When alternative methods are ineffective or unavailable, IPM also aims to optimise and minimise the use of chemical pesticides through targeted and precise application. Deliver a National Action Plan for Sustainable • Publish the UK National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides in 2023, alongside the devolved administrations. The National Action Plan will put IPM at the heart of a holistic approach to pest, weed and disease management, while ensuring pests and pesticide resistance can be managed effectively. • Minimise the risks and impacts of pesticides to human health and the environment through the greater uptake of IPM across all sectors and the development and introduction of alternative approaches or techniques, to reduce reliance on the use of conventional chemical pesticides. Investing in research and development • Supported a number of IPM research and development projects. These include research into non-chemical alternatives for pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle and the collection of more data to understand • Supported a theory of change project to further understand how best to increase the uptake of • Set out how we will support the agricultural sector to implement IPM through our new farming schemes • Invested in tests and trials as part of our future farming schemes to develop an online IPM tool and guidance for farmers on making effective IPM decisions. • Continue to support research and development with upcoming projects including understanding the yield impacts and benefits of IPM approaches, and further building the evidence base for the environmental reliance on chemical pesticides

• Provide financial incentives through our new farming schemes, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive to support greater uptake of IPM on-farm and reduce Support safe and compliant use To make sure that pesticides are used safely and sustainably, we want to support pesticide users to achieve high levels of compliance with any conditions on their use. • Put controls in place for anyone working with plant protection products. This includes an obligation for all operators to register with Defra, together with a programme of risk-based inspection visits. This will enable us to better understand compliance with the legislation and to target our pesticide enforcement • Invested in 18 Pesticide Enforcement Officers at the Health and Safety Executive who will play a key role in delivering an official controls programme. Managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides is a transboundary issue, requiring global solutions and international cooperation. As a global scientific leader on chemicals management, the UK will use science diplomacy and expertise to influence global environment policy. • Jointly led international efforts to establish a new framework for international chemicals management, bringing together governments, industry and civil society. • Successfully proposed the listing of Medium Chain- Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) as a new POP under the Stockholm Convention, using our evidence and

technical expertise to lead on this internationally. MCCPs are used in products including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), adhesives, and paints. • Contributed scientific and technical expertise to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development working parties to shape guidelines on the sound management of chemicals and • Worked with international partners to raise global standards for chemicals and pesticides management, with £6 million of ODA investment. • Continue to play a prominent and positive role in the negotiations for a new Science Policy Panel for pollution (the ‘IPPC’ for pollution). The UK was one of the first countries to provide funds with a contribution of £250,000 to develop the panel proposal. Continue to lead work on the listing of MCCPs through developing the Risk Management Evaluation for consideration by the Stockholm Convention’s POPs Review Committee in September 2023. • The UK will continue to lead efforts to improve the effectiveness of our Multilateral Environment Agreements - for example, pushing for a stronger compliance mechanism for the Stockholm Convention, and strongly advocating that chemicals recommended for listing under the Rotterdam Convention are agreed. Build global capacity for chemicals management Drawing on the UK’s globally respected domestic expertise, Defra will invest £6 million of Official Development Assistance funding over three years to build capacity in lower- and middle-income countries. This will support scalable projects on sustainable agriculture (in Vietnam) and sustainable waste management (in South Africa). We will monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Annual Progress Report and the Outcome Indicator Framework. The framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes. The relevant indicators for managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides H3 Emissions of mercury and persistent organic pollutants to the environment. H4 Exposure and adverse effects of chemicals on J5 Prevent harmful chemicals from being recycled. We provide long-term chemicals monitoring in England to assess and manage risk from substances known to be harmful and inform policy development. Defra will continue to develop monitoring methods to allow water bodies to be scanned for a broad range of chemicals beyond those already monitored. This information, along with established targeted screening, will be fed into the prioritisation and early warning system programme to inform decision

approach to minimise the risks of pesticides to the environment. Our policies will help farmers

Responsibility to move the cost packaging waste from taxpayers Key policies to reduce waste and maximise our resources

Resources on our islands – indeed on our planet – are finite and precious. Their extraction and manufacture can cause environmental harm. We want to make it easier for people to do the right thing to maximise the use of these resources and In 2018, we published our Resources and Waste Strategy which set out long-term commitments and ambitions to eliminate avoidable waste by 2050. However, the pandemic has set us back. People needed new single-use products like facemasks and test kits, and understandably prioritised public health by buying products with additional packaging. Between 2019 and 2020 there was a large increase in residual waste, as the household recycling rate fell by 1.5 percentage points and total waste from households increased by 0.5 million tonnes.
We need to get back to the better habits we were starting to learn and to support people to make it easier to do so. Our plan aims to make it the norm to reduce, reuse, and recycle so we can reduce residual waste and make our economy truly Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal We will minimise waste, reuse materials as much as we can and manage materials at the end of their life to minimise the impact on the environment. • Published the Resources and Waste Strategy, setting out our approach to eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. • Published the Net Zero Strategy in 2021, committing us to working towards the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028, and providing free separate food waste collections for all household from 2025. • Provided approximately £9 million in funding a year to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) for action on resource efficiency and minimising waste, which includes support for foodwaste prevention, action on recycling, textiles and

• Introduced a Plastic Packaging Tax, charging £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% • Increased the single-use carrier bag charge to 10p in 2021. Bag usage at major retailers has fallen by 97% since the charge was introduced in 2015. • Restricted the supply of plastic straws and cotton buds and banned drinks stirrers. • Increased our packaging recycling rate from 62.1% in 2018 to 63.2% (provisional) in 2021 and tonnes recycled from 7 .347 million tonnes in 2018 to 8.019 million tonnes in 2021 – an additional 672,000 tonnes. • Funded WRAP to help businesses measure and report their food waste which has helped the food supply chain to report a reduction in food waste by over 19,000 tonnes (8%), equivalent to almost £62 million. • Launched a Chewing Gum Task Force with Keep Britain Tidy and the gum industry to tackle gum littering with up to £10 million funding available over 5 years. • Provided new powers for councils to tackle anti-social behaviour . • Provided new powers to combat waste crime. We have the following targets and • We will eliminate avoidable waste by 2050 and double resource productivity by 2050. • We will explore options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste • We will eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042. • We will seek to eliminate waste crime by 2042. • We will halve ‘residual’ waste (excluding major mineral waste) produced per person by 2042. For the purposes of the target, we define ‘residual’ waste as waste that is sent to landfill, put through incineration or used in energy recovery in the UK, or that is sent overseas to be used in energy recovery. • The residual waste target is underpinned by the following interim targets, by 31 • Reduce residual waste (excluding major mineral waste) produced per person • Reduce residual waste (excluding major mineral waste) in total tonnes by 21%. • Reduce municipal residual waste produced per person by 29%. • Reduce residual municipal food waste produced per person by 50%. • Reduce residual municipal plastic waste produced per person by 45%. • Reduce residual municipal paper and card waste produced per person by 26%. • Reduce residual municipal metal waste produced per person by 42%. • Reduce residual municipal glass waste produced per person by 48%. • Implement consistent recycling for households and businesses, to boost recycling rates. • Introduce a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic and metal drinks containers from October 2025 to drive very high recycling rates, to incentivise citizens to do their civic recycling duties and bring positive recycling behaviours into public consciousness. • Implement packaging Extended Producer Responsibility from 2024 to move the cost of dealing with household packaging waste from taxpayers and councils to the • Mandate recycling labelling for packaged products by 31 March 2026 except for plastic films and flexible which we will mandate by 31 March 2027 . • Ban the supply of single-use plastics like plastic plates and cutlery from October 2023. We will also explore options further , including with stakeholders, for the potential for technological innovation in the production of coffee cups, and behavioural science in how they are used. • Introduce a mandatory digital waste tracking service to modernise existing waste record keeping and implement reforms to the waste carriers, brokers and dealers regime and bring forward legislation to tackle abuse of certain types of waste exemptions. • Launch a call for evidence to support development of a plan to achieve the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill from 2028. Resources on our islands – indeed on our planet – are finite and precious. Their extraction and manufacture can cause environmental harm. We want to make it easier for people to do the right thing to maximise the use of these resources and Success relies on us, as a society, to change our relationship with how we use resources. In 2018, we published our Resources and Waste Strategy which set out long-term commitments and ambitions to eliminate avoidable waste by 2050. We were making great strides forward in people’s attitudes towards reuse, with recycling rates increasing over the longer term, but when COVID-19 arrived we were knocked back. We reverted to single use plastics as a default, to protect our own health. People needed new single-use products like facemasks and test kits, and understandably prioritised public health by buying products with additional packaging. Between 2019 and 2020 there was a large increase in residual waste, as the household recycling rate fell by 1.5 percentage points and total waste from households increased by 0.5 million tonnes. Everything we use and consume requires resources that come from somewhere. We need to reclaim the ground lost and remind people of the positive action they have got out of the habit of doing over the last few years.
Our plan aims to make it the norm to reduce, reuse, and recycle so we can reduce residual waste and make our economy truly circular and sustainable. We cannot continue with our stagnant household and business recycling rates, leaving households and businesses to navigate complex collection rules. We know that consumers want to take the right action but too often they ‘wishcycle’ — confused about what they can and cannot recycle, often putting items in the recycling bin in the hope they are doing the right thing and ending up contaminating what could have been recycled. Transition towards more circular resource use is an essential part of the action we need to take to tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving the state of the natural world. To achieve this, we are making sure that the polluter pays principle is implemented and to design waste out of the way we do things right across our economy–and keep harmful waste out of our environment. We will help each of us to cut back on single-use items that most of us can do without. By 31 December 2042, the total mass of residual waste excluding major mineral wastes in a calendar year does not exceed 287 kg per capita. By 31 January 2028, the total mass of residual waste excluding major mineral wastes in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed We set a stretching long-term target to halve ‘residual’ waste (waste that is sent to landfill, put through incineration or used in energy recovery in the UK or overseas) by 2042. This is an intentionally broad target, which will include the most environmentally harmful materials like plastics, rather than banning a single type of material and risk producers moving to a different, more harmful material. This interim target reflects the trajectory that will be required for the long-term target. Achieving the interim target will mean a 24% reduction of residual waste from 2019 levels, setting us on track towards achieving the long-term target, which is equivalent to a 50% reduction from 2019 levels. By 31 January 2028, the total mass of residual waste excluding major mineral waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed This sets an overall waste tonnage interim target alongside the per capita target. This will ensure that progress towards the long-term target also involves a substantial reduction in the overall tonnage of waste sent to residual end-of- life treatment, irrespective of any unexpected population change. Achieving this target will reduce the total mass of residual waste by 21% from 2019 levels. By 31 January 2028, the total mass of municipal residual waste in a year does not exceed 333 kg per capita. Interim target 3 covers the narrower scope of municipal waste. This is waste from households plus waste similar in composition to household waste, such as commercial waste. We propose this target because it captures where current policy interventions, the Collection and Packaging Reforms, are focused. It also provides a reference point for the material-based interim targets, which currently can only be satisfactorily measured at a municipal level. Achieving this target will reduce the total mass of municipal residual waste by 29% compared to 2019 levels. By 31 January 2028, the total mass • Residual municipal food waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed 64 kg per capita. This is equivalent to a 50% reduction from 2019 levels. • Residual municipal plastic waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed 42 kg per capita. This is equivalent to a 45% reduction from 2019 levels. • Residual municipal paper and card waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed 7 4 kg per capita. This is equivalent to a 26% reduction from 2019 levels. • Residual municipal metal waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed 10 kg per capita. This is equivalent to a 42% reduction from 2019 levels. • Residual municipal glass waste in the most recent full calendar year does not exceed 7 kg per capita. This is equivalent to a 48%

We are setting material-based interim targets to ensure all key waste material streams, not only the heaviest, are reducing in tonnage. Further , including a plastic waste interim target specifically will enable us to track our progress against our previous commitment to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Resources and Waste Strategy and Net Zero We have also set out our long-term commitments • Reduce food waste, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels by • Significantly reduce and where possible prevent all kinds of marine plastic pollution – in particular material that came originally from land. • Develop policies towards the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028 as part of the Net Zero Strategy. • Achieve a municipal recycling rate of at least 65% by 2035. • Seek to eliminate waste crime and illegal waste sites by 2042 prioritising those of highest risk. • Deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering behaviour . The government has ambitions for waste on its own estate. In 2021 we achieved our target of sending less than 10% of waste to landfill. We also reduced our waste by 51% against a 2014 to 2015 baseline, saving an estimated £33.5 million in 2020 to 2021 alone. The current Greening Government Commitments, to be met by • Reduce the overall amount of waste generated by 15% from the 2017 to 2018 baseline. • Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill to less than • Increase the proportion of waste which is recycled to at • Remove Consumer Single Use Plastic (CSUP) from the central government office estate.
To deliver against our goal and targets, we are taking action 1 Delivering our collection and packaging reforms – implementing reforms to collections and packaging, producer responsibility and introducing a deposit return 2 Enabling people to take the right action – providing incentives and ensuring the infrastructure, information 3 Reducing our use of materials – preventing waste from occurring in the first place and managing it better when it does, doubling resource productivity. 4 Tackling waste crime – so as not to allow our ambition to be undermined by criminality. 5 Global leadership in tacking waste and pollution – tackling plastic pollution in our interconnected oceans. Deliver consistent collections Different local authorities currently collect different materials for recycling, which leads to incorrect messaging about what can or cannot be recycled, making it harder for households to recycle. We will be supporting frequent and comprehensive rubbish and recycling collections. • Introduce a consistent household and business waste collections policy. This will ensure the same recyclable waste streams (paper and card; glass; metal; plastic; food waste; and garden waste (from households only)) are collected for recycling from all households and businesses. The measure that will make the biggest impact in driving progress towards our targets is requiring separate food waste collections, as many local authorities already do. We will provide capital funding for local authorities in England to prepare to implement free separate food waste collections for all households. • Require this core set of recyclable waste streams to be collected from households and businesses, with the exception of plastic films and micro-firms which will Implement Extended Producer Responsibility for We know producers want to prioritise the sustainability of their packaging, but that can sometimes be more costly or come at the expense of on-shelf visual appeal. By reforming the current packaging producer responsibility system we can introduce measures to incentivise producers to make better more

sustainable decisions in the design and use of packaging. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will move the full net cost of dealing with packaging waste generated by households from local taxpayers and councils to businesses that handle and use packaging. Once EPR is fully operational this shift of cost from local authorities to producers is estimated to be around £1.2 billion per year across all local authorities. Packaging waste recycling targets will be set for six packaging materials (plastic, card, steel, aluminium, glass and wood) for each EPR will be introduced on a phased basis from 2024, focusing on payments for household packaging waste in the first phase. We are engaging with stakeholders to shape the future vision of waste reforms through industry wide sprint events, deep dive sessions and fortnightly forums. This will also help ensure business readiness for reform related changes. Work to make sure people understand how and We want to help people make choices so we can move to a truly circular and sustainable economy. • Launched a £15 million pilot scheme to reduce food waste. Funding has been awarded to many projects including employing specialists to help businesses measure and act on food waste. Results include an additional 15,000 tonnes of surplus food redistributed. A further £10 million supported resource efficiency projects with the goal of diverting, reducing, and better managing waste. • Awarded £12 million to the redistribution sector since 2019 to make sure more surplus food gets to those Our policies aim to reduce and

• Funded and supported behaviour change campaigns to help business and consumers waste less food. • Increased our packaging recycling rate from 62.1% in 2018 to 63.2% (provisional) in 2021 and tonnes recycled from 7 .4 million tonnes in 2018 to 8 million tonnes in 2021 – an additional 672,000 tonnes. • Continue to support the RecycleNow campaign, which communicates clear information on high impact actions individuals can take to recycle. • Mandate recycling labelling for packaged products by 31 March 2026 except for plastic films and flexible which we will mandate by 31 March 2027 . • Fund WRAP to continue food waste prevention work. This includes guidance, research and campaigns including Food Waste Action Week. This funding will also support governance of the Courtauld Commitment 2030, a cross sector voluntary agreement to halve food waste between 2007 and 2030. • Consider options to improve food waste reporting by large food businesses in England. By increasing the number of businesses measuring and publicly reporting their food waste, we expect to drive action to reduce it. Eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042 Since its introduction in 2015 the single-use carrier bag charge has reduced the total number of single-use carrier bags sold from 2.1 billion in 2016 to 2017 to 496 million in 2021 to 2022. The average person in England now buys around 3 single-use carrier bags each year from the main supermarkets, compared with 140 in 2014. We further decreased their usage through the increase of the 5p charge to 10p and its extension to all businesses in 2021. We are going further , working towards all plastic packaging on the market being recyclable or reusable by 2025. Since • Restricted the supply of single-use plastic drinking straws, plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plastic drink stirrers. • Introduced a Plastic Packaging Tax, charging £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into, the UK that does not contain at least • Announced a mandatory takeback requirement for fibre-based composite cups, as part of EPR. • Ban the supply of single-use plastic plates, cutlery, balloon sticks and expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers from October 2023. • Review progress of the mandatory takeback requirement for fibre-based composite cups requirement and consider whether the obligation should be extended to all sellers of filled fibre-based composite cups.
• Explore options further , including with stakeholders, for the potential for technological innovation in the production of coffee cups, and behavioural science in • Consider next steps following our call for evidence on other problematic items including wet wipes, cigarette Make it easier to recycle electrical items We all end up with unwanted or unusable waste electrical and electronic equipment, but it can be difficult or inconvenient for people to do the right thing, making existing communication campaigns challenging to resonate effectively. Since 2020 Defra has mandated large retailers to offer a free, 1 for 1 take back service for old electrical appliances. To make this easier going forward, Defra • Consult on improvements to the producer responsibility scheme for waste electronic and electrical equipment in 2023 making it easier for people to properly dispose of their electrical waste including ensuring provision of adequately funded communications to consumers. • Consult on improvements to the batteries regulations to increase collection of batteries from the household,

strengthen producer responsibility schemes, and address supply and safety challenges around novel battery technology. This will also support the transition to electric vehicles. Eliminating biodegradable waste to landfill In the absence of oxygen (below the surface), anaerobic degradation of biodegradable waste produces methane and carbon dioxide. Methane’s global warming potential is roughly 80 times greater per tonne emitted than carbon dioxide over 20 years, and 25 times greater over 100 years. To achieve the near elimination of biodegradable waste to landfill, we will launch a call for evidence to support development of a plan to achieve the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill from 2028. Publish the new programme to maximise resources and minimise waste for England We are designing our policies to move to a more circular model of resource use. Since 2018 the government has extended the life range of household products such as washing machines and televisions through Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations. Defra will publish the new maximising resources and minimising waste programme in England. The programme will set out our priorities for action across 7 key sectors - construction, textiles, furniture, electronics, vehicles, food, and plastics, packaging and single-use items - to manage resources and waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy. Implement a Deposit Return Scheme UK consumers go through an estimated 14 billion plastic drinks bottles and nine billion drinks cans a year . Not only does this represent a substantial amount of single-use material, but it also drives littering. Drinks bottles and cans regularly feature among the most commonly found items on UK beaches. Recycling rates of drinks containers have stagnated at 70% but by charging a deposit when a container is bought and refunding it on return we expect at least 90% of plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans to be collected. Defra will introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, for cans and plastic bottles. We intend this to start from October 2025. Support councils to tackle anti-social behaviour such as litter and fly-tipping Anti-social behaviour by a minority can make life miserable for many. As part of cross-government efforts to crack down on anti-social behaviour , we will support councils by enabling them to improve enforcement. Since 2018, Defra • Given councils new powers to tackle littering from vehicles. • Helped councils make it easier for people to do the right thing with their litter by publishing guidance on ‘binfrastructure’ in 2019 and providing nearly £1 million to help councils purchase new bins. • Awarded over £450,000 in grant funding in 2022 to help several councils tackle fly-tipping at hotspots; published a report on the drivers, deterrents and impacts of fly-tipping; and published the first part of a fly-tipping toolkit on presenting robust prosecutions. • Introduced a fixed penalty for householders who fail in their household waste duty of care and published materials to help councils raise awareness among residents of their duty of care. • Launched the Chewing Gum Taskforce in 2022 which will see major chewing gum producers invest up to £10 million over five years to help tackle chewing gum littering. The Task Force has recently announced funding of £1.25 million to help more than 40 councils across the UK clean gum off pavements and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum being dropped in the first place. • Award a further £800,000 available in grant funding for councils to tackle fly-tipping. • Continue to deliver commitments in the Litter Strategy for England (published in 2017), such as reviewing the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. • Publish the remaining parts of the fly-tipping toolkit. Amongst other content, this supports local authorities to set up and run effective partnerships to tackle fly-tipping and promote duty of care around household waste. • Provide statutory guidance on the proportionate use • Bring forward further measures in due course to tackle Strengthen powers to take action against waste We are strengthening powers to crack down on waste related criminal activity, which costs the economy about £1 billion each year . Legitimate businesses are undermined by rogue operators who dump or export waste illegally. We want to increase penalties and better detect illegal activity to stamp this out. • Strengthened the powers to tackle waste crime, by introducing new powers to stop illegal waste sites posing a risk to the environment, including the ability to lock up sites and to force rogue operators to clean up all their waste. Agencies now have stronger powers of entry and access to evidence in prosecuting waste crimes. • Launched the Joint Unit for Waste Crime in January 2020 to tackle serious and organised crime in the sector . Since then, the sharing of intelligence and tactical coordination between the law enforcement agencies has led to regular action to disrupt the activities of organised crime groups in the sector , with some significant impacts.
Building on reforms already made, Defra • Introduce a mandatory digital waste tracking service to modernise existing waste record keeping. This will enable regulators to better detect illegal activity and tackle waste crime, including fly-tipping, illegal waste sites, and illegal waste exports. • Tighten the waste exemptions regime to stop criminals using exemptions to hide illegal waste activity. • Strengthen the regulation of those controlling and transporting waste to require more background checks and to make it easier for regulators to take action against non-compliant operators. Pollution happens at a global as well as a domestic scale. Pollution from mismanaged waste may be burned, dumped on land, and can end up in the ocean and then washes up on our shores. We tackle this by regulating export of wastes from the United Kingdom and engaging internationally to drive up standards and ensure effective global regulation. Regulating export shipments of waste Legislation is in place to control exports of waste. This legislation imposes strict conditions on the types of waste that can be exported and sets out procedures that waste Exporters must ensure that waste is dealt with appropriately throughout the shipment and at the receiving facility. Exporters found guilty of an offence under the regulations can be fined and/or imprisoned for up to two years. In 2021 we updated the UK plan for Shipments of Waste, the plan strictly limits when waste can be shipped to or from

• Ban the export of plastic waste to countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This will help ensure that the waste we export is recycled to UK • Internationally, following the UK’s active participation in the negotiations, from 1 January 2025 waste electrical and electronic equipment will only be able to be exported if the destination country agrees. This increases protection for vulnerable countries from unwanted imports, reducing the human health and environmental hazards stemming from undocumented e-waste. Play a leading role in tackling waste and Since 2018 the UK government • Worked with WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch the UK Plastics Pact. The Pact has brought together businesses from across the whole plastic lifecycle to tackle plastic waste. We have also provided WRAP with funding to support the development of Plastic Pacts around the world. • Co-led (with Japan and China) work to update international guidelines under the Basel Convention on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes. • Championed high ambition at the negotiations for a new treaty on plastic pollution, so this treaty can deliver the international action needed to end plastic • Launched the UK Methane Memorandum at the UN Climate Summit COP27 , to specifically address what the UK has done to reduce methane emissions, sharing our best practice with others. • Demonstrated global leadership on methane and produced a Methane Action Plan to improve effectiveness at cutting emissions across related industry sectors. As well as committed to developing

new monitoring techniques and regulatory approaches to reduce methane emissions in the waste sector . • Work with partner countries through the UK’s Blue Planet Fund to strengthen policies and regulations needed to eradicate plastic pollution and mismanaged waste. This includes continuing to invest in the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) to establish up to 25 plastic partnerships with countries by 2025 to reduce plastic pollution and waste. We have already established partnerships with Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nigeria, Maharashtra in India and Ecuador . GPAP also supported 11,000 waste pickers to continue working during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing personal safety packages. • In Ghana, our collaboration with Miniplast, a national manufacturer of industrial and household products, led to an increase in the company’s recycling capacity to over 1000 tonnes per month, with targets to increase • Our Blue Planet Fund investment into the United Nations Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Badge project has supported over 500,000 participants in 35 countries by 2022 including Kenya, India and Malaysia. Plastic waste is one of the biggest global environmental challenges we face, and it requires collaborative action to tackle this issue. The UK Plastics Pact (UKPP) is an initiative to create a circular system that keeps plastic in the economy and out of the natural environment. Led by the charity Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and supported by government through funding, it is a coalition whose members cover the entire plastics value chain and are responsible for , approximately two thirds of the total plastic packaging placed on the UK

Since 2018, there has been an 84% reduction in problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic items, with a total of 620 million of these items being taken off UK shelves by members. We’re also seeing positive action on the recyclability of plastic packaging. Up from 66% in 2018, 70% of plastic packaging from Pact members is now recyclable at home. To further progress towards this target, WRAP is encouraging businesses and consumers to adopt reuse systems and habits. Nearly half of members are already running pilots and trials in this space, and a further third plan to We have a suite of indicators that measure progress against the Resource and Waste Strategy and inform its Evaluation Plan. From these we developed waste and resource related indicators in the Outcome Indicator Framework (OIF) which, alongside the Annual Progress Reports, monitor progress towards delivering the EIP. The Outcome Indicator Framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes. The relevant Outcome Indicator Framework indicators for ‘Maximise our resources, minimise our waste’ are listed J1 Carbon footprint and consumer buying choices J3 Municipal waste recycling rates J4 Residual waste arising by type and sector J5 Prevent harmful chemicals from being recycled

reforms will make it easier for

Key policies to make sure we are using our natural resources sustainably

The natural environment is a valuable asset and a major source of national wealth.
It is essential for securing our basic needs, maintaining our biodiversity and sustaining our economy; and, in 2020, the value of the UK’s natural capital was estimated to be £1.8 trillion. Protecting and enhancing our natural capital will help deliver benefits, including long-term flood risk reduction, boosts to wildlife, improvements to water and air quality, and opportunities for biodiversity net gain. Using our precious, finite, natural resources more sustainably and efficiently is an essential part of the action we need to take to meet our environmental challenges. This means maximising their availability in a sustainable way. The impact of our use of resources extends beyond our borders. We are continuing to develop sustainable supply chains and growing the market for sustainably produced commodities globally. There is good work underway – but we need to scale up quickly to protect and enhance our natural capital for every generation to come. Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal Use resources from nature, such as timber, fish and food, more sustainably and • Championed international forest protection and restoration and sustainable agriculture, including through the Glasgow Leader’s Declaration on Forests and Land Use as UN Climate Summit COP26 President, the Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture, and the launch of the Forest Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) dialogue. • Published the England Trees Action Plan setting out our long-term vision for England’s forestry sector to 2050 and the measures we will take to boost tree planting and improve woodland management, including for sustainable timber production. • Taken back control of our waters, letting us manage our own fish stocks to increase their sustainability through the first UK Fisheries Act 2020 since 1981. • Published our government Food Strategy setting out how we will broadly maintain domestic food production whilst meeting our net zero and other commitments. We have the following targets and • Halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation globally by 2030. • Ensure that all fish stocks are recovered to and maintained at levels that can produce their maximum sustainable yield. • Through our new farming schemes, bring at least 40% of England’s agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2028, and increase this to 60% by 2030. • Deliver a sustainable, nature positive, affordable food system that provides choice and access to high quality products. • Implement legislation to make it illegal for larger businesses operating in the UK to use key forest-risk commodities that have been grown on land that is illegally • Deliver a package of measures to protect forests internationally and support sustainability, in response to by advice from the Global Resource Initiative. • Implement Fisheries Management Plans to reduce negative ecosystem impacts and help to deliver the recovery of stocks. • Continue to deliver the agricultural transition to reinvest £2.4 billion per year over the course of this Parliament to incentivise farmers and land managers to improve soil health, restore peatland and establish and restore woodlands and forests, through our new farming schemes. The natural environment is a valuable asset and a major source of national wealth. It is essential for securing our basic needs, maintaining our biodiversity and sustaining our economy; in 2020, the value of the UK’s natural capital was estimated to be £1.8 trillion. Protecting and enhancing our natural capital will help deliver benefits, including long-term flood risk reduction, boosts to wildlife, improvements to water and air quality, and opportunities for biodiversity net gain. The flow of services and products directly obtained from ecosystems such as agricultural biomass, water extraction and timber was £27 .6 billion in 2020. Using these precious, often finite, natural resources more sustainably and efficiently is an essential part of the action we will take to meet our environmental challenges. For some resources, such as timber and fish, this means maximising availability in a sustainable way, whilst generating environmental benefits. For other resources, such as peat, it means reversing historical overuse and restoring and protecting peatlands. There is good work already underway – but we need to scale up quickly to protect and enhance our natural capital for every generation to come. This chapter sets out how we are managing valued natural resources including timber and forestry, fish, food and soil. The impact of our use of resources extends beyond our borders. So we are continuing to develop sustainable supply chains and growing the market for sustainably produced Halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, in line with our commitment under the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. Implement due diligence legislation for forest risk commodities and support the progress of the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) launched in 2022. Planting more trees is critical to achieving net zero, providing more habitat and growing our future domestic timber resource. In the 25 Year Environment Plan we recognised this and committed to increasing woodland cover in England to 12% by 2060. As set out in the ‘Thriving plants and wildlife’ chapter , we have gone further in our environmental targets, published in December 2022, and set a target of 16.5% of England to be trees and woodland by 2050. We expect this to include 12% woodland cover , with the remainder made up by non- woodland trees. This is key for our Net Zero Strategy and to deliver our manifesto commitment to plant 30,000 ha of trees per year across the UK by the end of this Parliament. Managing fisheries more sustainably Develop Fisheries Management Plans as a way of managing fisheries more sustainably and driving progress towards this goal. They will include plans on how to maintain and restore fish stocks to sustainable levels. The timetable for delivery of the 43 Fisheries Management Plans is set out in the Joint Fisheries Statement, published in November 2022. Improving and protecting soil health Through new farming schemes, bring at least 40% of England’s agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2028, and increase this to 60% by 2030.
A sustainable, nature positive, affordable food The government’s Food Strategy set out our objective to deliver a sustainable, nature positive, affordable food system that provides choice and access to high quality products. This aims to support healthier and home-grown

