The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a call for evidence as part of its review to assess whether three forest certification schemes—Grown in Britain, Forest Stewardship Council, and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification—meet the Category A evidence criteria under the UK Timber Procurement Policy (TPP). Stakeholders are invited to submit evidence on these certification schemes’ compliance to inform Defra's review. The call for evidence closes on 30 March 2025. Additionally, Defra has published guidance on the criteria used to evaluate forest certification schemes approved as 'Category A evidence’, for compliance with the TPP. These criteria are used to determine whether a scheme provides evidence of meeting the requirements for legal and sustainable timber sources. Defra has also published guidance on the methodology it will use to assess certification schemes as part of its review.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a call for evidence seeking insights on how best to support and incentivise business sectors to invest in nature recovery. Announced by Environment Secretary Steve Reed, the call for evidence delivers a key recommendation of the Corry Review and supports the government’s Plan for Change. It focuses on sectors most dependent on or impactful to the natural environment. Responses are sought by 7 August 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on proposed regulatory reforms to the UK's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) implementing framework. The consultation seeks views on amendments to domestic CITES legislation, changes to the fees and charges framework and draft statutory guidance on the use of civil sanctions for certain breaches of CITES legislation. The reforms are intended to implement recommendations from the Corry Review of environmental regulation. Responses will be used to inform the final package of reforms for ministerial consideration. The consultation closes on 23 October 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation to gather views on draft definitions and principles updating guidance for Marine Protected Area (MPA) assessments. These updates aim to ensure MPA assessments are proportionate, compliant and robust while supporting the government’s goals of net zero and biodiversity. Defra is seeking views from marine industries affected by the consenting and planning process. The consultation closes at 17:00 on 1 April 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation, seeking comments on a revised draft indicative list of substances covered by the Stockholm Convention listings for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, including their salts and related compounds, following a request from the Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee for input on the updated list. The consultation will inform the UK’s position ahead of the next Committee meeting in September 2026, in line with its obligations as a party to the Convention on persistent organic pollutants, which addresses substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms and pose risks to human health and the environment. The consultation closes on closes on 1 May 2026.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), together with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, has launched a consultation proposing to repeal the existing fertiliser product legislation and replace it with new UK Fertillising Product Regulations (UK FPR). The consultation seeks feedback on basing the UK FPR on a conformity assessment, establishing technical requirements for fertillising products, proposing enforcement measures and outlining transitional arrangements. In addition, the UK government also calls for evidence on newer and novel fertillising products to inform the future development of UK fertiliser legislation. The consultation will close on 13 May 2026.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on proposals to amend the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown schedule under Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases. The proposals aim to further reduce the amount of HFCs that can be placed on the market in Great Britain beyond current legislative limits, targeting an almost complete phase-out of HFCs by 2048. The revised schedule would adjust the phasedown trajectory from 2027 and introduce additional reduction steps between 2030 and 2050, replacing the current 79% reduction target by 2030 with a 98.6% reduction target by 2048. HFCs are greenhouse gases used in commercial and industrial refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems. Developed in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, the proposals are intended to support the UK’s climate commitments and international obligations under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The consultation closes on 17 December 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation, seeking views on the introduction of an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm) for the Assimilated Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH). The change aims to reduce the estimated £2bn costs to the chemical industry in Great Britain under the transition from EU REACH to UK REACH. Defra are also consulting on proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing. The consultation closes at 11:45pm on 11 July 2024.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation seeking views on how to improve transparency and consistency in food labelling. The consultation seeks views on country of origin and animal welfare labelling including where to display the information and what products should be included. The consultation will run for 8 weeks and closes on 7 May 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation to gather feedback on its draft 2025 Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) national implementation report. Every three years, Defra submits a national implementation report to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, outlining the UK’s implementation of the Kiev Protocol on PRTR. The consultation closes on 5 December 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on draft information and guidance for storm overflows in England. This non-statutory guidance, developed in collaboration with Ofwat and the Environment Agency, aims to support water and sewerage companies and regulators in managing and regulating storm overflows. It also aims to ensure compliance with the standards outlined in the government's storm overflows discharge reduction plan and existing legal requirements and obligations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. The consultation closes on 24 January 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation, seeking views on the operational design of the proposed Marine Recovery Fund (MRF). The MRF aims to deliver industry-funded, strategic measures to compensate for the adverse effects of offshore wind developments on marine protected areas. The consultation seeks views on the MRF’s application process, associated costs and charges, and the mechanisms for delivering compensatory measures. The consultation closes on 12 May 2025.