In July 2018, the Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the Government will bring forward its first Environment Bill in 20 years, building on the 25 Year Environment Plan and setting out plans to improve the environment for the next generation.
This announcement was made in the midst of a Defra consultation requesting views on a new Environmental Principles and Governance Bill.
We know that the Environmental Principles and Governance Bill is expected to contain provisions:
- for a new environmental body, to scrutinize government policy and with powers to take legal action against government and handling complaints from individuals and organisations about alleged breaches in law; and
- to embed nine environmental principles in UK law, including (among others) the precautionary principle; the polluter pays principle; and the principle of sustainable development.
The expectation is that the Environmental Principles and Governance Bill will be published for pre-legislative scrutiny soon. This Bill is then expected to evolve into a broader Environment Bill to be introduced next year.
This briefing (download it here) sets out more detail on what we know about the possible contents of an upcoming Environment Bill and the NFU’s views.