Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Governing the marine environment

Status: Open Opened: 16 Dec 2024 18 recommendations 10 conclusions 1 report

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on governing the marine environment, which will focus on the UK's environmental obligations under marine treaties and how the UK is delivering on them, as well as the Government's strategy for marine planning and protection in its domestic waters. Read the call for evidence for more information …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Governing the marine environment HC 551 5 Jun 2025 28 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
1 Conclusion 2nd Report - Governing the marine envir… Deferred

Blurred responsibilities and poor coordination undermine effective marine governance and accountability.

Whilst balancing economic and environmental demands is important, it is critical to ensure a balance between climate action and nature recovery, particularly in enabling offshore renewable energy developments to meet net zero targets without compromising marine biodiversity. Achieving sustainable marine governance that ensures marine protection requires effective, cross-government coordination. Marine …

Government response. The government partially agrees, stating Defra leads marine planning and has a cross-government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme. It will publish a report on a 'marine systems map' by early 2026 and a forthcoming evidence statement to support future governance improvements, …

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Apr 2025 Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Helen Mulvein OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Michelle Willis · Marine Management Organisation, Mike Rowe · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Olivia Thomas · The Crown Estate, Ronan O’Hara · Crown Estate Scotland, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office View ↗
5 Mar 2025 Andrew Bell · UNESCO Biosphere, North Devon, Benj Sykes · Ørsted UK, Jacques Villemot · Rewilding Britain, Mark Russell · The Children’s Society, Mark Simmonds · The British Ports Association, Mike Cohen · National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) View ↗
29 Jan 2025 Dr Gemma Harper OBE · Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Gareth Cunningham · Marine Conservation Society, Jennifer Godwin · Seabed User and Developer Group, Professor Heather Koldewey · Zoological Society of London, Professor Melanie Austen · University of Plymouth View ↗
8 Jan 2025 Alan Evans · National Oceanography Centre, David Tomaney · UK Hydrographic Office, Dr Michaela Schratzberger · Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Professor Malgosia Fitzmaurice · Queen Mary University of London, Professor Philippa Webb · University of Oxford, Professor Richard Barnes · University of Lincoln View ↗

Correspondence

6 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to …
9 Sep 2025 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relati…
26 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from the Minister for the Indo-Pacific, FCDO, responding to the 6 June 2…
6 Jun 2025 To cttee Joint letter from the Chairs of the Environmental Audit Committee and the Inter…
6 Mar 2025 To cttee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food & …
12 Feb 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Secretary of State for Environmen…