Recommendation 28

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

Green spaces play an important role in urban areas. The Urban Tree Challenge Fund provides support for tree planting in urban and peri-urban areas across England, with a focus on areas of high deprivation. In addition, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is currently analysing responses to its consultation on draft revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and a new draft National Model Design Code. The National Model Design Code is expected to be used to inform the production of local design guides, codes and policies. It aims to ensure that urban planning enhances urban biodiversity and increases access to green space to offer benefits to urban dwellers, such as health and well-being. The National Model Design Code proposes that green infrastructure should be woven into the fabric of design codes available to local planning authorities, communities, and developers to define and deliver quality placemaking. Local Nature Recovery Strategies, being created by the Environment Bill to help lay the foundations for the Nature Recovery Network, will identify opportunities to create or improve habitats for biodiversity across the whole of England including urban areas. 29. We recommend that the Government , in developing further its strategy for economic recovery, give greater priority to strategic projects aimed at encouraging nature recovery. The Government should work with conservation charities to pilot the idea of a National Nature Service this summer to open up conservation opportunities. (Paragraph 188 of the EAC report) The Government is committed to a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund has kickstarted a pipeline of nature-based projects to restore nature, tackle climate change and connect people with the natural environment, whilst creating and retaining jobs in the conservation sector. Across the diverse range of projects awarded at the first round of the Fund, up to 800,000 trees will be planted and more than 1,500 jobs and traineeships created or retained within the conservation sector. This includes landscape scale recovery projects across a mix of rural, urban and coastal landscapes. For example, the RSPB is leading a project to transform and restore habitat in coastal Kent to support species and improve climate resilience. The Woodland Trust will also conserve and restore over 60 ancient woodland sites across England. A number of projects focus on engaging communities and inspiring young people through nature restoration. For example, a project led by the Youth Hostel Association will work with National Parks and partners such as the Scout and Guide Associations, Outward Bounds Trust and Field Studies Council to engage and educate young people, supporting the creation of a ‘green workforce ‘ for nature conservation. 30. We welcome the Government’s announcement of a Sovereign Green Bond and consider that it has significant potential to incentivise a green recovery. We recommend that the Government undertake a full evaluation of the potential economic and social benefits of its bond issuance, especially with respect to the creation of green jobs. (Paragraph 196 of the EAC report) As part of the UK’s Sovereign Green Bond (or ‘green gilt’) programme, the Government will report, post-issuance, on both the allocation of proceeds to green expenditures and on the environmental impacts of spend financed by the green gilts, in line with market best practice. In addition, at Budget the Chancellor announced that the UK is committed to reporting on the important social co-benefits associated with green spend financed by the gilts, such as job creation and socioeconomic advancement. This is a first among comparable sovereign issuers and reflects the Government’s recognition of the importance of understanding the potential impact of the net zero transition and achieving other environmental goals on households across the country. Further details about the UK’s green gilt programme—including the categories of green expenditures to be financed and the associated reporting processes—will be provided in the Framework document, which will be published by the end of June. 31. We further recommend that, in his forthcoming Budget Report, The Chancellor set out in detail a plan to ensure that revenue from the Sovereign Green Bond is invested only in projects which deliver demonstrable, significant and measurable environmental benefit. (Paragraph 197 of the EAC report) The revenue raised from the Sovereign Green Bond, and green retail savings bonds, will be invested in projects which deliver environmental benefit. This will be set out in the UK’s Green Bond Framework document (see above), which will be published by the end of June, ahead of the first issuance. The Government is committed to a transparent and robust green expenditure selection process which aligns with recognised international standards including, but not limited to