Continuing to drive progress towards this goal will require concerted action across a range of sectors, with direction set by government but delivery often in the hands of 1 Shifting to more sustainable supply chains – Global trade has helped countries meet increasing demand while spreading prosperity. Shifting to sustainable supply chains gives us the opportunity to promote and support production that uses lower emissions and better protects the environment. 2 Maintaining a sustainable and long-term supply of timber and wood products – planting and establishing more trees and woodlands will play an important role in supporting the green economy, levelling up rural areas and creating thousands of new jobs. 3 Managing fisheries more sustainably – the fishing industry forms the foundation for , and contributes significantly to, the continued prosperity of coastal communities around the UK. The industry prides itself on delivering valuable employment opportunities to otherwise remote or rural areas and providing healthy, sustainable food to the UK as a whole. 4 Improving and protecting soil health – healthy soil will provide natural protection against the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and drought and will increase the diversity of our plants and animals and 5 Supporting a prosperous, healthy and nature positive food system – our food system is dependent on maintaining a healthy and sustainable natural environment, providing us with the inputs we need to continue to grow, rear and produce food domestically. This is complemented by international trade to provide our high level of food security. Tackle deforestation in international supply chains Around 90% of global deforestation is driven by agriculture, much of it to produce the commodities which are internationally traded and which we use daily. So action we take at home and support we can provide abroad can make • Championed international forest protection and restoration and sustainable agriculture, supporting partnerships, dialogues, and trade between producer and consumer countries that will support the transition to sustainable supply chains and protecting forests. This includes the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Dialogue, Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use (GLD), and Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP). • Signed a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with Indonesia in March 2019, a bilateral agreement between a timber-producing country and the UK. VPAs aim to reduce illegal logging by strengthening the sustainability and legality of forest management, improving forest governance, and promoting trade in legally and sustainably produced timber . We expect to progress other VPAs with partners such as Ghana and Vietnam. • Convened the Global Resource Initiative (GRI) independent taskforce to provide advice on how we could reduce the global environmental footprint of our supply chains. Their recommendations focused on the issue of addressing forest loss. In our response, we have set out how we are now delivering a package of measures on this. Our approach to taking forwards the recommendations of the GRI • Supporting producers to shift to more environmentally and economically sustainable land use including through Overseas

Development Aid (ODA) programming and the development of markets for sustainably produced • Increasing market demand and strengthening price signals for sustainably produced commodities. • Supporting the development of strong partnerships between commodity producer and consumer countries and the private sector to support collective global action. We will continue to deliver our package of measures on addressing forest loss, • Using our trade agreements and trading relationships to support UK ambition on forestry, nature and sustainable supply chains to support the UK’s strong environmental • Leveraging our role in global food supply chains to achieve greater sustainability of commodity production and trade, which will support halting and reversing Tackle illegal deforestation in our supply chains A significant proportion of deforestation is illegal, around 95% in some key forests. Globally, recent research estimates that at least 69% of tropical deforestation for commercial agriculture between 2013 and 2019 was conducted in violation of national laws. The Environment Act introduced new provisions to make it illegal for larger businesses operating in the UK to use key commodities that have been grown on land that is illegally We will now operationalise these provisions through secondary legislation. Businesses in scope will also be required to undertake a due diligence exercise on their supply chains, and to publicly report on this exercise every year , or risk fines and other civil sanctions. The government has committed to implementing these regulations at the earliest opportunity. Ensure high levels of environmental protection The government has been clear that it will not weaken our current environmental protections and will continue to ensure a high level of protection of the environment in new • Use our trade agreements and our bilateral and multilateral trading relationships, as well as Multilateral Environmental Agreements, to support UK ambition on forestry, biodiversity nature, and • Seek to include provisions to deepen cooperation on natural resources and ozone depleting substances • Encourage trade on a sustainable footing that contributes to the delivery of global environmental targets at the World Trade Organisation. The UK is an active Member in three trade and environment the permanent multilateral Committee on Trade and Environment; and the plurilateral Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions and Dialogue on Plastic Pollution. Encourage productive planting to increase supply In 2021 Defra published the England Trees Action Plan setting out our long term vision for England’s forestry sector to 2050 and the measures we will take to boost tree planting and improve woodland management, including for Defra will work in partnership with the commercial forestry sector and others to boost tree planting and overcome • Creating guidance on how to encourage more well- designed multi-functional woodland creation aligned with the UK Forestry Standard, such as continuous cover forestry.
This will support the planting of a mix of conifer and hardwood species in a way which maximises the benefits of our woodlands for carbon, • Funding a £1 million project to better understand the financial implications of woodland creation, to help build the evidence base and economic case for • Improving regulatory processes to make tree planting a simpler , quicker and more attractive option for land managers on lower productivity land, while retaining strong environmental and biosecurity safeguards. • Delivering the mechanisms set out in the ‘Thriving plants and wildlife’ chapter to boost woodland creation rates in England. This aims to increase the long-term availability of soft and hardwoods. Make best use of our domestic timber resource Our timber supports sustainable wood product markets, rural jobs and timber processing sectors. We will encourage greater rates of sustainable woodland management and timber harvesting across England, while supporting natural regeneration and restocking of existing woodlands. We will also work with other government departments and industry to support the safe and sustainable use of timber in the built environment and in public procurement. • Supported farmers and land managers with the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Management Plan grant to support sustainable management of their woodlands in line with UK Forestry Standard • Awarded £4.27 million to support the purchase of large items of forestry equipment under the previous Countryside Productivity scheme. • Introduced a new Timber in Construction Innovation Fund, which will provide £1.5m of funding to increase and facilitate the use of homegrown wood and wood fibre in construction from sustainably managed English woodlands. The fund will support projects which aim to increase the volume of carbon stored in the built environment, better utilise our hardwood resource and bring novel or improved wood-rich products, systems and/or processes to market. • Provide grants through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund to enable land managers to purchase forestry equipment, such as forwarders, tree shears, forestry grabs, trailers and winches. As of November 2022, 490 pieces of forestry equipment with a value of over £890,000 were supported under the first round • Open new rounds of the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds through the Nature for Climate Fund. This will stimulate the development and testing of new ideas to help improve the ecological

condition of woodlands and their resilience to climate change through increased demand for wood and increased levels of woodland management. For • The £4.5 million Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Funds supports innovative projects to encourage and broaden innovation in the forestry sector . This aims to improve the ecological condition of existing woodlands and create a market pull for locally sourced timber and coppice products. • The £1.25m Routes to Market for Ash Timber Innovation Fund supports projects to develop new uses for ash timber from trees felled due to ash dieback. This includes the delivery of new furniture supply chains for ash boards and plywood. The fund has already supported research into the use of rotary veneer technology to add value to small diameter ash logs from small woodlands, helping to improve potential revenue opportunities and make more efficient use of this felled ash timber resource. • The Temporary Infrastructure Innovation Fund is making up to £1.25 million available to support projects exploring innovative means to overcome vehicle access barriers to neglected or under • The Timber in Construction Innovation Fund is providing up to £1.5 million to support the development of innovative timber products, supply chains and ways of working with wood. • Finalise development of the Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap, to outline the steps required to safely increase the use of timber in construction in England. • Work across government to increase demand for sustainable timber products by identifying opportunities in public procurement policies and reviewing the government’s timber procurement policy. • Continue to support delivery of Nature for Climate Fund funded land acquisition to accelerate tree planting and secure a future supply of timber , including by introducing a freehold element to run alongside existing leasehold and grant offers. Enhance tree nursery capacity to give us a pipeline of healthy and diverse seeds and saplings The nursery sector is currently able to deliver 150 million trees per year , which needs to increase significantly to enable the sector to fully deliver on our targets and commitments. Defra will deliver investment • The £1.2 million Seed Sourcing Grant, which is supporting the sector in increasing the quantity, quality and diversity of Seed Stands and Seed Orchards in England. • The Tree Production Innovation Fund, which is investing £5.7 million in projects to encourage innovation in the nursery sector and overcome tree production barriers by increasing seed germination and establishments rates, automating labour-intensive processes and developing sustainable weed control solutions. • The £8.8 million Tree Production Capital Grant, which is supporting nurseries and seed suppliers to modernise their facilities to improve the quantity, quality, diversity and biosecurity of planting stock available for planting in England, for example by adopting mechanisation and automation. Support the skills, technical knowledge to build Our tree planting ambitions will require thousands of new jobs in the forestry sector to plant and manage our current and future treescapes. This is a huge opportunity to contribute to levelling up rural areas across the country. • Deliver a Forestry Training Fund to unlock access to practical forestry training courses for new entrants to the sector and provide upskilling opportunities for the • Expand the Professional Forester scheme, so that individuals can “earn and learn” via a three-year • Continue to work with industry to support increased

opportunities for apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical training routes into the forestry sector , while looking to resolve barriers to education and training • Scope options for a digital skills hub to bring together key resources on forestry education, careers and skills opportunities, and work with the Department for Education to explore how best to connect schools with careers in nature-based sectors, such as forestry.
Case study - Stourhead (Western) Estate – Stourhead (Western) Estate is an example of how sensitive woodland management can support productive forestry alongside the delivery of environmental benefits and improved resilience to pests, diseases and climate change. Located within Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the site contains over 650 hectares of forest which produces around 6,500m3 of timber each year . The estate is managed using innovative continuous cover forestry (CCF) practices to maximise the delivery of biodiversity benefits while still continuing to generate a competitive income from timber sales. The estate is one of the best examples of permanently irregular , mixed coniferous stands in the UK, with species including Douglas fir , cedar and spruce. It consists of interspersed conifer and broadleaf planting where CCF has been practiced for the last 20 years. CCF is not suitable for all types of woodland or for all locations but where it can be used it helps to create a structurally, visually and biologically more diverse woodland capable of delivering quality sustainable timber and a wide range of ecosystem services. The irregular structure enables the estate to support a wealth of biodiversity, including 248 moth species, 13 bat species (including both Lesser and Greater Horseshoe and Barbastelle), 26 bird species and 128 plant species. This holistic approach to forestry also makes the woodland more resilient to pests, diseases

The Estate is preparing positively for the future. By widening the range and genetic diversity of the UK- grown tree species being planted and adopting modern approaches to woodland management, it is developing forest stands with a high resistance to pests, diseases, extreme weather and climate change. The Estate expects to plant nearly 80 hectares of additional trees in 2023 to expand the woodland and further increase the economic and nature benefits it provides. Sustainable management of fisheries requires appropriate management of our diverse stocks. The economic sustainability of our seafood sectors and of fishing-dependent communities can only be built on environmental sustainability. Apply an ecosystem-based approach to marine • Delivered a new legal framework for fisheries management which commits us to balancing environmental, economic and social considerations • Published the Joint Fisheries Statement with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Recognising that action on fisheries and the marine environment can be most effective when we take coordinated action across our sea, the statement sets out our policies for achieving, or contributing to the achievement of, the Fisheries Act’s • Put in place fisheries agreements with our partners across the North-East Atlantic, including the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands. These are important parts of unlock sustainable fishing across all of our seas, setting

shared goals and catching limits regardless of nationality of boat. To further support this, we have joined 5 priority Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, as well proactively arguing in organisations like the Food and Agriculture Organisation for stronger ocean • Committed to maintain funding to EU levels over this Parliament. In England a significant proportion of this money is part of the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, a grant scheme which is investing in safeguarding the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of • Established the £100 million UK Seafood Fund funding infrastructure, science and innovation, and skills and training projects throughout the UK seafood industry. This includes funding to reduce carbon emissions through electric boat engines, solar panels and new technology as well as improving sustainability through better research into fish stocks. In the first round of the Infrastructure scheme this included nearly £9 million to processors in Scotland and over £10 million to processors in Grimsby and Cornwall. • Deliver Fisheries Management Plans, with the first plans coming in 2023. We will work closely with the fishing sector and other stakeholders. In addition to sustainably managing stocks, these plans will seek to support the delivery of the appropriate objectives from the UK Marine Strategy. These plans will promote selectivity, reduce negative impacts on the ecosystem and help to deliver the recovery of stocks. • Publish each year a transparent and scientifically robust assessment of the sustainability outcomes of our annual fisheries negotiations. This assessment will analyse our performance in the quota-setting process against scientific advice. Once all negotiations for 2023 are complete, we will publish this year’s report. • Continue to invest in the multi-year Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme (mNCEA). This will build a robust evidence base which

brings together ecological, societal, and economic information. This is already being put to use in considering how best to use our forage fish, including sand eels and Norway pout, to support the wider Tackle illegal, unregulated and unregistered Illegal, unregulated and unregistered fishing activity results in a loss globally of between $10-23 billion a year in illicit catches, as well as severely impacting our ability to manage We have established the IUU Fishing Action Alliance with the USA and Canada. It will drive action to implement international agreements, improve monitoring control and surveillance and promote data sharing. • Continuing to promote effective monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement internationally. • Advocate for increased data sharing so we can more effectively manage our shared resources. This helps third countries to manage UK vessels when they are in their waters, as well as making sure that the product • We are taking action to improve the robustness of our seafood supply chains by requiring all licensed vessels fishing in English waters, regardless of nationality or size, to report their location, speed and direction via Vessel Monitoring Systems devices in 2023. This will provide positional data for all licensed fishing vessels for the first time, improving our ability to control, enforce and manage their activity. Support farmers and land managers Approximately 70% of England’s soil is agricultural. So Defra has introduced the arable and horticultural soils standard and improved grassland soils standard under the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Farmers are being rewarded for actions that protect the soil from erosion, increase soil organic matter , and enable the plants and organisms that live in the soil to function effectively. This includes the introduction of herbal leys and the use of grass-legume Defra will continue to incentivise farmers and land managers under our new agri-environment schemes to manage land in a way that improves and protects the overall health and structure of the soil. By 2028 we will bring at least 40% of England’s agricultural soil into sustainable management through our new farming schemes, increasing this to up to 60% by 2030. Establish comprehensive baseline data We monitor soil health as part of the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA), but on top of this Defra • Establish a soil health indicator under the 25 Year Environment Plan Outcome Indicator Framework. • Publish a baseline map of soil health for England by 2028. • Support farmers and land managers to establish their own soil health baseline, so they can best manage the • Provide a methodology and tools to collect consistent information about the health of the soil under all land • Share current guidance and best practice with farmers and land managers to improve their knowledge and work with them on how to improve soil health. Prevent valuable soil resources from being sent In 2016, soil made up 58% of material sent to landfill in the UK. In construction projects, the careful re-use of soil can avoid soil being designated a waste material and to bring it back to beneficial use, helping create more green spaces and increasing biodiversity. We are working • In 2023, publish a revised Code of Practice for the sustainable use of soil on construction sites, which will help to reduce the amount of soil sent to landfill. • Begin development of a Soil Re-Use and Storage Depot scheme to help prevent soil that would otherwise be classified as waste going to landfill, and encourage remediation and re-use of soil. We will start piloting Secure the integrity of future soil carbon codes There are several proprietary soil carbon codes and growing interest in an agricultural soil carbon market. However , there are concerns around the additionality and permanence of increases in soil carbon storage for climate change mitigation benefits. Any soil carbon code must be underpinned by scientifically robust methodologies to protect buyers and sellers and ensure the integrity of the market. Defra will support the development of high-integrity markets for ecosystem services. This includes minimum requirements that carbon codes should adhere to. Our new farming schemes are designed to support the foundations of food production and the natural environment, recognising the key role that farming and food supply have to play in restoring our natural environment. Food production relies on long-term environmental foundations such as access to water , the presence of pollinators and fertile soil; a healthy environment will help us to improve our food security. Our food security is dependent on strong domestic production, balanced with sustainable international trade. The government Food Strategy set the objective to deliver a sustainable, nature positive, affordable food system, as well as to broadly maintain the current level of food we produce in England. We have made several commitments in the government Food Strategy to help us deliver a sustainable and resilient way of managing fisheries more sustainably and driving progress towards this goal. Lobsters are a species included as one of the

