Legally-binding environmental targets (EPF Response)
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.
The IES responded to Defra's consultation on the draft targets in 2022, and the Environmental Policy Forum also submitted this response.
What did we call for on environmental targets?
In its response to the consultation on environmental targets, the EPF agreed with many of the same points as in the IES response, including:
- The need for more ambitious targets to make a meaningful impact
- The importance of a robust scientific evidence base underpinning targets
- The absence of key targets in areas such as soil health and resource productivity
- The need to deliver the targets effectively
Read the IES response to the consultation for more information.
Find out more about environmental targets
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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