The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued a press release to announce that all storm overflows in England are now being monitored. Each overflow has been fitted with an Event Duration Monitor (EDM), enhancing public transparency by measuring the location, timing, and duration of the storm overflow operations. Storm overflows are an automatic safety valve that release excess pressure on the network from flooding and heavy rain, and should only be used under strict permit conditions. Environment Secretary Steve Barclay emphasised the importance of this monitoring achievement in protecting waterways, communities, and wildlife. Barclay stated that the wealth of data gathered by the EDMs will allow the government to identify ‘the worst-offending overflows and enable regulators to hold polluters to account’.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced the passing of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025. The Act introduces new measures to address low-welfare pet smuggling. It bans the import of dogs and cats under six months old, heavily pregnant animals and animals that have been mutilated, such as those with cropped ears or declawed. It also limits the number of pets per vehicle to five and requires pets travelling separately from their owner to arrive within five days of the owner’s travel. According to Defra, the changes are intended to make smuggling less profitable and easier to detect, as well as reduce the risk of buyers unknowingly purchasing smuggled animals. The Act comes ahead of the government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, expected this year.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that that the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill has been introduced to Parliament. Defra has said that the government backed Bill aims to improve standards of animal welfare and provisions will also strengthen the Pet Travel Scheme ‘to ensure that no one is able to fraudulently import animals for sale under the guise of being an owner travelling with their own pets’. Other provisions in the Bill include raising the minimum age for importing a puppy or kitten from 15 weeks to six months. Defra has also said that secondary legislation under the Bill will allow for the ban on imports of heavily pregnant animals with cropped ears, docked tails or those that have been declawed.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has unveiled plans for new legislation to strengthen the powers of National Parks and National Landscapes, marking the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. The proposed changes include granting National Park Authorities a general power of competence, and new regulations to ensure public bodies, including water companies, deliver improved environmental outcomes in these areas. Immediate guidance has been published to facilitate collaboration between public bodies in Protected Landscapes. These measures aim to boost nature recovery, increase public access, and support the government's commitment to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030 as part of the Plan for Change. Additionally, Defra has announced a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan, emphasising the crucial role of Protected Landscapes in achieving national environmental targets.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that new legislation to ban the sale of single-use vapes has been laid in Parliament, with the ban scheduled to come into force on 1 June 2025. Subject to parliamentary approval, businesses will have until 1 June 2025 to sell any remaining stock and prepare for the implementation of the ban.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced the enactment of the REACH Fees and Charges (Amendment of Commission Regulation (EC) No 340/2008) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/999. These regulations aim to reduce UK REACH costs for the chemical sector. Most existing fees and charges are being reduced, including a new standard registration fee of £2,222, benefitting 92% of firms. These changes are expected to save businesses £40m over the next six years, from 2025-26 to 2030-31. The regulations also maintain existing discounts for small and medium enterprises and lower costs for legal identity changes.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to impose stringent local and environmental conditions on new waste incinerators seeking planning approval, as a result of stagnating recycling rates and excessive incineration of potentially recyclable materials. New facilities must demonstrate their ability to support economic growth, net zero targets, and the transition to a circular economy. Developers will be required to show how their projects will reduce non-recyclable waste sent to landfill or replace less efficient plants. Additionally, new incinerators must be Carbon Capture ready and outline plans for heat utilisation. The government's projections indicate limited need for additional waste incineration capacity, with existing and planned facilities expected to meet future demand. These measures aim to address environmental concerns while maximising the benefits of waste-to-energy facilities in line with the UK's broader sustainability goals.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced one-year extensions for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements, which were due to expire on 31 December 2025. The time-limited extension aims to help farmers continue their work in restoring nature and producing food sustainably, in line with the government's commitment to providing long-term strategic certainty for the farming sector. The one-off investment of up to £70m supports over 5,000 farmers. Defra also noted that funding for farmers through Environmental Land Management schemes, which include the Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier scheme, will increase by 150% to £2bn by 2029. The Rural Payments Agency will contact eligible farmers with details of their extension offers, including acceptance procedures and processing deadlines. Separately, Defra confirmed that plans for the Sustainable Farming Incentive are under review to ensure a fairer and more efficient allocation of available funding, with further information on the next iteration of the scheme to be published in due course. Alongside this, Defra has published accompanying guidance on the Mid Tier agreement extensions.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that over 150 countries have approved a new Business and Biodiversity Assessment, following the conclusion of the UK-hosted IPBES 12 nature summit in Manchester. The three-year scientific assessment is expected to guide the actions that businesses can take to protect nature. It involves 80 expert authors from every region and is intended to become the accepted state of science on business impacts and dependencies on biodiversity, as well as nature's contributions to people. The assessment also provides decision-makers with evidence and options to help measure and manage business relationships with nature.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a policy paper, outlining the government's plans to end the use of specific neonicotinoid pesticides on crops grown in England, including clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam. These pesticides are known to pose risks to bees and other pollinators. Defra intends to identify potential legislative changes to prevent the use of emergency authorisations for products containing these pesticides. In addition, it will review and update guidance on emergency authorisation decisions to ensure consideration of the importance of pollinators and the risks they may encounter if such authorisation is granted. Defra notes that the legal framework for emergency authorisations will remain unchanged for 2025 applications.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to extend powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE 1984) and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) to Environment Agency (EA) enforcement officers to strengthen enforcement against waste crime. The proposed reforms enable officers to intervene earlier in criminal activities and disrupt the financial activities that support waste crime groups. Defra has also confirmed that a new Waste Crime Action Plan will be published soon to outline the government's comprehensive approach to tackling these crimes and under separate proposed legislation, waste criminals could face up to five years for illegal transportation and dealing of waste.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to reduce waste across industry and transition to a circular economy as part of the government’s Plan for Change. Defra confirmed that the Circular Economy Taskforce, which was established in November 2024, will now focus on five priority sectors: textiles, transport, construction, agri-food, and chemicals and plastics. The Taskforce will collaborate with these sectors to develop sector-specific roadmaps aimed at improving and reforming the approach to materials usage. A Circular Economy Strategy, scheduled for publication in Autumn 2025, will provide businesses with guidance on adopting sustainable practices and investing in new infrastructure.