• We will publish a Land Use Framework for England in • To drive more sustainable practices across the entire food system we have committed to deliver a new food data partnership. This will ensure a level playing field so that food businesses can more effectively compete in the areas of health, sustainability and animal welfare. • Through the food data partnership, we will also develop a mandatory methodology for eco-labels. This aims to provide a consistent approach across industry where eco- information is voluntarily used, mitigate any potential greenwashing; and promote accurate information to consumers around the environmental impact of their food. • We are investing in agri-food innovation across the supply chain, including joint investment with UK Research and Innovation in food systems research and innovation, as well as in farming and seafood innovation. We will work with farmers and growers to ensure regulation supports this innovation to support better outcomes for the environment. • The International Development Strategy confirmed our commitment to promoting climate-resilient, sustainable food systems globally. We will continue to work internationally to promote sustainable food supply chains. For example, under our Presidency of the UN Climate Summit COP26 we took forward the Agricultural Breakthrough to make sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers by 2030 through the Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture. • We will consider options to address risks of carbon leakage within the food system. Our reporting on the environmental and health impacts of the food system will include an assessment of our global • We are developing an updated approach to public sector food and catering. We have consulted on the sourcing of public sector food, menu choices, and catering practices. This includes proposals around on the sustainable sourcing of products, new standards for caterers to measure and minimise food waste, and to remove waste. We will monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Annual Progress Report and the Outcome Indicator Framework. The framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes.
The relevant indicators for using resources from nature more sustainably and C10 Productive fish and shellfish stocks fished C11 Productive status of sensitive fish and D3 Area of woodland in England E1 Area of productive agricultural land E2 Volume of agricultural production E3 Volume of inputs used in agricultural production E4 Efficiency of agricultural production measured E5 Percentage of the annual growth of trees in English woodlands that is harvested E6 Volume of timber brought to market per annum E9 Percentage of our seafood coming from healthy ecosystems, produced sustainably For timber and forestry, the Forestry Commission’s Key Performance Indicators also report on “Percentage of woodland that is sustainably managed”. Increasing the area of woodland that is sustainably managed is likely to support an increase in domestic timber supplies. Forest Research also publish forecasts of expected future softwood and hardwood availability through the National Forest Inventory. To further support this in fisheries, we have committed to have robust and transparent processes in place to ensure UK-produced fish is legal, including requirements around vessel monitoring for all boats. For soil, our new soil health baseline will help track soil health. We are also developing a voluntary soil structure monitoring scheme, to help those that actively manage soil. This will focus on farmland initially and develop to consider other habitats, including urban. The Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment will also include soil monitoring. For food, we will monitor delivery of the Food Strategy including drawing together evidence on the impacts of individual policies to determine the overall progress of the strategy. The government must also report on food security to Parliament at least once every three years. The next food security report is due in 2024. Key policies and actions to mitigate climate change, and adapt to its impact

Leaving the environment in a better state than we found it requires us to mitigate Due to climate change, we will see more intense and changeable weather and coastal erosion; an increase in risks from pests, pathogens and invasive non- native species; and knock-on impacts to our ecosystems, habitats, species and agricultural, forestry and marine productivity. This means that we must go further to build the climate resilience of our ecosystems. The relationship is also we can only reach net zero with Nature-based Solutions. Our habitats are crucial carbon sinks, and deliver increased co-benefits compared to other carbon solutions. As set out during our presidency of the UN Climate Summit COP26, we must deploy nature at scale domestically and around the world in order to keep 1.5°C alive. Nature and land-based sectors therefore must go beyond net zero and become carbon negative by 2050 in order to support the rest of the economy. We will support that transition, by investing in the necessary innovation and transformational change across the country. Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal Take all possible action to mitigate climate change, while adapting to reduce its

• Put Net Zero into law, the first developed country to do so, and published the Net Zero Strategy, which sets out our policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target. • Increased total spend from the Nature for Climate Fund on peat restoration, woodland creation and management to more than £750 million by 2025. • Promoted advances in climate resilient crops through the Genetic Technology Bill to mitigate impacts of climate change. • Built the climate resilience of UK business and infrastructure through adaptation reporting by 120 organisations in the water , energy, transport, financial and • Held the Presidency of the UN Climate Summit COP26 in 2021 where all parties agreed to the Glasgow Climate Pact, the first to interlink the issues of climate • Announced an Agricultural Breakthrough at COP26 where parties agreed to make climate resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted We have the following targets and • A UK-wide legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050, including carbon budgets 4, 5, and 6 from 2023 to 2037; and our 2030 Nationally Determined • Produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment to identify risks, followed by a National Adaptation Programme to address those risks every five years. • Under the Montreal Protocol we are committed to phasing out the production of ozone-depleting substances; under the Kigali amendment, we are committed to reducing HFC consumption by 85% by 2036. • Under the Paris Agreement, we are committed to limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, and aiming for 1.5 degrees under our presidency of the UN Climate Summit COP26. • Publish the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) in 2023 that will set out our five year strategy to build the UK’s climate resilience. • Later in 2023 we will update on our progress and plans to reach net zero. • Publish a Land Use Framework in 2023 to setting out how we will balance multiple demands on our land including climate mitigation and adaptation. • Investing in farmers and land managers to mitigate flood risk and other climate change-related impacts in our natural environment, through our new farming • Continue our role as a global leader in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation and push for an integrated approach to international action. • Deliver our commitment to spend £11.6bn of International Climate Finance between 2021 and 2026, including at least £3 billion on solutions that protect and restore • Expand the number of organisations in scope for adaptation reporting on their climate resilience preparedness. • Fund the restoration of over 35,000 hectares of peatlands in England by 2025 through the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme. Climate change was identified by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) as one of the direct drivers of biodiversity loss.
Building the resilience of our environment, by creating more joined up and buffered places for nature as well as tackling hazards which are increased by climate change, is crucial to leaving our environment in a better state. As global temperatures increase, we will see more intense and changeable weather and coastal erosion; an increase in risks from pests, pathogens and invasive non-native species; and knock-on impacts to our ecosystems, habitats, species and agricultural, forestry and marine productivity. In 2021 we published the Net Zero Strategy which sets out cross-government policy to meet net zero by 2050. Nature- based Solutions, like restoring peat and planting trees, are key to delivering our climate change agenda. They deliver multiple benefits for climate, biodiversity, and people, and will therefore play a critical role in our plans to tackle the interrelated climate and biodiversity crises. Our land-based sectors are integral to the UK’s wider approach to net zero as a significant carbon sink. Throughout this document we have set out the actions to deliver net zero on our land reflecting the inherent link between nature, biodiversity and our climate goals, focusing on the contribution that farming and a reduction in fluorinated gases use can make to tackling climate change and delivering our nature ambitions. Waste decarbonisation is set out in the ‘Clean and plentiful water’ and ‘Maximise our resources, minimise our waste’ chapters, and our plan for trees is set out in the ‘Thriving plants and wildlife’ chapter . As well as seeking to achieve net zero to mitigate the impacts of climate change, we must also adapt to become more resilient to the changing climate – and help other

The 2019 Climate Change Act, updating the 2008 Climate • A legal requirement to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% (net zero) by 2050 relative • A framework of carbon budgets to ensure continued progress towards the net zero target, capping emissions in successive five-year blocks. We have seperately published the fourth (2023 to 2027), fifth (2028 to 2032), and sixth (2033 to 2037) carbon budgets. • A requirement for a Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every 5 years, responded to by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) for England. In addition to our carbon budgets, at the UN Climate Summit COP26 we agreed an ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution through the UN process to reduce emissions in 2030 by at least 68% compared to 1990 – the highest reduction target set by a major economy to date. Fulfil the Montreal Protocol, including the Kigali amendment to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by At the UN Climate Summit COP27 , • Confirmed the government would triple funding for climate adaptation as part of our international climate finance, from £500m in 2019 to £1.5bn in 2025. • Announced a range of investments worth over £100 million to support developing economies to respond to climate-related disasters and adapt to the impacts of

To deliver against our goal and these commitments, we 1 Reaching net zero domestically – Nature-based Solutions are crucial to helping to meet our climate ambitions. Changes in farming practice are required to limit the emissions whilst maintaining agricultural profitability and increasing productivity; combined with other work across different sectors. 2 Building resilience by adapting to climate change – while we aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C, evidence shows that we must be prepared for warming up to 4°C. Adapting to climate impacts is embedded across our 25YEP goals and throughout the EIP. 3 Leading action internationally to tackle climate change – our domestic climate change goals alone will not be sufficient to keep temperature rises below 1.5°C; international collaboration is essential to leave the environment in a better place for future Net emissions from natural resources (agriculture, forestry and other land use, waste and fluorinated gases) in England were responsible for 54.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide Alongside the delivery plan below, later in 2023, government will update on our progress and plans to reach net zero. Reduce our agricultural emissions through our Agricultural emissions contributed 27 .3 MtCO2e in England in 2020. Changes in farming practice are required to limit the emissions whilst maintaining agricultural profitability and increasing productivity. We will regulate where appropriate and necessary, and pay farmers and land managers to go beyond regulatory requirements to We will restore and manage our

deliver carbon savings through our new farming schemes. This includes providing incentives and grants to farmers to decarbonise agricultural emissions through adopting sustainable land management approaches, new technology, and innovative practices to improve farm efficiency. To achieve our greenhouse gas emissions targets, we will take a range of measures, as informed by our research and evidence projects including • Land good land management can help increase carbon storage and reduce emissions in agriculture, including integrating cover crops and nitrogen-fixing break crops in rotations. We are exploring how we can pay for a range of actions through our new farming schemes to support farm decarbonisation and Nature-based Solutions. This includes the potential to support environmentally sensitive tillage practices, such as no till and direct • Innovation and wide-spread application of innovation, science and technology can be transformational. We are exploring these through innovation and productivity schemes such as the £270 million Farming Innovation Programme and the Farming Investment Fund. We’re also exploring innovations at different stages of development including methane inhibiting feed additives for livestock and improving fuel and energy efficiency on farms. • Improving skills and skills development and productivity improvements can drive reduced emissions. Examples include improving herd health and making use of nutrient management plans. • Continue to review uptake of relevant actions under the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Plus and Landscape Recovery. • Further invest in innovation schemes (such as Farming Innovation Programme) and monitor progress to inform development of future measures. • Publish a government response in 2023 to the call for evidence on methane suppressing feed products, which could support more sustainable beef and dairy production.
An application for use of 3-nitroxyproponol (3-NOP) is currently under consideration for use as a methane suppressing additive in dairy cows and cows for reproduction by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. We recognise the potential for these products to help decarbonise livestock • Publish a government response to our call for evidence on agricultural and land-use Monitoring, Reporting and Verification within the UK Emissions Trading Scheme Many of the actions farmers can take to enhance the natural environment and contribute towards net zero will contribute to multiple targets. For example, planting trees and restoring peat to create habitats are critical actions for Agroforestry systems can also contribute to net zero and support soil health and water quality whilst providing shade for crops and livestock. Our aim is for silvo-arable agroforestry (where arable crops are grown with trees) to become much more widespread to support the woodland and tree cover target. We will support this transition through Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Plus, with new offers being launched from 2024. Countryside Stewardship Plus will also pick up from the current Nature for Climate Fund to be the primary vehicle for other tree planting from 2025 onwards, supported by Landscape Recovery. We will continue to monitor reductions against carbon budgets and introduce further measures as necessary to reduce and sequester emissions in these sectors. Calculate carbon through Monitoring, Reporting Farm-level MRV of greenhouse gas emissions will help enable farmers and other land managers to better understand their sources of emissions and open up new financial opportunities, such as combining private commercial

opportunities with our new farming schemes support. It will increase confidence in traded carbon in the private sector and could unlock greater consumer choice and hence marketing opportunities for farmers through eco-labelling In June 2022, the government made a commitment in the Food Strategy to develop a mandatory methodology which must be used by those who wish to use eco-labels or make sustainability claims about their products. MRV will help with providing consistent emissions data to use on such labels which will enable consumers to make informed choices in line We will agree a standardised methodology on the calculation of carbon. This will help prepare for the possible inclusion of agriculture in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. Drive long-term, stable demand for woodland carbon We are exploring the inclusion of greenhouse gas removals in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, including the potential inclusion of high integrity woodland carbon, such as Woodland Carbon Units. A call for evidence on this issue closed in June 2022, and a Government Response will be Manage, restore, and protect our peatlands, and end the use of peat in horticulture Peatlands, with their acidic, low oxygen conditions, lock away organic carbon and have created England’s largest terrestrial carbon store. They provide a home for rare wildlife, regulate our water supply, and support flood protection and drought management. But only 13% of England’s peatlands are in a near natural state. Drained and degraded peatlands are a significant ongoing source of Our England Peat Action Plan set out the government’s long-term vision for the management, protection and restoration of our peatlands, so that they provide a wide range of benefits to wildlife, people and the planet. The aim is to restore approximately 280,000 hectares of peatland in

The Nature for Climate Fund is already providing over £33 million to restore 20,000 hectares of peatlands, with a further bidding round in 2023. This helps to implement the England Peat Action Plan which set out a series of actions to restore these important carbon sinks. To further restore and protect our peatlands, Defra • Fund over 35,000 hectares of peatlands to be restored in England by 2025, through the Nature for Climate • Beyond 2025, the main delivery vehicles for peat will be incentives through the government’s new farming • From 2024, Countryside Stewardship will provide a key funding stream for wetter modes of farming. • Landscape Recovery will provide long-term funding to support large-scale peatland • The Farming Innovation Programme supports applications for research and development in • Continue to work with partners to develop the Peatland Restoration Roadmap, which will set out a detailed trajectory for restoration to 2050. This will capture detailed actions required to achieve our restoration target. It will be informed by data from the England Peat Map and findings of the Lowland • Mobilise private investment by developing the Peatland Code further , including by expanding the Code to cover lowland peat and exploring further carbon pricing opportunities for the sector . We have funded the accreditation with the UK Accreditation Service, established the UK Land Carbon Registry to permit the sale of carbon savings through the Code, and funded research to support the launch of version 2 which will apply to a broader range of peatland habitats. Support responsible management measures to Degraded lowland peat accounts for 3% of England’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing these emissions, by rewetting our agricultural peat soils, is essential to meeting legally-binding net zero targets. We are committed to halting the degradation of our lowland peat soils which causes such significant harm to the environment. We are committed to working with farmers and other land managers to halt the degradation of our lowland peat soils. • Build on the recommendations of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force, setting the foundations to rewet peat soils and change the way we farm on them. • Launch a £6.6 million lowland peat research and • Continue to deliver the £5.6 million Paludiculture • Develop new farming scheme options to support the restoration of lowland peat and wetter farming • Publish the new England peat map. • Continue to implement the England Peat Action Plan, ensuring it prioritises emissions savings. We will be examining what actions are now required beyond planned incentive schemes to stop the deterioration of our peat soils and their associated emissions. We will update on next steps in due course.
Case The Lapwing Estate - Reverse Coal The Lapwing Estate covers 5,000 acres of land near Doncaster , crossing the county borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. Home to one of the country’s leading organic farms, the estate is now being used to re-think how lowland agricultural peat soils can be more responsibly managed. A project called “Reverse Coal” is underway to abate emissions, store carbon and produce food. The project has received funding from BEIS as part of its Greenhouse Gas Removal project and academic support from the UKCEH and University of Lincoln. Using water from an onsite reservoir , the project is seeing lowland peat fields re-wet to reduce and potentially reverse emissions. On the re-wetted peat, short willow coppice is set to be grown and pyrolyzed to create biochar , then buried in a contained waterlogged condition to store carbon. The energy released from this reaction will be used to power a vertical farm to house food crops displaced from the peat. The project operates on a closed system. introduce agroforestry systems

