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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

8 items
30 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

We recommend the Government commission a review of the operation of ‘perverse subsidies’ in the...

We recommend the Government commission a review of the operation of ‘perverse subsidies’ in the UK economy. This must entail the identification, assessment and tracking of public expenditure harmful to biodiversity, and the publication of data on the extent of such subsidies. Once such subsidies have been identified, Ministers must … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government defers action, stating it will work with the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and review their recommendations and potential policy/regulatory responses when they are available, rather than commissioning its own review of perverse subsidies.
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37 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

We welcome the Government’s pledge to protect 30 per cent of the UK’s land and...

We welcome the Government’s pledge to protect 30 per cent of the UK’s land and seas by 2030, but simply designating areas as protected is not enough. The UK’s protected areas are poorly managed. More focus must be given to preserving and enhancing the quality of protected areas. There are … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need to improve protected area management and is developing a Nature Recovery Green Paper to address its 30x30 commitment and improve management, with a response to the Glover Review to be published later in the year.
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38 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

The Government should not count its wins early: protected areas should only be reckoned to...

The Government should not count its wins early: protected areas should only be reckoned to contribute to the 30 by 30 pledge if they are effectively managed and improved. We recommend the Treasury ensure that all bodies involved in the monitoring of 30 per cent of the UK’s land and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of well-managed protected areas and states it is developing a Nature Recovery Green Paper, to be published later this year, which will set out its approach to achieving the 30x30 commitment and improving management of protected areas.
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39 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

The Government should provide a full response to the Glover Review before the 2021 summer...

The Government should provide a full response to the Glover Review before the 2021 summer recess.

Government response AI summary
The government states it is carefully considering the Glover Review recommendations in the context of a wider Nature Recovery Green Paper, and its response will be published later this year, implying it will not meet the requested pre-summer recess deadline.
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48 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

We welcome the Government’s ambition to create a national Nature Recovery Network but believe far...

We welcome the Government’s ambition to create a national Nature Recovery Network but believe far more detail is needed to translate this ambition into transformative action. The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) is contained in the 25 Year Environment Plan, but there are currently no duties or actionable plans in place … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government plans to publish a Nature Recovery Green Paper later this year, which will outline its vision and initial policy proposals for public consultation, to inform future tangible changes.
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49 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

To address these concerns we recommend that: a) Defra updates its Nature Recovery Network Policy...

To address these concerns we recommend that: a) Defra updates its Nature Recovery Network Policy Paper by the end of the year, explaining how LNRS will be co-ordinated into a national Nature Recovery Network and how local authorities should link LNRS to the NRN. b) Government should establish a Nature … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government plans to publish a Nature Recovery Green Paper later this year, which will set out its vision and proposals for nature recovery and allow for public consultation, thereby deferring specific actions until after this process.
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67 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

The Government should include a Net Zero test of the 2021 Budget in its Net...

The Government should include a Net Zero test of the 2021 Budget in its Net Zero Review. Net Zero tests should be refined for future fiscal events to assess the climate impacts of taxation, spending and resource decisions. The Government should develop nature tests to ensure spending packages are aligned … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states the Green Book already requires climate/environmental considerations and HM Treasury is reviewing how to better support environmental objectives, with more detail coming in the Net Zero Strategy. It does not commit to the specific Net Zero or nature tests for fiscal events …
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69 Recommendation First Report - Biodiversity in the UK: … Deferred

To provide the signals needed for the financial system to manage biodiversity risks, we recommend...

To provide the signals needed for the financial system to manage biodiversity risks, we recommend that: a) The Government commit to legislate for mandatory disclosure of nature-related financial risks once the TNFD framework is ready. b) The Government explore how a corporate natural capital accounting system could be set-up to … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to working with the TNFD and will carefully review its recommendations and potential policy/regulatory responses once the framework is ready by late 2023, deferring a commitment to legislate for mandatory disclosure of nature-related financial risks. The response also broadly refers to existing …
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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