Lexis®PSL Environment Newscast—January 2018

31 Jan 2018

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25 Year Environment Plan, New Independent Environment Body and the Clean Growth Strategy

Welcome to the first edition of our monthly environmental law newscast produced in partnership with Christopher Badger, Barrister, 6 Pump Court.

In this bulletin, we consider some of the key legal developments that are likely to have a significant impact on the environmental law field for 2018, including:

the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) 25 Year Environment Plan;
Defra’s plans for a new independent environment body; and
the Committee on Climate Change’s response to the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRtEskd7qzQ

25 Year Environment Plan—tune in from 0:28 secs

Defra finally published its 25 Year Environment Plan on 11 January 2018. The plan is split into six chapters:

Using and managing land sustainably;
Recovering nature and enhancing the beauty of landscapes;
Connecting people with the environment to improve health and wellbeing;
Increasing resource efficiency and reducing pollution and waste;
Securing clean, productive and biologically diverse seas and oceans; and
Protecting and improving the global environment.

In this newscast, Christopher explains how each chapter is underpinned by the concept of ‘natural capital’ and highlights some of the most interesting commitments in the Plan.

New Independent Environment Body—tune in from 3:40 mins

To ensure strong governance, the Government plans to consult in early 2018 on establishing a world-leading independent statutory body to hold Government to account for upholding environmental standards.

In this newscast, Christopher considers some of the interesting, and as yet unanswered, questions about the proposed environment body which will need to be addressed. He also discusses the Government’s plans to develop a set of new innovative environmental principles that will underpin the action contained in the 25 Year Plan.

Committee on Climate Change’s response to the Clean Growth Strategy—tune in from 6:42 mins

On 17 January 2018, the Committee on Climate Change published its independent assessment of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy. It concluded that the Government has made a strong commitment to achieving the UK’s climate targets, placing the low carbon economy at the heart of the UK’s industrial strategy and framing the Clean Growth Strategy as a positive contribution to the economy. However, policies and proposals need to be firmed up.

In this newscast, Christopher discusses some of the policies and proposals which require further work in accordance with the recommendations made by the Committee.

For related documents, see: