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Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Status: Closed Opened: 13 Jul 2020 Closed: 26 Jan 2023 61 recommendations 41 conclusions 2 reports

This inquiry examines how the UK can best protect and enhance biodiversity. We are: reviewing the UK Government’s performance on achieving international and domestic biodiversity targets in preparation for the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) examining the state of biodiversity in the UK and … Show more

Clear

Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The UK's footprint on global biodiversity HC 674 30 Sep 2021 31 Responded
First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: bloom or bust? HC 136 30 Jun 2021 71 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
60 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Accepted in Part

The Government should detail how it intends to move beyond GDP as the primary measure...

The Government should detail how it intends to move beyond GDP as the primary measure of economic activity, towards a concept of inclusive wealth, which includes consideration of the UK’s produced, human, and natural capital.

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges GDP's limitations and details its existing work on Natural Capital Accounts and human capital estimates. It commits to providing further funding to the ONS to improve natural capital estimates and to integrate nature more fully into national accounts, thereby moving towards a …
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19 Recommendation Second Report - The UK's footprint on g… Accepted in Part

To further improve the state of biodiversity in the Overseas Territories, we recommend that gaps...

To further improve the state of biodiversity in the Overseas Territories, we recommend that gaps in their protection be rectified. Namely, we recommend that: a) Ministers assure and set out the long-term funding plan for the Blue Belt Programme. In response to this report the Government should set out the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is looking at options to secure funding for the Blue Belt Programme for the next three years and highlights £10 million per annum available via the Darwin Plus Programme. It will initiate a feasibility study for an environmental research portal, with consultations in …
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24 Recommendation Second Report - The UK's footprint on g… Accepted in Part

The publication of the first draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework provides a promising...

The publication of the first draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework provides a promising starting point, but elements of the draft lack ambition. • The 2030 mission should be clearer and stronger, and should align with the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature and G7 2030 Nature Compact to halt and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to seeking a global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, aims to stop human-induced extinctions, and will negotiate for the inclusion of nature-based solutions in Target 8. However, the response does not explicitly address the recommendation regarding reducing unsustainable …
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Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
4 Mar 2021 Kemi Badenoch · HM Treasury, Steve Field · HM Treasury View ↗
24 Feb 2021 Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta · HMT Economics of Biodiversity Review View ↗
13 Jan 2021 Cheryl Case · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Richard Pullen · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon George Eustice · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Simon Gallagher · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, The Rt Hon. the Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
9 Dec 2020 David Webster · Associated British Foods UK Grocery, Martin Harper · Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Mihai Coroi · Mott MacDonald, Nathalie Seddon · University of Oxford, Professor David Hill · Environment Bank, Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta · HMT Economics of Biodiversity Review View ↗
12 Nov 2020 Ben McCarthy · National Trust, Caroline Knox · National Farmers' Union Environment Forum, Craig Bennett · Wildlife Trusts, Dr Ruth Little · University of Sheffield, Julian Glover · London Evening Standard, Kari Sprostranova · Balfour Beatty, Mayor Philip Glanville · Local Government Association’s Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board, Professor Kathy Willis · Natural Capital Committee View ↗
22 Oct 2020 Andy Purvis · IPBES, Anne Larigauderie · IPBES, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias · UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Doug Allan · Planet Earth and Blue Planet series, Elisa Morgera · Strathclyde University Law School, Kate Norgrove · WWF, Tony Juniper · Natural England View ↗

Who gave evidence

29 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta · Lead HMT Economics of Biodiversity Review 2
Andy Purvis · Lead Author of the IPBES Global Assessment of Bio… IPBES 1
Anne Larigauderie · Executive Secretary IPBES 1
Ben McCarthy · Head of Nature Conservation and Restoration Ecolo… National Trust 1
Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias · Former Executive Secretary UN Convention on Biological Diversity 1
Caroline Knox · Member National Farmers' Union Environment Forum 1
Cheryl Case · Deputy Director for International Environmental N… Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Craig Bennett · Chief Executive Wildlife Trusts 1
David Webster · Director of Sustainability & External Affairs Associated British Foods UK Grocery 1
Doug Allan · Filmmaker Planet Earth and Blue Planet series 1
Dr Ruth Little · Lecturer University of Sheffield 1
Elisa Morgera · Professor of Global Environmental Law Strathclyde University Law School 1
Julian Glover · Chair, Landscape Review and former Associate Edit… London Evening Standard 1
Kari Sprostranova · Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability Di… Balfour Beatty 1
Kate Norgrove · Executive Director for Campaigns and Advocacy WWF 1
Kemi Badenoch · Exchequer Secretary HM Treasury 1
Martin Harper · Director of Global Conservation Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) 1
Mayor Philip Glanville · Member Local Government Association’s Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board 1
Mihai Coroi · Ecology Technical Principal Mott MacDonald 1
Nathalie Seddon · Professor of Biodiversity University of Oxford 1
Professor David Hill · Chairman Environment Bank 1
Professor Kathy Willis · Member Natural Capital Committee 1
Richard Pullen · Head of National Biodiversity Policy Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Minister for Housing Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Rt Hon George Eustice · Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Simon Gallagher · Planning Director Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Steve Field · Director for Climate, Environment and Energy HM Treasury 1
The Rt Hon. the Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park · Minister for the Pacific and the International En… Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Tony Juniper · Chair Natural England 1

Correspondence

7 letters
DateDirectionTitle
24 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, rel…
3 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural…
27 Jan 2022 — Correspondence with the Minister of State (Minister for School Standards), Depa…
7 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, regarding the publication …
17 Mar 2021 To cttee Letter from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to the Chair on water quali…
13 Nov 2020 To cttee Letter from Natural England re: funding and biodiversity
15 Oct 2020 To cttee Letter from EasyJet CEO to Chairman on additional points raised at meeting