Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted in Part
Marine Protected Areas' status must be maintained, not compromised by offshore energy development.
Conclusion
Nature recovery and restoration is a long-term process. It is of utmost importance that sites dedicated for marine protection maintain their status to allow habitats and ecosystems to recover and be effectively protected. 52 Whilst the expansion of offshore renewable energy development, like offshore wind farms, are critical for net zero ambitions, the need to protect nature is also essential and should not be compromised by targets for renewable energy. (Conclusion, Paragraph 76)
Government Response Summary
Defra recognizes the role that maintaining effective MPAs plays in conservation goals, and around 40% of waters are already designated as MPAs. The government disagrees with setting a specific target for HPMAs in Secretary of State waters but commits to designating new or extending existing MPAs to compensate for offshore wind development.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Nature protection is a devolved responsibility, and this response covers the Secretary of State waters only. This Government is taking action to protect our MPAs and enable marine nature recovery. Defra recognizes that marine ecosystems are facing growing challenges, including biodiversity loss, climate change, and pressure from human activity. In response, the Government has committed to both national and international conservation goals, alongside broader ambitions such as the Clean Power Mission. Defra recognizes the role that maintaining effective MPAs plays in these. In England, around 40% of our waters are already designated as MPAs, including 3 HPMAs, which meets the coverage aspect of the 30by30 target. Defra’s priority is to ensure these areas are effectively managed. HPMAs have an important role to play in the MPA network but the Government disagrees with setting a specific target for the amount of HPMAs in Secretary of State waters. In England we also have a statutory target under the Environment Act 2021, for at least 70% of protected species and habitats in MPAs to be in favourable condition by 2042, with the remainder in recovering condition. The Government is currently reviewing the MPA network in England to ensure sites are in the right place with the right protection. The review will explore ways to better address the biodiversity crisis and improve climate change resilience, while supporting wider Government objectives including Good Environmental Status and Net Zero. The review will consider the role further HPMAs could play. Defra continues to focus on ensuring our three designated HPMAs are effectively monitored and managed. The Marine Recovery Fund (MRF) is being established to enable offshore wind developers to discharge the requirement to provide environmental compensation for unavoidable adverse impacts of their projects to an MPA. Through the MRF, Defra has committed to designating new MPAs and/or extending existing MPAs in Secretary of State waters to deliver sufficient strategic compensation to compensate for likely environmental effects of offshore wind development. Compensatory MPAs will be fully funded by offshore wind developers through the MRF. These MPAs are specifically to compensate for the impacts on the seabed from offshore wind and do not have the same objective as HPMAs. Implementing these compensatory MPAs will help unlock multiple offshore wind projects while ensuring the network continues to protect vulnerable habitats and biodiversity. The Government therefore disagrees with the recommendation at paragraph 72, and partially agrees with the recommendation at paragraph 77.