- 16 Oct 2019
The eagerly anticipated Environment Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech on Monday outlines legally-binding targets to tackle climate change, air pollution, waste, biodiversity loss and water protection, gives DEFRA’s 25 year Environment Plan statutory status, and affords powers to the newly created Office for Environmental Protection to scrutinise and enforce environmental policies after Britain’s departure from the EU. It’s been heralded as “ambitious”, “transformative” and “historic” by the Government.
Although the Bill is yet to be reviewed in detail, it has been generally well-received by the environmental community. But is it too early for celebration? With the Prime Minister having a working majority of minus 45 and a general election looking increasingly likely, the chances of the Bill reaching royal assent in its current form are slim to say the least.
The document can be viewed in full here: https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-20/environment.html
