Legally-binding environmental targets
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, a number of proposals emerged to replace the system of environmental governance that had been used while the UK was part of the EU.
One of the major areas of focus was environmental targets, allowing the UK (but in this context, particularly England) to set its own legally-binding targets that reflected the objectives of the UK Government for the environment. In England, those targets were set out under the Environment Act 2021.
In 2022, Defra ran a consultation on draft targets, and the IES formulated this response. The Environmental Policy Forum also responded to the consultation.
What are our recommendations for environmental targets?
At the time of the consultation, we called on Defra to:
- Strengthen the targets so that they better reflected the urgency of pressing environmental crisis
- Ensure that the chosen targets reflected scientific evidence, particularly in terms of the nature of complex systems and how the analytical annex had been used to reach specific objectives
- Introduce a target on soil health and a 'double lock' on resource use, measuring both residual waste as well as the efficiency of resources
In 2026, the IES launched a crucial report on reconnecting environmental targets with credible outcomes, including the legally-binding targets set under the Environment Act.
IES President Julie Hill MBE called for "a Golden Thread of Governance" to see environmental aspirations through to action. In that report, we set out seven recommendations for delivering environmental targets in practice:
- Start with clear, simple targets underpinned by a unifying vision
- Produce actionable and specific delivery plans
- Convene government, partners, and practitioners for delivery
- Provide sufficient resources to ensure delivery
- Use strong accountability frameworks at the programme or project level
- Monitor with a purpose and make better use of data
- Ensure monitoring and evaluation result in feedback to refine plans and delivery
If you want to support the work of the IES, you can become an affiliate, or if you’re a professional in the environmental sector working with science, consider joining the IES.
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