Protect our peatlands from further harm • Introduced regulations that ban the burning of vegetation on deep peat on our most protected sites in • Continued to work closely with the professional horticulture sector on speeding up their transition to peat-free alternatives ahead of a ban for the professional horticulture sector , recognising that the professional horticulture sector faces additional technical barriers that will take longer to overcome. We will ban the sale of peat for use in the amateur gardening sector by 2024 when legislative time allows. This builds on work with the sector since 2011, and investments made in peat-free alternative growing mediums. Reduce F-gas consumption and production Fluorinated gas (F-gas) total 9.9 MtCO2e emissions in England in 2020. Global action to reduce the use of HFCs was agreed under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. This is expected to avoid 0.1°C of warming by 2050 and 0.4°C by 2100. The UK is ahead of schedule in meeting the Kigali HFC phasedown target of 85% reduction in consumption by 2036, having already phased down HFCs placed on the Current legislation on refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumps, is already driving a move away from F-gas use as industry innovates and takes up alternative options; additional action could see even greater reductions. We will also continue to work with the NHS on changing prescribing practices to reduce F-gas emissions by improving management of pulmonary diseases and switching patients to different types of inhalers where the product is at least as good as current models. Industry are also taking action by developing and securing regulatory approval of MDIs (types of inhalers) that use propellants with lower global potential. We will explore options to accelerate the reduction of emissions. We will consider investing in research and

Examples of work across our goals to manage climate risk • Delivering over £3 billion in climate financing over the next five years, including £200 million for a new Climate Innovation Facility to scale-up technologies to help deal with the impacts of climate change, such as drought-resistant agriculture and sustainable forestry, in markets where private investors have been reluctant • Launching a £10 million Water Management Grant Scheme which will help prepare land managers for future climate impacts on clean and plentiful water . • The Nature Recovery Network will help to make our habitats and species healthier and more resilient to climate impacts. This will improve society benefits from ecosystem services such as flood resilience, water provisioning and healthier pollinator populations. • Investing in climate science and research, such as the latest UK Climate Projections, which increases understanding of how the climate will change to 2100, with better understanding of climate extremes. • Supporting government departments and other government bodies to consider climate risks in project appraisals and investments through HMT Green Book • Promoted advances in climate resilient crops through the Genetic Technology Bill to mitigate impacts of • Built the climate resilience of UK business and infrastructure through adaptation reporting by 120 organisations in the water , energy, transport, financial and telecommunication sectors. We know more action is needed. The Climate Change Risk Assessment identifies 61 climate risks and opportunities that need action to improve resilience to a changing climate. • Publish the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3). NAP3 will set out the range of adaptation actions against climate risks to all sectors for a five-year period (2023 to 2028). It will provide policies and objectives for adaptation, filling the gap between current action and the growing level of climate change risk. • Continue to work across government to ensure adaptation is embedded in departmental decision • Use the NAP3 and EIP23 to co-ordinate and monitor actions and policies that will contribute towards our 25YEP goals, ensuring their delivery and management are suitable and adaptive to a changing climate. • Pay for natural flood risk management and other measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the countryside, through our new farming schemes. Case Storm from devastation Climate change is one of the biggest threats to our forests. With more extreme weather , drought and wildfire, increasingly putting pressure on forests, our management plans are now heavily focused on protecting and future proofing our precious woodlands. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) work with Landmarc Support Services to manage land and facilities across the Ministry of Defence’s 190,000 hectares of UK training estate. In 2021 Storm Arwen bought strong winds of up to 100mph causing widespread damage across the Defence Training Estate. The scale of work to clear windblown and fallen trees was considerable, covering an area of 6,000 hectares and more than 20,000 windblown trees.
Whilst the immediate impact of Storm Arwen was devastating, from a longer-term forestry perspective, it provides an opportunity to re-structure the affected woodlands to make them more resilient; not only to climate change but also to pests and diseases, such as Reset the global relationship on nature through international leadership on climate change and The UK recognises that action needs to be taken internationally to meet the stretching goals of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We are recognised as global leaders, through our presidency of the UN Climate Summit COP26, the critical role we played at the subsequent Climate Summit COP27 and UN Nature Summit COP15 negotiations and as President of the G7 . During our presidency, we secured the Glasgow Climate Pact, recognising the explicit link between climate change and biodiversity for the first time in a UN agreement • Implement the 10 Point Plan for Financing Biodiversity, which provides the blueprint for how to finance nature’s recovery and has been endorsed by over 40 countries across six continents. • Drive progress on an agricultural breakthrough, when parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed to make climate- resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers everywhere by 2030 – which is being enhanced through the Policy We are an active participant of international treaties, including

Dialogue to Accelerate Transition to Sustainable • Support local action on forestry, including delivering our commitments to the IPLC Forest Tenure Pledge, supporting the donor working group and delivery of the FCDO Global Land Governance Programme, and continuing to support delivery of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. Promote Nature-based Solutions internationally Nature-based Solutions are a mechanism by which biodiversity loss, climate change and poverty can be addressed in a sustainable way and are therefore central to the delivery of the global Sustainable Development Goals. Nature-based Solutions bring together our environmental and net zero goals. We will build on the G7 commitment to the 2021 Nature Compact through the successful negotiation of a multilaterally agreed definition of Nature-based Solutions at the United Nations Environment Assembly. Provide and promote international climate finance The UK is a global leader in its contribution to international climate finance. We hope this incentivises other nations to provide financial support to help the global effort to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The UK will continue to support the use of Nature-based Solutions, through our International Climate Finance and other Official Development Assistance. These funds provide • £20.7 million in Disaster Risk Financing to support countries which face climate-related disasters, helping them to afford insurance and to access reliable funding, more quickly, after a disaster . • £13 million to support vulnerable countries to adapt to climate impacts, and towards efforts to avert, minimise, and address loss and damage. • £20 million for our Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain Solutions programme to enable developing countries to

make rapid progress on reducing hydrofluorocarbons and adopt energy efficient cooling solutions in both • Ensure that in 2023, all new bilateral UK Official Development Assistance spending aligns with the Paris • Deliver our commitment to doubling our International Climate Finance contribution to at least £11.6 billion between 2021 and 2026, including investing at least £3 billion of International Climate Finance in development solutions that protect and restore nature, with at least half of this spent on forests. • Deliver key programmes that will support developing countries to help meet global commitments to better protect 30% of land by 2030, including the £100 million Biodiverse Landscapes programme and further funding of up to £29 million announced at the UN • Support developing countries to better integrate nature in decision-making. The UK is providing £9 million to the UNDP Climate Promise, a key UN programme supporting countries to deliver against the Paris Agreement including through Nature-based Solutions. • The UK is providing £40 million to a Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate to support research and development that can generate evidence and unlock new approaches to addressing biodiversity and climate • Deliver the £500 million Blue Planet Fund to support developing countries to protect and restore marine environments including through access to UK scientific expertise. This includes funding for biodiversity loss, sustainable fisheries, pollution, and climate • The UK Ocean Country Partnership delivering marine science technical assistance across marine pollution, biodiversity loss and supporting sustainable seafood. • The Global Fund for Coral combating the global threats to coral reefs and protecting the marine biodiversity that they host. • The Global Plastic Action taking collaborative action on tackling plastic pollution • The Ocean Risk and Resilience Action applying science and incentivising investments into critical ecosystems like mangroves, that provide resilience against climate change, supporting the world’s most vulnerable communities. • The Global Ocean Accounts supporting the development and maintenance of ocean natural capital accounts. • The Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable building coastal adaptation, resilience and prosperity in developing countries with a focus on Nature-based Solutions, coastal livelihoods and vulnerable coastal communities. • The Sustainable Blue Economies supporting ODA eligible Small Island Developing States to strengthen the management of their marine environment and resources to build sustainable blue economies and strengthen their

Monitoring progress in adaptation Globally, monitoring the success of actions taken for climate change adaptation is a major gap. We have begun an adaptation indicators programme, working with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on its international indicators project. This will add value to the currently available insights of the Outcome Indicator Framework, which reports a number of indicators relevant to climate change adaptation, in turn supporting the NAP3 programme to be more targeted in its monitoring. Adaptation at sea requires specific action. The UK will carry out monitoring and assessment of the resilience of marine biodiversity to climate change in 2023.
Monitoring progress in mitigation The Climate Change Committee publishes an annual progress report providing a comprehensive overview of the government’s progress in reducing emissions. Government will respond to the Committee’s 2022 progress report by the end of March 2023. We also produce an annual greenhouse gas inventory, with the latest emissions, to allow us to monitor its progress towards international and domestic targets. In addition, each year , we publish updated Energy Emissions Projections, analysing and projecting future energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Defra has engaged academics involved in the development of the global warming potential to inform our Net Zero Strategy. The standard metric for reporting greenhouse gas emissions under international agreements is the 100- year Global Warming Potential. It measures the ability of a gas to trap energy in the climate system over 100 years. It is currently the best method for comparing the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions across and between sectors and

The global warming potential of different gases We will monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Annual Progress Report and the Outcome Indicator Framework. The framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes. The relevant indicators for mitigating and adapting to climate change A2 Emissions of greenhouse gases from natural J1 Carbon footprint and consumer buying choices To provide a baseline for monitoring peat condition and location, Defra is developing a new England Peat Map and a Monitoring is embedded in our farming reforms. Our monitoring work in the Future Farming and Countryside Programme involves developing and tracking metrics – including how our activities are contributing to net zero. For measures being delivered by standards within our new farming schemes, our uptake forecasting and environmental impact modelling within our monitoring and evaluation programme will track who is doing the action, so we can track live progress towards trajectories. Our policies will help us adapt

Construct traditional built flood Key policies to help us manage environmental hazards

Natural hazards pose a risk of harm to our health, the environment, and to our economy. We are experiencing a greater number of longer, more intense wildfires, floods, and droughts – and temperatures and sea levels are rising. Millions of us are already affected by environmental hazards, and that number will grow as our We need to act now to secure a safe, healthy environment that supports our lives and our economy in a way that is both effective and cost-effective. That is why we have made significant investments to improve coastal and flood defences. Now, we will go even further – from rewarding our farmers for taking action, to continuing to support communities that suffer repeated flooding, and implementing sustainable solutions that harness the power of nature and technology to keep our towns and cities cool in a warming climate. Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal We will reduce the risk of harm to people, the environment and the economy from natural hazards including flooding, drought, and coastal erosion. • Better protected 314,000 homes between 2015 and 2021 by investing £2.6 billion in • Invested a further £170 million in 2020 to accelerate delivery of shovel-ready flood • Published our Policy Statement setting out the government’s long-term ambition to create a nation more resilient to flood and coastal erosion risk. • Published the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, providing a framework to guide the delivery of flood and coastal erosion • Launched a £200 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Fund to test innovative practical resilience actions and develop new ways of planning for the long term. We have the following targets and • Invest in flood and coastal defence projects to better protect more properties. • Double the number of government funded projects which include Nature-based Solutions to reduce flooding and coastal erosion. • Maintain at least 94% of major flood and coastal erosion risk management assets fit for their designed purpose, through to March 2025. Our long-term aim is for this • Deliver projects funded by the £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance, as part of the capital programme of investment, to support communities who have suffered • Invest a further £22 million per year , on top of baseline funding, for maintaining our flood defences between 2022 to 2023 and 2024 to 2025. • Mitigate surface water flooding by making sustainable drainage systems mandatory in new developments, as set out in detail in the ‘Clean and plentiful water’ chapter . • Invest in improving our flood forecasting capability for surface water flood risk. • Deliver our £200 million flood and coastal resilience innovation fund to support the development of new innovative solutions to reduce risk. • Reward farmers for actions to reduce risks and impacts from floods, droughts, and wildfires through our new future farming schemes. • Provide grants from the £10 million natural environment investment readiness fund to explore revenue generation from Nature-based Solutions to reduce flood risk. • Upskill those involved with land management and the public on managing wildfire risks. • Roll out more green infrastructure in towns and cities to help reduce peak temperatures. Natural hazards pose a risk of harm to people, the environment, and to our economy. Conversely, we know that a safe, healthy environment provides both the essential underpinning of our lives and a vital engine of our economy. Currently, the incidence, intensity and duration of risks like wildfires, rising temperatures, flooding and rising sea levels is increasing as our climate changes. Millions of us are already affected to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds – and these numbers will grow, at home and around the world, as the population increases and the impact of climate change grows. So, we must take action to boost our resilience now – through early action that will minimise costs and maximise our impact. To meet the scale of the challenge ahead we need everyone to play their part – including businesses and those responsible for key infrastructure.
We want to encourage and incentivise a greater range of non- government investment to build our resilience to flood and coastal erosion risks. We can achieve this by encouraging new and innovative methods, such as green finance, and by raising awareness of the benefits of investment. We will continue to reduce the risk of harm from environmental hazards, so that our country is more resilient in the long-term, including taking account of future climate • Create a nation more resilient to future flood and • Reduce impacts of droughts so that water companies can maintain supply in all except the most extreme droughts (set out in detail in the ‘Clean and plentiful • Protect against wildfires, working with a range of bodies to reduce incidents of wildfires and manage

• Following the joint hottest summer on record in the UK, reduce risks from heat, taking coordinated action across sectors to reduce exposure to high We will look for co-benefits in the actions we take to build resilience. For example, Nature-based Solutions which have been developed to reduce flood risk include actions to slow the flow of water , create natural storage and replenish flood plains and peatlands. These actions can build resilience against other hazards such as droughts and support our other goals, such as in the ‘Thriving plants and wildlife’ We are working to reduce risk, and to mitigate the impact when hazardous events do take place. To mitigate impacts, we are improving community and property resilience and improving our response and recovery capability. The focus of EIP23 is the action we are taking to manage risk reduction whilst delivering environmental improvement, so we have not included our work to improve health outcomes • Invest in flood and coastal defence schemes to better protect more properties from flooding and coastal • We will double the number of government funded projects to reduce flooding and coastal erosion through nature based solutions. • Through to March 2025 we will maintain at least 94% of major flood defences to be fully fit for their designed purpose. Our long-term aim is for this to be

To deliver against our goal, we 1 Upgrading and expanding our national flood defences and infrastructure - existing flood defences led to an estimated saving of around £1.7 billion in potential economic costs from the flooding that took place between November 2019 and March 2020 alone. 2 Using nature to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk – we are looking for opportunities to take actions which have co-benefits across many EIP23 goals. 3 Managing the flood risk from surface water - this affects 3.2 million properties in England. 4 Better preparing our communities – to support the understanding of the impacts of these hazards and how people and communities can be better prepared. 5 Supporting sharing best practice and innovative approaches at a local level – recognising that government can support local partners on the ground coming together to maximise local action. 6 Building resilience to increasing wildfire risk – recognising the negative impact that wildfires have on biodiversity, air quality, and to human life. 7 Reducing risks from heat – as our climate changes, looking for natural ways to reduce peak temperatures

Investment in flood and coastal erosion schemes The current flood investment plan sets out the schemes identified to protect more properties. We will • Accelerate delivery for flood defence schemes in 23 areas with an additional investment of £170m. These schemes will better protect more than 10,000 local businesses and safeguard around 100,000 jobs. • Deliver an expected 80 schemes through the £100m Frequently Flooded Allowance to support communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or As set out in the ‘Clean and plentiful water’ chapter we recognise that we need to build more reservoirs. As we do this, we also need to make sure new and existing reservoirs We are modernising reservoir safety by taking forward the recommendations from the Reservoir Review reports so we have a reservoir safety regime fit for now and the future. This includes all registered reservoirs having onsite emergency flood plans and • Working with industry to ensure we build up the capacity of inspecting engineers now and for the future. • Ensuring all inspections by supervising and inspecting engineers are systematic, detailed, and impartial, to provide robust and clear advice to owners. • Improving the risk classification of reservoirs and safety management practice of owners and operators. Continue to invest in the maintenance of As well as building new assets, it is important for us to maintain our existing flood and coastal defences, so they remain functional and are resilient to climate change. We will continue to invest in flood and coastal defence maintenance, with an extra £22 million per year in 2022 to 2023 and 2024 to 2025 to secure and maintain a high level of readiness. flood and coastal erosion risk Use Nature-based Solutions for flood management Whilst hard infrastructure will still be needed to manage flood risk in future there are also ways of managing flood risk naturally which supports progress towards our other environmental goals and targets. We began this work by delivering the £15 million Nature Flood Management Programme, which supported 60 projects between 2017 and 2021. • Use the learning from the Natural Flood Management Programme to improve development and delivery of future natural flood management projects. This includes highlighting the value of forging strong community-based partnerships, supported by effective • Double the number of government-funded flood resilience projects using Nature-based Solutions. • Continue the deployment of the £750 million Nature for Climate Fund to deliver woodland creation and peatland restoration projects which will have natural • Make sure Local Nature Recovery Strategies include proposals for Nature-based Solutions which improve flood risk management where appropriate.
We are also working with private companies to invest in • The £10 million Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund provides grants to explore revenue generation from Nature-based Solutions to reduce flood risk and address other challenges such as water quality. Case The Wyre Natural Flood A successful pilot project demonstrating how private investment can be blended with public sector funding to finance natural landscape restoration to deliver our The Wyre NFM Project was initiated in 2019 by a group of partners - working closely with local farmers - including United Utilities, Rivers Trust, FloodRe, Co-op Insurance and Environment Agency, with support from Triodos Bank, to create a commercial business case for natural flood management. The actions were part of a catchment-based approach in the River Wyre, which suffers from significant flooding and water quality issues that impact adversely on local communities, businesses and future development. The project will deliver over 1000 targeted measures such as tree planting, creation of temporary water storage areas, leaky dams and a network of hedges to significantly reduce flooding to local communities at risk. These will be repaid through the sale of the benefits accrued from the enhanced or improved functioning of the ecosystem services such as flood risk reduction, carbon sequestration, increasing biodiversity

Incentivise actions for the farming sector to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk through • Actively manage or restore land so that it is available • Slow the flow of flood water in prioritised catchments in England, reducing downstream flood risk. • Restore river , intertidal and coastal habitats to restore natural protections from floods and coastal erosion. This will help increase our resilience to climate change, • Improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water , and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation, through the Farming Investment Fund. • Take action to improve soil health, as set out in the ‘Using resources from nature more sustainably and efficiently’ chapter . This will improve infiltration and storage of water , helping to mitigate the risk of flooding and drought, alongside other co-benefits for biodiversity, food production, and carbon storage. We have also expanded the Catchment Sensitive Farming Initiative, covered in the ‘Clean and plentiful water’ chapter , to add provision of flood risk management and resilience to the list of environmental outcomes sought from farmers

Case Hills to Levels, Somerset The Hills to Levels project started in 2015 as a holistic approach to addressing flood risk through changes in land management in Somerset, delivered by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West. The project has used numerous smaller management techniques with the idea that every farm, field and stream has a role to play across the 2871km2 This project was possible with the help of key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and the Somerset Rivers As of June 2022, 1,115 natural flood management structures have been implemented, including leaky dams, runoff attenuation features (such as leaky ponds and swales), floodplain re-connection, and cross-slope hedge and tree planting schemes. As well as protecting properties downstream, many features offer wider environmental benefits such as the creation and enhancement of habitat. For example, 8.5km of hedgerow and 19ha of woodland have been planted in Somerset under Hills to Levels umbrella projects. Many of these schemes will also contribute to future carbon The project focuses strongly on land management, with 200 soil husbandry visits and 62 soil management plans delivered to date. Hills to Levels has also run four reverse auctions in the county, delivering grant funding for land management interventions, including 1562ha of maize management to reduce runoff, and 346ha grassland subsoiling to improve soil structure and

Surface water flooding generally occurs after extreme rainfall when water cannot immediately drain away or soak We are delivering our Surface Water Management Action Plan to support local authorities with their responsibilities to manage the risks from surface water flooding. • Consider recent recommendations made by the National Infrastructure Commission. The government will publish a response to the recommendations in • Invest in improving our flood forecasting capability in “hotspot” areas to improve surface water flood risk information, and improve the speed of communication of storm forecasts to local responders. • Support local authorities to manage surface water flood risk, including improving surface water flood risk maps. • As set out in the ‘Clean and plentiful water’ chapter , we are requiring water companies to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans. River Lune in Cumbria, helping

Increase the public’s understanding of the risk of We want to encourage everyone to be aware of their risk of flooding and/or coastal erosion, including as those risks change with a changing climate. We • Improve our digital services which allow homeowners to check their flood risk. This will include incorporating improved surface water risk information from local authority mapping and data from the new national assessment of flood risk by 2025. • Continue to promote take up of our flood warning service. In England all places at high risk of flooding from rivers and seas will be covered by the flood warning service from 2022 to 2023. Check for Flooding provides access to issued flood warnings, together with information on rainfall, and river , sea • Support an industry-owned voluntary code of practice to promote consumer and business confidence in measures to reduce the impact of flooding on buildings. Support the effective management of flood and coastal erosion risks in the planning system Planning policy is already clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk. Where this is not possible, development should be flood resilient and resistant, safe for its users for the development’s lifetime, and not increase overall flood risk. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and • Amended the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure that all sources of flood risk, including future flood risk, are considered in the planning

system.
This should mean that any new development is safe for its lifetime and that it doesn’t increase the risk • Published a significantly updated Planning Practice Guidance on Flood Risk and Coastal Change in • Continue to provide robust and constructive advice to planning authorities and monitor how and where this • Make sustainable drainage systems mandatory in new developments, as described in the ‘Clean and plentiful • Work with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and planning authorities, to ensure that planning legislation, guidance and advice reflects the most up to date understanding of flood risk. We will also set policy direction for Property Flood Resilience measures that supports consumer and industry confidence, and therefore take-up. Local partners need to take ownership and responsibility for managing and mitigating flood and coastal erosion risk. We want to provide the right tools to enable locally driven innovation and solutions to be embedded. We have launched a £200 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Fund. This will explore and promote good practice to achieve local resilience. The programme • Provide funding to 25 local areas to test and demonstrate innovative practical resilience actions – such as the Making Space for Sand initiative in Cornwall and The Blue Heart project in East Sussex. • Develop long-term adaptation pathways for the Thames and Humber estuaries, the Severn Valley, and Yorkshire. These projects will look ahead at least 50 years at what flood defences are needed. These trials will develop ways of planning ahead in the long term to make wise investment choices for the decades to come. • Set up a £36 million Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme, trialling opportunities in East Riding of Yorkshire and North Norfolk to adapt to a changing climate in areas at significant risk of coastal erosion. Learning from this programme will be shared with other coastal communities to inform future climate resilience and adaptation. • Reforming local flood risk management planning so that every area of England will have a more strategic and comprehensive plan that results in long-term local action to manage flood risk. This will complement the actions set out above, securing long term investment plans for each area of England. Flood plans will join up with other place-based plans - for example Local Nature Recovery Strategies - to support an integrated approach to land, water and the environment. • Working with local authorities to ensure that Shoreline Management Plans remain current and relevant, regularly reviewing the best evidence to inform and refine recommendations and focus investment on The Climate Change Risk Assessment recognised that wildfire is an increasing threat, and a coordinated approach is essential to mitigate and adapt to its impacts on people, property, infrastructure, and the environment, including natural capital and our natural carbon stores; as well as to plan the most effective response to wildfire incidents. Confirm responsibilities, duties and communications to help prevent and mitigate Open access land can be legally restricted when there is a danger of exceptional fire risk. Byelaws can also be brought in to limit activity that could increase the risk of fires in particular places across the country. We have taken specific actions to reduce • Introducing licencing to manage the burning of • Using the Peat Grant Scheme under the Nature for Climate Fund to restore degraded peatland and make it The Home Office, as the lead department for wildfires has • Published the Wildfire Framework for England that sets out the shared responsibilities across government. This framework will be reviewed and revised as necessary on an annual basis. • Provided support and guidance to local authorities and other statutory bodies to ensure effective communications during periods of high wildfire risk. Upskill those involved with land management and the public on managing wildfire risks We need upskilling across society to tackle the increased risk from wildfires. We have worked with partners across government and beyond, including the National Fire Chiefs Council, to design and deliver an accredited vegetation fire training programme. That continues to upskill land managers by consolidating knowledge and skills to prevent future wildfires and improving prescribed fire operations. The extreme temperatures experienced during July 2022 were the highest in recorded history for many places across the UK. High temperatures will increase risks to life, wellbeing and productivity and are already impacting people in the UK. Our work on adaptation, as set out in the climate chapter , is important to tackle this. Use nature to reduce peak temperatures There are natural solutions for managing heat in our towns and cities which deliver co-benefits for our biodiversity goals, as well as cooling our homes and streets. Environmental enhancements such as tree planting can reduce the impact of extreme heat. Urban areas with trees are cooler in summer and warmer in winter . Well positioned trees also improve the environmental performance of buildings by acting as a buffer or ‘overcoat’ reducing We have published a Local Authority Tree and Woodland Strategy Toolkit to support local authorities to develop their own local tree and woodland planting strategies. • Deliver on our commitments to build more parks and incorporate green infrastructure in towns and cities. • Extend the Urban Tree Challenge Fund to support the planting and establishment of trees in urban areas. Support heat adaptation for buildings Improving the energy efficiency of new homes is important, but we need to manage any unintended consequences of increasing the risk of overheating. This not only impacts productivity and causes people discomfort but can be dangerous for the very old and very young. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and • Introduced a new overheating requirement in the building regulations. This means that new residential buildings must now be designed to reduce overheating. • Ensured that the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that Local Plans should consider the long-term implications of climate change, including the risk of overheating from rising temperatures.
This can be achieved in a variety of ways, for example through natural ventilation in buildings, or through the provision of multi-functional green infrastructure. Develop a Single Adverse Weather and Health Plan The health risks from natural hazards are linked and impact on each other , particularly as our climate continues to change, a clear plan that draws the impacts and challenges together will help support better preparedness. The UK Health and Security Agency is developing this plan for England in 2023. The plan • Support preparedness for the impacts of climate change by providing guidance on hot and cold weather , drought, flooding and thunderstorms. • This will inform actions across the health system and local communities to reduce the health impacts of • It will also include commitments to improved early warning alerting systems (heat health and cold weather alerts) to enable early action to be taken in response. We have committed to develop a national set of indicators that will enable us to track progress on our aim of increasing resilience in flood and coastal erosion risk management. These will build on what is already set out in Defra’s Outcome Indicator Framework. We will provide an update on progress in spring 2023. Delivery of the £5.2bn capital programme is monitored on an ongoing basis and is reported on annually. Our • A post-programme assessment of the 2015 to 2021 capital programme, published in April 2022. • A planned evaluation of our current £5.2bn capital • On-going evaluations of our Flood and Coast Innovation Programme (expected to report at the end • An evaluation of the Property Flood Resilience Repair We will monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Annual Progress Report and the Outcome Indicator Framework. The framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes. The relevant indicators for reduced risk of harm from environmental hazard F1 Disruption or unwanted impacts from flooding F2 Communities resilient to flooding and coastal F3 Disruption or unwanted impacts caused by

Key policies to enhance biosecurity, to protect nature and livelihoods

Across our landscapes and in the waters around these islands, our native flora and fauna have evolved within webs of wildlife that have changed relatively slowly over millions of years – so when a new species is suddenly introduced, that delicate balance can be overturned very quickly and with devastating consequences. The risks of pests, pathogens, and invasive non-native species that were already on the rise with the growth of trade and travel is increasing as our climate changes – and with the intensification of farming, so too has the risk of diseases being passed We need to act now to enhance biosecurity so we protect public health, wildlife, and farm animals, increase the resilience of our plants and trees, and bolster British trade. That is why we have taken action – including improvements to import regimes, controls, and certification for plants. Now we will do even more – from creating more bio-secure supply chains, to encouraging responsible habits, and investing in our scientific capability to protect against the outbreak of animal diseases in the future. Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal We will enhance biosecurity to protect our wildlife and livestock and boost the resilience of plants and trees. • Published a new Plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain in 2023, and implemented a stronger plant import regime, strengthening controls against threats like Xylella and emerald ash borer , and introducing the phytosanitary certification of all imports of plants for planting and a ban on imports of the highest risk trees. • Established the Non-Native Species Inspectorate to reduce the risk of non-native species becoming established, and made notable progress towards eradicating 9 species from the UK, as well as tackling asian hornet incursions. • Published a Tree Health Resilience Strategy aiming at no net loss to the extent, connectivity, diversity and condition of our domestic treescape. Planted the UK’s

first archive of tolerant ash trees and delivered new grant schemes to fund the restocking and restoration of landscapes degraded by disease. • Delivered a £5.8 million quarantine laboratory and a new centre for forest protection, to provide a hub for world leading research, education and training on We have the following targets and • Reduce the number of establishments of invasive non-native species by at least 50% in 2030, compared to levels seen in 2000, supporting delivery of the convention on biological diversity global target on invasive alien species. • Ensure at least 97% of export health certificates (EHCs) and licences are issued correctly within agreed timeframes to support safe and secure trade. • Invest in our Science Capability in Animal Health programme at Weybridge. • Achieve official bovine tuberculosis free status for England by 2038. • Deliver the five-year action plan of the 2023 Plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain. Mitigating threats such as Xylella, by strengthening our risk-based biosecurity regime even further , creating more biosecure plant supply chains and encouraging the adoption of more responsible behaviours across society. • Continue to develop the new Non-Native Species Inspectorate to improve enforcement of existing controls, implementing action plans for the main pathways of introduction, and seeking to eradicate the highest risk invasive species. • Publish a revised version of government’s Tree Health Resilience Strategy, aiming to improve the baseline diversity, health and condition of our trees, woods and forests, and drive the long-term changes needed to adapt to climate change and disease pressures such as ash dieback. • Seize the opportunity of Brexit to implement a new Target Operating Model which will enable a targeted and risk-based regime of border import controls. We will also invest in a new Science Capability in Animal Health programme at Weybridge, to protect against future zoonotic disease outbreaks. Successful ecosystems are where plants and animals thrive in a habitat suited to their needs. Our species have evolved and adapted specifically to the habitats across our country.
When a new species is suddenly introduced, that delicate balance can be overturned very quickly with devastating The UK has world-leading biosecurity measures and capabilities. Our approach to biosecurity is internationally recognised as delivering the highest standards of protection from pests, disease and invasive non-native species. This is underpinned by world-class scientific experience and capabilities from both within the government’s science base and the wider UK science and research community. However , as the climate warms and we regularly travel to and trade with more countries, we are facing a wider range of pests, pathogens, and invasive non-native species. Between the 1960s and 2020, the number of invasive non-native species established in or along 10% or more of Great Britain’s land area has increased in the freshwater , terrestrial and marine environments. In 2022, the UK has experienced its largest outbreak of bird flu, and infections could rise even higher over this winter . The outbreak has led to the death of 97 million birds globally (3.8 million in the UK). In response and to reduce the impact on the environment and support farmers, we have imposed mandatory housing for all poultry, amended our culling compensation scheme and relaxed the sale regulations of defrosted poultry. It is estimated that ash dieback, caused by an airborne fungal pathogen, will cost our economy £15 billion in the coming decades and lead to the loss of over 90% of our native ash. Xylella fastidiosa, another highly damaging plant pathogen, can affect over 550 plant and tree species, and has had severe impacts in parts of Europe, where it is estimated it has the potential to cause annual production losses of up to €5.5 billion. Its arrival here would have major implications for the nursery sector and the biodiversity of our woodlands. Moreover , biosecurity threats can become threats to humans as well. Over the past 30 years, more than 30 new,

or newly recognised, human diseases have been identified, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Around 70% of these have been zoonoses – diseases that are naturally transmissible, directly or indirectly, from Our aim is to enhance biosecurity against these threats – to protect public health, wildlife, and farm animals, increase the resilience of our plants and trees, and bolster British trade reflecting the UK’s priorities after Brexit. Reducing the establishment of invasive non- In 2022, we committed to reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of INNS by at least 50%, by 2030. This supports our delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity Global Target on Invasive Alien Species. Upholding high health standards to trading partners In 2020, we committed to issuing 97% of Export Health Certificates (EHCs) and licences correctly within agreed timeframes. In 2021 to 2022, this was fully met by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Investing in world-leading scientific capability We will invest in a new Science Capability in Animal Health programme at Weybridge, to protect against future zoonotic disease outbreaks, and bolster our role in fighting current and emerging animal and plant health diseases. Progress on freedom from bovine tuberculosis We will continue to implement and enhance our long- term strategy, which aims to secure freedom from bovine tuberculosis for England by 2038. Delivering our biosecurity goal, targets, and commitments will require a range of actions that improve our biosecurity safeguarding and response 1 Tackling invasive non-native species – to protect native species and the ecosystems that rely on them. 2 Protecting and enhancing animal and plant health – building our capabilities domestically and implementing a new biosecurity regime to protect our borders. 1. Tackling invasive non-native Invasive non-native species are one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss globally. There are around 2,000 non- native species established in Great Britain across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments, and the rate of new establishments is increasing as a result of climate change, trade, and other human activity. However , we are leaders in Europe in tackling new establishments, with notable progress towards eradicating nine species, as well as successfully removing 100% of all invasive Asian hornet nests since their first appearance in 2016. The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an aggressive predator of honeybees and other insects. In 2004, it was unintentionally introduced to France and has now spread across Europe. It reached the Channel Islands in We anticipated its arrival in Great Britain, allowing us to put in place a contingency plan, an alert mechanism encouraging members of the public to report potential sightings and an effective triage system. This allowed us to respond rapidly when it was first detected in GB in 2016. Staff from the Animal and Plant Health Agency quickly found and destroyed the nest in under a week. While this eradication was successful, there have been repeated introductions over the years, with APHA staff responding to eradicate nests in each case. By the end of 2021, 12 nests had been detected and destroyed, with a maximum number of 3 nests found in a single year . This is in contrast to areas that have not been able to deliver rapid eradication, such as Flanders in Belgium. We will build on this work to protect against invasive non- Delivering an effective response to invasive non- The new Great Britain Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy will provide the framework to co-ordinate the actions of government, agencies and external partners. As part of implementation, Defra • Implement Pathway Action Plans which seek to prevent the introduction of invasive species. These plans will coordinate the work done by Defra, by working closely with voluntary organisations, industry and the public to tackle some of the main pathways of introduction, including horticulture, recreational boating, angling, zoos and botanic gardens. • Enhance enforcement through the continued development of the Non-Native Species Inspectorate which seeks to prevent new species from establishing in GB by improving compliance with existing controls through intelligence-led inspections, and risk awareness raising with trade bodies and businesses.
Update the regulatory list of species of special concern to ensure that the most harmful species are regulated effectively, including to control import and sale. • Implement contingency responses to and eradications of the highest risk species of greatest concern. • Continue to look for ways to offer funding and support for landowners and local action groups to tackle widespread invasive non-native species, including through our new farming schemes. • Continue to raise awareness of invasive species biosecurity across organisations, industry bodies, and the general public, recognising that often people are not fully aware of invasive species and their impacts. Removing invasive non-native species from the Aquatic species are more invasive than terrestrial ones. To slow the spread of invasive non-native species and limit the impacts on the water environment, Defra • Continue to support the development and deployment of biocontrol, such as introducing the weevil to tackle • Maximise the effectiveness of awareness raising campaigns, such as ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ and ‘Be Plant Wise’. Tackling grey squirrels and their impact Grey squirrels are a widespread, invasive non-native species and a key threat to our native red squirrel. They outcompete red squirrels for food and can spread the squirrel pox virus to them. The economic cost of damage from grey squirrels to our woodlands, not including costs to our biodiversity, is estimated at £37 million per year in England and Wales. Since 2014, significant work has been completed to manage the adverse effects of grey squirrels, • Introducing new Countryside Stewardship grants to support landowners to manage grey squirrels in their • Establishing a national partnership, the UK Squirrel Accord which has been essential in taking forward grey squirrel fertility control research. Further action will be needed. Defra will update the 2014 Grey Squirrel Action Plan detailing commitments to support landowners to manage the numbers of grey squirrels and impacts of grey squirrels on woodlands, native biodiversity and ecosystem services more effectively. This • Embedding effective grey squirrel management into woodland and new farming schemes, including considering funding for capital items, such as traps. • Encouraging, where appropriate, public bodies and adjoining landowners to work collaboratively with each other to improve the effectiveness of grey squirrel management, such as coordinating the use of traps Continue to improve our safeguarding measures To ensure that trading partners, consumers, and industry can be confident in the UK’s biosecurity and high health • Implement a new Target Operating Model, that will set out our targeted and risk-based regime of border import controls for goods from the EU and the rest of the world. • Deliver the 2023 Plant Biosecurity Strategy for GB - enhancing our horizon scanning, strengthening our regulatory regime, creating more biosecure plant supply chains and encouraging the adoption of more responsible behaviours across society. • Continue to review and enforce robust measures against Xylella - including controls on countries where Xylella is known to occur , which ban imports of coffee and Polygala, and introduce stringent requirements for the inspection, testing and pre-quarantine of high-risk species such as olive, lavender , rosemary and almond • Ensure outbreak readiness, through the regular update and rehearsal of our contingency plans for responding to and investigating emergency threats to animal and plant health, including Avian Influenza and Xylella. • Explore additional measures for high-risk tree imports, that are a combination of further prohibitions, enhanced inspections and enforced holding for prescribed periods (in isolation or on nursery sites). This will include rigorous analysis of the evidence, consultation with industry and consideration of land space requirements and operation costs. • Maintain a robust UK aquatic animal health regime enforced by the Fish Health Inspectorates of the four • Continue to lead on Antimicrobial Resistance. Sales of antibiotics for use in livestock have reduced by 55% since 2014 to the lowest ever recorded level. • Through the Animal Health & Welfare Pathway provide advice and financial support for livestock farmers in England in improving on-farm standards of health and welfare, with a key focus on the control or eradication of priority endemic diseases amongst cattle, pigs, and sheep. • Continue to provide financial support and guidance for landowners to help them manage and recover from • Publish a revised version of government’s Tree Health Resilience Strategy, which aims to improve the baseline diversity, health and condition of our trees, woods and forests, and drive the long-term changes needed to adapt to climate change and pest and disease pressures such as ash dieback and the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus). Build our scientific capability and expertise To build science capability and make best use of both existing and innovative technology, keeping pace with changing threats and ensuring preparedness for the future, • Rebuild and provide £200 million for a specific programme of investment in the Science Capability in Animal Health programme at Weybridge. New equipment and specialist testing facilities will mean scientists can identify pathogens for existing and emerging disease threats and maintain our high biosecurity standards against Bovine TB, Salmonella • Continue to develop the Centre for Forest Protection providing a hub for UK and international research on tree pests and diseases. To understand the genetic variation within our tree population, the potential to optimise traits of interest such as disease resistance, and to support the restoration of threatened species • Ensure a skills pipeline for the next generation of animal and plant health scientists, including new apprenticeship and fellowship opportunities and Maintain progress on managing bovine TB Bovine TB (bTB) remains a pressing animal health challenge in England. Along with the recent investment in our Weybridge facilities Defra will continue to work towards achieving bTB free status in England by 2038 • Running UK field trials to secure marketing authorisation for a cattle vaccine which can be deployed within the next five years.
• Evolving badger control policy by phasing out the current intensive culling policy and supporting badger • Improving diagnostic testing to root out the disease Eradicating bovine TB will ensure

• Incentivising industry behaviours to prevent the spread of bTB through the increased uptake of effective biosecurity measures and managing the risk posed by movement of cattle. This includes funding the TB Advisory Service, which offers cattle keepers free bespoke advice to help reduce the risk of TB, and commissioning TB accreditation schemes through the Cattle Health Certification Standards body. • Creating partnership across government, industry and stakeholders through more effective governance at To ensure the Plant Biosecurity Strategy is credible, robust and is delivered fully, it is essential that new systems are put in place to assess how we are progressing against the vision, outcomes and commitments set out in the strategy, and to track, measure, and evaluate the strategy fully over its lifetime. We will develop an evaluation framework and provide an update on progress after three years, followed by a final evaluation in five years. For invasive species, the number of new establishments is tracked by the Non-Native Species Information Portal, which feeds into a relevant indicator in the Outcome Indicator Framework. We are exploring a range of other indicators and metrics for this portal to measure our progress in tackling invasive species, including for the reduction of introductions and changes in the distribution of species. Defra’s Outcome Delivery Plan includes an indicator of the percentage of cattle herds that are bovine tuberculosis free. We will also monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Outcome Indicator Framework. The relevant indicators for biosecurity H1 Abatement of the number of invasive non- native species entering and establishing H2 Distribution of invasive non-native species and

Support farmers to improve our

We all understand that spending time in nature is part of what makes the United Our landscapes and coastlines are our national treasures, at the heart of our heritage and the story of these islands – and they have so much to offer our health and wellbeing as well as our economy. We want everyone to enjoy them and appreciate the hard work and way of life of our rural farming communities, so we all play our part in helping nature recover. We also recognise that to restore nature, we need to enjoy its beauty responsibly. We have made significant progress – including extending the England Coast Path, helping children understand and enjoy wildlife, and improving access to nature for disadvantaged urban communities. Now, we will do even more – from designating new protected landscapes, to improving green spaces close to where people live, and helping the next generation become Our 25 Year Environment Plan goal We will conserve and enhance the beauty of our natural environment, and make sure it can be enjoyed, used by and cared for by everyone. • Opened nearly 400 more miles of England Coast Path and published our plans for • Opened around 250 more miles of walking and cycling routes since 2020, including through the Active Travel Fund and the National Cycle Network upgrade programme, helping more people to enjoy healthy activity in nature. • Launched the Green Social Prescribing programme to prevent and tackle mental ill health. • Delivered the Children and Nature programme and Green Recovery Challenge Fund to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have better access to nature. • Launched the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme to enable farmers and other land managers to deliver projects for climate, nature, people and place. • Launched the Levelling Up Parks Fund to create or significantly refurbish over 100 green spaces. The fund also targeted the 100 most deprived urban communities across the UK which also lack accessible green space. We have the following targets and • Work across government to fulfill a new and ambitious commitment that everyone should live within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space. • Make the England Coast Path fully walkable by the end of 2024. • Deliver a new National Trail along the route of the Coast to Coast path by 2025. • Increase the accessibility of green and blue spaces through the £14.5 million ‘Access • Create or significantly refurbish over 100 green spaces through the Levelling Up • Complete our delivery of the England Coast Path and the new Coast to Coast • Green the Green Belt as set out in the Levelling Up White Paper by identifying key areas for nature restoration through the roll out of Local Nature Recovery Strategies. • Invest in a new national landscapes partnership for National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and National Trails. • Extend the delivery of our successful Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, using lessons learned to inform future farming schemes. • Publish our ambitions for improving the quantity, quality and permanency of • Invest in active travel, with a vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. £35 million funding has already been committed this • Continue to progress assessments to designate two new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and two AONB extensions. • Scale up green social prescribing across the healthcare system. • Develop the Climate Action Award pilot, and roll out in 2024. This will recognise the achievements of children and young people in taking action to increase biodiversity and develop their skills and knowledge of climate change. • Deliver a new Natural History GCSE by 2025. • Continue contributions to targeted grant schemes which support our work on heritage. We want everyone to be able to enjoy our nature and national heritage in landscapes and coastlines across the country. In line with the Countryside Code, we need to respect and conserve nature, and encourage managed access – so that everyone can enjoy and secure those treasures for every generation to come.
Many of the actions we have set out to deliver in EIP23 will, in protecting and improving our natural environment, increase its natural beauty and enable even greater enjoyment of it. In this chapter we have set out how we are taking action for people across the country to increase our connection with the environment that surrounds us. This will in turn encourage greater care for the environment and • Work across government to fulfill a new and ambitious commitment that everyone should live within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space. • Make the England Coast Path fully walkable by the end • Deliver a new National Trail along the route of the Coast • Continue to work with navigation authorities as appropriate, recognising the value of access to blue space, particularly within inner city environments. For example, announcing future funding for the Canal and River Trust to support local access improvements and • Conserve and enhance the natural, geological and cultural diversity of our landscapes, and protect our historic and natural environment for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. 1 Improve access to nature – creating new routes, more green and blue spaces and increasing their accessibility to people of all backgrounds. 2 Protect our landscapes and their heritage – recognising the pride in place that comes with embracing shared histories in communities across the country, and particularly the role that farmers play as the original custodians of the land. 3 Nature for wellbeing – connecting with nature as a way of improving physical and mental health. 4 Connecting children and nature - boosting the number of young people who can connect with nature. Improve routes to and through nature Paths to and through nature improve access, creating ways to enjoy nature responsibility and safely, providing significant benefits to people’s health and to the economy. Physical health benefits from active visits to National Trails alone are estimated to save the NHS between £46 and £107 • Opened nearly 400 more miles of the England Coast Path since 2018 and published our plans for more than • Published our proposal for the new Coast to Coast • Have a fully walkable new 2700-mile England Coast • Upgrade the existing Coast to Coast route between St

