Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 40
40
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 192
We welcome the Government’s efforts to secure biodiversity gains in development: but the biodiversity net...
Conclusion
We welcome the Government’s efforts to secure biodiversity gains in development: but the biodiversity net gain policy, in its current form, does not go far enough in contributing to the transformative change necessary to address biodiversity loss in the UK. A series of deficiencies with the policy have been identified over the course of this inquiry.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government reiterates that the Environment Bill will ensure new developments deliver a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain and commits to continuing to work with stakeholders to ensure the policy is fit for purpose, but does not detail how it will address the identified deficiencies.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
192
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The Environment Bill will ensure that new developments enhance biodiversity and deliver measurable ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ (BNG). This means developers will be required to ensure habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development. This will be achieved by applying the Biodiversity Metric to calculate the losses and gains from development and ensure a minimum 10% gain is achieved. Biodiversity Net Gain is a key tool to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030, as the Environment Bill requires us to do. It will make an important contribution towards achieving our wider environmental ambitions, including those set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan. The Government recognises the important role that Biodiversity Net Gain can play in contributing to nature’s recovery and is committed to ensuring that the policy is implemented effectively. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that the policy is fit for purpose and that it delivers the intended benefits for biodiversity.
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