The environment bill, published this afternoon, is the culmination of a huge amount of work by people across the @GreenerUK_ coalition, and officials & ministers in @DefraGovUK - thanks to all of them. A few initial thoughts...
bit.ly/2MHSB6T 1/
bit.ly/2MHSB6T 1/
The proposed framework for legally binding targets covering nature, air, water & waste has the potential to be truly world-leading. Thanks to the businesses who argued that clear, binding targets are good for business, not a drag on growth. @AldersgateGrp @UKGBC 2/
It's also very welcome that the new Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will now have a remit over climate change. It was always odd to think of "the environment" as excluding climate. So far, so positive. But... 3/
There are things to work on. The OEP needs more independence & greater powers. Governments must fear it as they do the European Court. This isn't about ministers who want to do the right thing; it's about what happens when they want to do the wrong thing. 4/
For the same reason, there should be a commitment in law not to fall below current standards ("non-regression"). If the govt really wants high standards - & to make it hard for its successors to weaken them - why not concede that? 5/
There are other concerns (eg the environmental principles need more teeth). But there's a lot to welcome & as the scale of the need becomes ever more apparent, pressure to improve the bill is bound to grow. I hope all parties will get behind that effort. 6/6