Bees and Robin Hood’s Bay to a National Trail. We will make the path more accessible to people of different abilities. We will also develop link routes and circular routes to provide more options for users and work to improve inclusivity for visitors on bikes, mobility scooters, wheelchairs and on horseback. • Continue to develop policy to add more accessible routes to and through nature and enhance existing ones. Create more green and blue spaces and enhance existing ones, and support responsible access Alongside improving access routes, we also need to create more green and blue spaces. This will help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to connect with nature. • Launched the £9 million Levelling Up Parks Fund to improve the equality of access and quality of green space in over 100 neighbourhoods across the UK, identified through the Index of Multiple Deprivation. The fund includes £2 million from Defra to support • Refreshed the Countryside Code, including a version for countryside visitors and a version for land managers, so that everyone can enjoy and benefit from nature while giving it the respect it deserves. • Continue to develop policy to increase the amount of high quality green and blue spaces for people to enjoy, in both rural and urban settings, and to support responsible, permissive access to nature. • Continue to promote the refreshed Countryside Code with key partners including the National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. • Green the Green Belt as set out in the Levelling Up White Paper by identifying key areas for nature restoration through the roll out of Local Nature

Create more woodland, and improve access to The annual mental health benefits associated with visits to the UK’s woodlands are estimated to be £185 million, and for England specifically, visits are estimated to save the NHS £141 million per year in reduced treatment costs. • Supported land managers to provide woodland access through our Countryside Stewardship and England Woodland Creation Offer schemes. • Published the Local Authority Tree and Woodland Strategy Toolkit, providing guidance for local authorities to develop effective tree and woodland strategies to harness the long-term benefits that trees can bring to local communities, including for public • Invested over £250 million across the Urban Trees Challenge Fund, Local Authority Treescapes Fund and via England’s Community Forests and our Woodland Creation partners to support tree planting and regeneration in urban and peri-urban areas, particularly in areas with high levels of social and tree canopy deprivation. In 2022, 82% of the woodlands planted by England's Community Forests have full or partial public access. To take this further , we • Continue to work with land managers, businesses, civil society bodies and community groups to encourage greater access to existing woodland and incentivise woodland creation, including in and around towns and • Work with local authorities and relevant parties to ensure urban tree planting is well designed, delivers multiple benefits and avoids trade-offs, such as issues for air quality and human health. As committed in the England Trees Action Plan, publish our ambitions for improving the quantity, quality, and permanency of woodland access, including how we

• Improve information and data on current provision of woodland access for all uses and rights; their proximity to people, and the communities they might support to allow better targeting of resources and provide better • Consider options to review existing forest road infrastructure on the public forest estate and consider extending access rights and opportunities for cyclists and horse-riders across this estate.
Support the development of green infrastructure Good quality green infrastructure is important for health and wellbeing, air quality, nature recovery and for delivering net zero targets, as well as for adapting to climate change by providing urban cooling and reducing flood risk. It can help to address issues of social disparities and environmental decline, whilst also making better places to live. • Launched the Green Infrastructure Principles and Standards for England. This will help local planning authorities and planning developers to create or improve green and blue infrastructure, particularly where provision is poorest. • Updated the Outdoor Recreation Valuation Tool (ORVal) model. This tool is used to demonstrate in monetary terms the recreational value of parks and paths. We have also published detailed analysis of this model. • Monitor and evaluate the impact of the Green • Support local authorities and developers to understand what good access means and how it can be improved. • Encourage more urban street trees, using the amended National Planning Policy Framework which has an expectation that all new streets are tree-lined and that opportunities are taken to include trees elsewhere in developments (such as through parks and community orchards). Urban trees can intercept

rainwater and regulate storm water run-off, clean air through trapping particulate air pollution, sequester carbon and provide valuable community spaces. Make green and blue spaces more inclusive and support more people to benefit from nature Green and blue spaces can support communities through providing opportunities for a diverse range of people to connect with nature. We know that over 90% of adults report that time spent outdoors is good for their physical and mental health. Currently, 38% of people do not have green or blue space within 15 minutes’ walk of their home. That is why we are setting a new and ambitious commitment to work across government and beyond to ensure that anyone can reach green or blue space within 15 minutes from their front door . We will track our progress against this commitment by using our new Green Infrastructure Framework. In parallel, we will work to reduce other barriers which prevent people from accessing green and blue spaces, such as physical challenges, lack of confidence and lack of information. Defra has run the £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF), to enable a range of outdoor activities in nature across England. This includes the Generation Green project which was awarded £2.5 million to provide more opportunities to connect young people from diverse backgrounds to nature – many for the first time. We are committed to making improvements to the accessibility of green and blue spaces, so that everyone can enjoy the benefits they bring. We • Drive accessibility improvements through our delivery programmes, for example by continuing to make the England Coast Path as accessible as possible and doing the same for the new Coast to Coast National Trail. • Continue to promote sport and physical activity in green and blue spaces in order to support health and wellbeing. We will deliver the £14.5 million ‘Access for All’ programme, • Targeted improvements to increase access to green and

blue spaces in our most deprived urban areas through our Forests for Everyone and Active Forests Programmes. • A review of maps of open access land so that as many people as possible can take advantage of this national • Improving accessibility in national landscapes such as new gates, walking routes, inclusive cycles, E-trikes, • Improvements to our network of National Trails to make sure that these can be enjoyed by as many The Department for Transport are investing in active travel. This includes delivering thousands of miles of safe, continuous routes for cycling and creating Active Travel England to support local authorities to deliver ambitious and transformational schemes. Around 250 more miles of walking and cycling routes have been opened since 2020. To take this further , the Department for Transport and • Invest in active travel, with a vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. £35 million funding has already been committed • Continue to fund Sustrans for the National Cycle Network, aiming to deliver improved surfacing, widened paths and greater accessibility, such as the removal of barriers that impact disabled people and cyclists. Enhance nature outcomes for National parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) Our Protected Landscapes comprise nearly 25% of England’s entire land area. They are incredibly diverse landscapes which are integral to the health of the climate, wildlife, and people. • Helped to establish and scale up National Trails UK, to enable our National Trails to represent themselves • Begun work on a national landscapes partnership to tackle common objectives such as nature recovery and • Launched a landmark programme for Protected Landscapes. This includes proposals for new Protected Landscapes to safeguard more of England’s beautiful and iconic landscapes and actions to drive nature recovery. We have also launched a new all England mapping tool. • Invest in a new National Landscapes Partnership to enable National Parks, AONBs and National Trails to collaborate more closely on national priorities such as improving nature and access for all parts of society. This will include building capacity in National Parks Partnerships and the National Association of AONBs to generate more private finance to deliver more for nature, climate, people, and place. • Provide new guidance to strengthen Protected Landscapes’ management plans, promoting the importance of supporting thriving local communities and access for all, alongside climate change mitigation and adaptation and nature recovery. • Support the National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to rebrand AONBs

as National Landscapes. This will reflect renewed values and boost understanding of their national significance with more diverse communities, including residents, partners and visitors. • Continue assessments to designate 2 new AONBs and • Use the All-England mapping tool to identify landscapes to improve nature and access.
• Develop an accreditation model for towns and cities to improve access to green and blue space in areas with high environmental and social need. This will set a recognised standard for locally-led action to aspire to, with up to 6 pilots to be launched in 2023. Support farmers and landowners to improve our In July 2021, we launched the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme with over £50 million of funding until March 2024. Farming in Protected Landscapes enables Protected Landscapes (National Parks and AONBs in England) and farmers to work together to deliver projects across 4 Climate, Nature, People and Place. • Supported over 1,800 projects and accelerated delivery in Protected Landscapes to meet the 30 by 30 commitment. • Funded almost 200 projects supporting public engagement, 150 projects to make the landscape more inclusive for visitors and restored nearly 6km of drystone walls in the first year . • Engaged nearly 2,000 farmers at the programme In recognition of the positive feedback and outcomes delivered by FIPL, we will be extending the programme with £10m additional funding each year until March 2025. This will enable us to continue to support the important role that protected landscapes play in delivering our commitments. We will continue to learn from FiPL and work to ensure the best concepts of FiPL are integrated within future environmental land management schemes within Protected Landscapes. Conserve and enhance our natural heritage We need to make sure we continue to conserve our natural heritage. Funding will play an important role. In 2019 England’s heritage sector generated an estimated Gross Value Added (GVA) contribution of £14.7 billion to UK Gross Domestic Product, with every £1 of GVA generated supporting an additional £1.50 of GVA in the wider community. Heritage provides people with a sense of belonging and contributes to increasing their quality of life. It also brings tourism, giving local people a sense of pride in their community and place. Targeted grant schemes which support our work on • Ongoing Countryside Stewardship funding which has enabled us to remove 195 sites from the Heritage at Risk • The National Lottery Heritage Fund which has awarded over £1.8 billion to more than 4,200 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK since 1994. The Fund awards 20% of its funding to heritage projects and 40% to community projects, including environmental projects. • The £8 million Historic Buildings Restoration project has funded the restoration of 126 historical buildings in • The £95 million Cultural Development Fund (CDF), which invests in innovative locally-led projects in the cultural, creative industries and heritage sectors. • The National Academy for Social Prescribing’s Thriving Communities, which has awarded £1.8 million to encourage use of cultural and heritage projects alongside nature to benefit the wellbeing of communities. To take this further , Defra and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) • Continue to provide support through existing schemes and through the development of future farming schemes. This will include securing a legacy for the woodland access created through the Nature for • Continue to support existing and new UNESCO Global Geoparks, Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites. England has many important geological sites that have considerable scientific, educational and heritage value. We have already supported the recently designated Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark in the West Midlands, through the declaration of the Saltwells National Nature Reserve (NNR), a former quarry. This illustrates the links between geoheritage, the industrial history of Dudley, and a place widely used by the local community for walking and We will continue to provide opportunities for people to experience geoheritage through our network of National Include considerations of marine heritage and ensure that heritage is considered in future We need a strong evidence base with ecological, societal, and economic information brought together in a holistic way. This will improve our understanding and help us make better decisions about the marine environment. • Run the marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme. The programme has started to review evidence on the cultural value of UK fisheries and demonstrate the strong ties that fishers and their communities have with their fishing work and their surrounding urban and natural landscapes. • Work to ensure the marine historic landscape and historic sites are considered in future marine plans, which guide and direct licensing decisions in the The Marine Management Organisation will work with

Incorporate the use of green and blue spaces The evidence is clear that spending time in nature is beneficial for our physical and mental health and the Government recognises the importance of improving access for all to green and blue spaces. Creating new greenspace, preventing loss of existing greenspace, and making them more inclusive, accessible and better quality could help to deliver improved population health outcomes, reduced health disparities and environmental sustainability. We have already launched the world's first strategy to tackle loneliness, which recognises the crucial role which green and blue spaces can play in combating loneliness and fostering community participation and cohesion. Since 2018 • Invested over £50 million in tackling loneliness. • Reached millions of people through national • Developed a network of over 150 organisations to join • Launched the £5.77m cross government ‘Preventing and tackling mental ill-health through green social prescribing’ programme to examine how to increase use and connection to the natural environment through referral to green and/or blue social prescribing to improve mental health. The programme has recorded over 6,000 referrals to activities so far , and is gathering evidence on the effectiveness of green social prescribing and how best to implement it.
Emerging findings from the programme are encouraging, showing significant improvements in But we are taking this further , and • Explore options for how best to embed green social prescribing, including across multiple healthcare

• Drive the roll-out of social prescribing more broadly, so that at least 900,000 people will be referred to social • Work with the National Lottery Community Fund and Groundwork to develop a Northern Network of 5 Green Community Hubs in high deprivation areas as centres for nature-based activities for green social prescribing. Case Study - National Education Nature School land in England covers an area over twice the size of Birmingham. We will encourage education providers to think of this land, the Nature Park, as one whole ‘Park’. This will enable the education estate to play its part in increasing biodiversity and give children and young people the opportunity to take action to improve their environment while developing a connection to nature, learning about their surroundings and enhancing key numeracy and data science skills. The Nature Park will also provide access to digital mapping tools to enable nurseries, schools and colleges to map their existing biodiversity and report on progress whilst developing digital skills. Over time, this will provide valuable data on biodiversity for use across government, with researchers and bioscientists. The Climate Action Award will recognise the achievements of children and young people in taking action to increase biodiversity and develop their skills and knowledge of climate change. This will be piloted during academic year 2022/23 with a view to national The Natural History Museum is leading a consortium of organisations, including the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Society, the Royal Geographical Society, Manchester Metropolitan University, Learning Through Landscapes, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the National Biodiversity Network Trust to develop the Nature Park and Climate Action Award. Increase the number of children connecting with School land in England covers an area over twice the size of Birmingham. Access to green space for children is associated with improved mental wellbeing, overall health, improved behaviour , cognitive development and is even associated with higher standardised test scores. We will work closely with the Department for Education to build on the learning from the Children and Nature Programme by continuing to research how best to deliver outdoor learning. Since 2018, we have completed the Children and Nature Programme to support children in their attendance and engagement with school, attainment and mental health and to support an increase in care farming places which involves providing farm-related therapeutic activity with people with defined needs. The Department for Education • Ensure learning in and about nature happens at every level of education; for example, by supporting teaching on climate change via the curriculum and by putting in place a new occupational standard for further education teachers to build sustainability into their teaching by 2023. • Encourage education providers to think of school land as one whole ‘National Education Nature Park’. This will give children and young people the opportunity to take action to improve their environment including through increasing its biodiversity, learning about their surroundings, and enhancing key numeracy and data • Develop the Climate Action Award pilot, with a view to national roll out in 2023 to 2024. This will recognise the achievements of children and young people in taking action to increase biodiversity and develop their skills and knowledge of climate change. • Deliver a new Natural History GCSE by 2025. The estimated annual value of environmental knowledge in 2010 was £2.1 billion through its contribution to greater lifetime earnings that are associated with educational qualifications in relevant subjects. We will monitor progress towards delivering the EIP23 through the Annual Progress Report and the Outcome Indicator Framework. The framework contains 66 indicators, arranged into 10 broad themes. The relevant indicators for enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the G1 Changes in landscape and waterscape character. G2 Condition of heritage features including designated geological sites and scheduled G3 Enhancement of green/blue infrastructure. G4 Engagement with the natural environment. G5 People engaged in social action for the G6 Environmental attitudes and behaviours. G7 Health and wellbeing benefits. Since 2018 we have also introduced a monitoring programme for our most important geological sites. We will also develop a Standard Evaluation Framework for examining the health impacts of outdoor interventions, so we can consistently measure the public health impacts from our work to increase

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