The Natural Capital Committee advises that the Government remains off track to achieve its commitment to ‘leave the natural environment of England in a better state than it inherited’, and highlights the opportunity to invest in nature as part of a resilient green recovery from COVID-19 by evidencing the significant economic returns that can be generated alongside achieving the targets in the 25 Year Environment Plan.
NCC response to Government's 25 YEP Progress Report and advice on a green recovery
The Interim response to the 25 Year Environment Plan Progress Report & advice on a green economic recovery sets out the NCC’s interim advice on the government’s second 25 Year Environment Plan Progress Report that was published in June 2020. This interim report provides: i) an initial assessment of the government’s 2020 Progress Report, ii) sets out a natural capital framework for assessing progress and iii) recommendations for a green economic recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak. NCC interim response
Professor Ian Bateman who sits on the Natural Capital Committee points out that reference in the report to planting woodland around the periphery of major towns and cities across the country would create economic benefits of nearly £550m per annum across the country is revelant to the research of both himself and Professor Brett Day of the LEEP Institute. Another highlight in the report is the focus on research carried out by SWEEP (from p.53) demonstrating that it is leading the way regarding a Green Recovery.
Expert committee highlights huge economic opportunities from investing in nature
- In a new interim report, the Natural Capital Committee warns that the Government remains off track in achieving its nature objectives set nine years ago.
- Government urged to put in place measurement tools to effectively monitor progress in meeting nature targets.
- Significant economic opportunities to be realised from investing in nature to deliver a resilient green recovery.
London (23rd July 2020):The Natural Capital Committee has published its response to the Government’s progress report on the 25 Year Environment Plan, concluding that the Government remains off track to achieve its commitment to ‘leave the natural environment of England in a better state than it inherited’ made nine years ago in the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper.
The Government’s progress report, published in June 2020, shows continued decline in England’s environment, including:
a) Only 38.9% of protected terrestrial and freshwater sites have been restored to favourable condition, a 2.2% increase since 2013. The 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP) target is 75%.
b) Only 16% of England’s surface water bodies are in ‘high’ or ‘good’ condition status.
c) Government has missed its own woodland planting targets for the last eight years.
The interim report by the Committee highlights the opportunity for the Government to invest in nature as part of a resilient green recovery from COVID-19 by evidencing the significant economic returns that can be generated alongside achieving the targets in the 25 Year Environment Plan. The Committee outlines how natural capital investments can often generate higher benefit-cost ratios than investments in built capital, providing huge opportunities for regions to adopt new strategies for not only recovering their economies, but also to ‘level them up’ with other parts of the UK. For example, planting woodland around the periphery of major towns and cities across the country would create economic benefits of nearly £550m per annum across the country.
Professor Dieter Helm, Chair of the Natural Capital Committee said: “Nine years have passed since the Government committed to leaving the environment in a better state than it inherited, yet there is still no clear evidence of sufficient progress. An environmental baseline census for measuring progress is urgently needed. Much of the current environmental spending remains inefficient and siloed. The triple challenges of net zero, the Environment Bill targets and reform of agricultural policy offer a once in a generation opportunity to transform our natural environment.”
The interim report also reveals that the Government has continuously failed to put in place the appropriate measurement tools to monitor changes in the environment, including measuring and understanding the impact of restoration interventions. The Committee outlines how this is vital for tracking the progress of targets and sets out a new framework for the Government.
To ensure the Government upholds its ambition to significantly improve the environment and does not soften its commitment in favour of other Government priorities, the Committee urges the Government to properly resource and expand the remit of the new Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) in the Environment Bill so that the Government must consider and respond to its advice on setting and any revisions to interim and long term targets.
Date: 23 July 2020