The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) review on the implementation of laws governing terrestrial and freshwater protected sites in England. The OEP concluded that, although the legal framework for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) is adequate, it is not being implemented at the pace and scale required to achieve its intended environmental outcomes.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the response to its November 2024 consultation on reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. Defra intends to proceed with the proposed three core reforms and nine technical amendments, subject to approval from Parliament and the Senedd. The core reforms include: (1) removing the automatic de-designation of bathing water status after five consecutive years of a site being rated 'poor'; (2) incorporating considerations such as the feasibility of improving a site's water quality to at least a 'sufficient' level, along with physical safety and environmental protections, into the designation process before a final designation is granted; and (3) removing fixed dates for the monitored bathing season. The updated regulations are expected to come into force in autumn 2025. Defra also announced that applications for new bathing water designations in England will re-open on 15 May 2025 for the 2026 season, with the application window closing on 31 October 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the response to its March 2025 consultation on establishing the Marine Recovery Fund (MRF). Defra has welcomed suggestions to enhance the fund’s effectiveness and will continue drafting secondary legislation under section 292 of the Energy Act 2023 (EnA 2023) to establish the MRF. Guidance will be published alongside the MRF’s launch to clarify application processes and cost transparency. Defra also intends to provide legal certainty regarding the transfer of liability for compensation through the contract between the Marine Recovery Fund Operator and the applicant. The MRF will apply exclusively to offshore wind development activities. In response to calls for the activation of broader measures, the MRF will provide access to measures in the List of Standard Compensatory Measures (LoSCM). The scope of available measures in the LoSCM will depend on the outcome of Defra’s July 2025 consultation on environmental compensatory measures reform. Defra will also publish further information on how the MRF will coordinate with the Scottish MRF and how it differs from the Nature Restoration Fund.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the response to its July 2024 consultation on proposed changes to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). The response confirms plans to mandate water companies to increase compensation paid to customers and businesses for service failures. The reforms include increasing payments for issues such as low water pressure from £25 to £250 and increasing compensation for internal sewer flooding from £1,000 to £2,000 or more. In addition, the list of circumstances triggering compensation will be expanded to include instances, such as the issuance of Boil Notices due to compromised drinking water quality, and failures by water companies to conduct promised meter readings or installations. Defra intends to implement these GSS updates through secondary legislation.

Defra has published the government response to the concluded consultation on spatial management measures for industrial sandeel fishing. The consultation was undertaken from 6 March to 30 May 2023. Defra sought views from stakeholders on potential measures to reduce the negative impacts of industrial fishing on the marine ecosystem through the removal of sandeels. After consideration of the evidence and responses to the consultation, the UK government has decided to prohibit the fishing of sandeels within English waters of the North Sea. This will be effective from 26 March 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the summary of responses to its May 2023 consultation on achieving the near elimination of biodegradable waste disposal in landfills from 2028. After analysing stakeholder feedback, Defra has outlined its intentions to explore expanding the list of separately collected wastes that are prohibited from landfill disposal without treatment to include paper and card, food, garden waste, textiles, and wood. It will also consider measures to prevent wood waste from being sent to landfills and extend its focus to all biodegradable wastes, both municipal and non-municipal. Defra also plans to informally engage with stakeholders and consult on detailed policies this year.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the consultation on reforming domestic Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) implementation, following 141 responses received during the consultation period from 11 September to 23 October 2025. The government will reform the Wildlife Trade Regulations through multiple measures including adding three Mediterranean tortoise species to Annex X to remove Article 10 certificate requirements, creating a low-risk species list for Annex B imports with digital pre-notifications replacing permits, and extending semi-complete permits to live Annex B and C specimen imports and exports. Additional changes include retaining Annex D with species review and digitised notifications, recognising travelling exhibition certificates from other authorities, and expanding civil sanctions to six additional enforcement areas. The reforms will standardise ringing requirements for Schedule 4 bird species, introduce validity periods for Article 60 certificates, and enable the Secretary of State to directly publish import suspension lists. Fee structure changes will be implemented in two stages, with permitting reforms preceding fee adjustments to ensure sustainable cost recovery while reducing regulatory burden on businesses.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), jointly with the Scottish Government and Welsh Government, has published its response to the consultation on draft Pathway Action Plans (PAPs) for invasive non-native species in Great Britain. The consultation, which ran from 23 June 2025 to 18 August 2025, received 66 responses from individuals, non-governmental organisations, public bodies, sector trade bodies and membership organisations. The PAPs target five priority introduction pathways: recreational boating, angling, horticulture, zoos and aquaria, and pets. The anonymised and summarised consultation responses will be shared with PAP working groups for expert consideration, with any required modifications to be made based on the feedback. Following working group review, the PAPs will require sign-off from the Great Britain Invasive Non-native Species Programme Board before final publication, which is expected by the end of 2026.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the response to its September 2021 consultation on the programme of measures (POM) proposed as part of the updated UK marine strategy part three. Respondents called for increased ambition and investment and identified pressures, such as climate change, that they felt were inadequately addressed in the proposed POM. They also urged the government to balance administrative processes with the development and implementation of the strategy. In response, Defra has made significant changes to the POM, including measures to deliver more biodiverse and cleaner seas. The POM has also been streamlined to provide a more concise version that reflects how the new measures are expected to maintain or drive progress towards delivering Good Environmental Status, as well as policy developments since the last POM publication in 2015. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also published guidance for offshore wind developers on strategic compensation measures for offshore wind activities before the Marine Recovery Fund becomes operational.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal's final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case (the European Union v the United Kingdom) Case No 2024-45, which concerned the decisions by the UK and Scottish governments to close North Sea waters to sandeel fishing in March 2024. The Tribunal found that the UK successfully demonstrated that its decision to close English and Scottish waters was based on sound science and had sufficient regard to the principle of non-discrimination. It also found that the Scottish measures had sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality and upheld the closure of Scottish waters. However, the Tribunal found that in deciding to close English waters, the UK did not sufficiently consider the principle of proportionality—particularly in relation to EU rights during the adjustment period, as required under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Defra confirmed it will now begin a good-faith process to bring the UK into compliance with the ruling, while noting that the UK has no legal obligation to reverse the closure of English waters during this process.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its summary of responses to the October 2024 information request regarding substances proposed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Defra received seven responses during the consultation period, with three responses concerning polyhalogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PXDD/Fs) incorporated into the UK's Annex E submission to the UN's Stockholm Convention’s POP Review Committee (POPRC), and four responses on medium chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) to inform the UK's position at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-12) scheduled for April-May 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a summary of responses to its 2025 call for evidence on expanding private sector investment in nature recovery. Respondents broadly supported policy objectives of business certainty, innovation, economic growth and fair and proportionate burden sharing, while highlighting that environmental improvement should be a core objective and that a coherent, long-term policy framework is needed to guide investment. The response recognises the need to mobilise private investment, strengthen incentives and ensure that sectors benefiting from natural capital contribute to nature recovery through mechanisms such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), regulatory reform and sustainability reporting standards.