and commercial waste separation.
• Air Quality: Amends existing frameworks for local air quality management and smoke control, including financial penalties for smoke emissions.
• Environmental Recall: Empowers the Secretary of State to issue compulsory recall notices for products failing to meet environmental standards, particularly vehicles and their components.
• Water: Improves water resources management, drought planning, and introduces drainage and sewerage management plans, alongside powers to require information from water undertakers.
• Nature and Biodiversity: Makes biodiversity gain a condition for planning permission in England, establishes a general duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity, and introduces local nature recovery strategies.
• Conservation Covenants: Creates a framework for legally binding conservation covenants on land, allowing for their creation, enforcement, modification, and discharge.
• Chemicals: Grants powers to amend REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) legislation.

Government Spending

The bill anticipates increased government spending to fund the OEP, support environmental improvement plans, and implement various new measures. Exact figures are not provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Government Departments: Increased responsibilities in setting and achieving environmental targets, preparing plans, and responding to OEP reports.
• Local Authorities: New duties in waste management (separation and collection), air quality management (action plans), and biodiversity reporting.
• Businesses: New obligations related to producer responsibility, resource efficiency information, deposit return schemes, single-use plastic charges, and environmental product recall.
• Water Undertakers: New requirements for water resources management plans, drought plans, and drainage and sewerage management plans.
• Landowners: New possibilities and responsibilities concerning conservation covenants.
• Public: Potential benefits from improved air and water quality, enhanced biodiversity, and better waste management. Increased opportunities to participate in consultations and potentially impacted by planning permissions related to biodiversity gain.

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