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Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

The role of natural capital in the green economy [revived]

Status: Open Opened: 13 Nov 2024 19 recommendations 16 conclusions 1 report

The Environmental Audit Committee in the 2024 Parliament has revived the predecessor Committee's inquiry into the current and potential future role of natural capital in the green economy, and the Government’s proposals to increase private investment in measures to support nature recovery. Read the call for evidence for more information about this revived inquiry.

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report – The role of natural capital in the UK's green … HC 501 7 May 2025 35 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
22 Recommendation 1st Report – The role of natural capita… Accepted in Part

Consult on measures to increase BNG compliance or mandate corporate disclosure of nature-damaging activities.

We recommend that the Government consult on measures to increase compliance as a market driver, potentially through expanding BNG requirements or mandating corporate disclosure of nature-damaging activities. (Recommendation, Paragraph 123)

Government response AI summary
The government has launched consultations on mandatory BNG for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and streamlining BNG for smaller developers, which aligns with expanding requirements and driving consistency. They also launched a call for evidence on increasing private investment in nature to support future policy …
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23 Recommendation 1st Report – The role of natural capita… Accepted in Part

Commit to reviewing the effectiveness of on-site BNG delivery by February 2027.

The Government should also ensure that on-site gains have sufficient transparency and scrutiny of delivery—through sufficient funding of local authorities to deliver checks, and provision to local authorities of the capacity to undertake enforcement action—with a commitment to reforming the delivery of on-site gains if widespread non-compliance is detected. We … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the principle of reviewing on-site BNG effectiveness but does not commit to the specific proposed timeline. They have allocated an additional £10m this financial year (on top of £35m previously) to assist local planning authorities with BNG implementation and note existing …
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Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
18 Dec 2024 Dr Will Lockhart OBE · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Helen Edmundson · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mary Creagh CBE MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
4 Dec 2024 Alan Carter · The Land Trust, Dr Heather Plumpton · Green Alliance, Helen Avery · Green Finance Institute, Judicaelle Hammond · Country Land and Business Association, Kate McGavin · National Wealth Fund, Rt Hon Philip Dunne · Environmental Audit Select Committee View ↗

Who gave evidence

9 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alan Carter · Chief Executive Officer The Land Trust 1
Dr Heather Plumpton · Head of Research Green Alliance 1
Dr Will Lockhart OBE · Deputy Director, International Biodiversity and W… Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Helen Avery · Director, Nature Programmes and GFI Hive Green Finance Institute 1
Helen Edmundson · Deputy Director, Green Finance Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Judicaelle Hammond · Director of Policy and Advice Country Land and Business Association 1
Kate McGavin · Chief Policy and Strategy Officer National Wealth Fund 1
Mary Creagh CBE MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Rt Hon Philip Dunne · Chairman (2020–2024) Environmental Audit Select Committee 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to the environmental …
4 Sep 2025 To cttee Letter from the Under Secretary of State for Nature relating to the Role of Nat…
4 Sep 2025 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relati…
22 Jul 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural…