Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Accepted
Publish plan for continued and enhanced marine conservation funding in Overseas Territories.
Recommendation
The UK Government should commit to continued and enhanced funding to deliver marine conservation initiatives through its Biodiversity Challenge Funds and Blue Belt Programme, which have delivered excellent marine conservation objectives globally. If the Government is to continue to prioritise climate action and marine conservation in Overseas Territories, despite cuts to Official Development Assistance spending, it must set out as a matter of urgency how it will do this. The Government should publish this explanation in its response to this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 98) 54
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepted the recommendation, confirming that Defra has secured multi-year funding beyond March 2026 for marine conservation initiatives in Overseas Territories and has increased funding for the Blue Belt Programme to £8.5 million for 2025/26.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
Defra has continued its support for the UK Overseas Territories through Darwin Plus. This includes bringing the new biodiversity strategy to publication thereby improving the reach and effectiveness of not just the programme but wider efforts to improve and protect biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience across the Overseas Territories. Since its inception in 2012, Darwin Plus has invested more than £56 million in over 340 environmental projects benefiting the marine and terrestrial environments across the Overseas Territories. Each project addresses at least one of the four programme themes: Biodiversity: improving and conserving biodiversity, and slowing or reversing biodiversity loss and degradation; Climate change: responding to, mitigating and adapting to climate change and its effects on the natural environment and local communities; Environmental quality: improving the condition and protection of the natural environment; Capability and capacity building: enhancing the capacity within the Overseas Territories to support the environment in the short- and long-term. Currently, Defra is finalising plans to fund successful 2025/26 project proposals. Applicants have been advised to expect updates over the summer. Updates will also be made available on the Darwin Plus website at: www.darwinplus.org.uk . For funding beyond March 2026, Defra has secured a multi-year funding commitment through the most recent Spending Review as part of its funding for nature. The department will continue to engage closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency and to support continuity wherever possible. In addition, the Blue Belt Programme provides support for marine protection and sustainable management to both official development assistance (ODA) and non-ODA eligible Territories. The fact that more Overseas Territories have joined the Programme in recent years is a testament to the success of this partnership. Recognising that the UK Overseas Territories are disproportionately impacted by the nature and climate crisis, for 2025/26 the Blue Belt Programme received an increase in funding (from £8m in 24/25 to £8.5m–£6.5m non-ODA, £2m ODA) to aid the development of the ‘Climate’ pillar of support. The aim of this pillar is to improve adaptive capabilities, climate resilience and prosperity of coastal communities, alongside more sustainable management of marine and coastal resources. The UK Government is clear on its intention to support the UK Overseas Territories via programmes such as the Blue Belt, and to remain a global leader in ocean protection. The Government therefore agrees with this recommendation. 1 Defra (2022). Integrating a systems approach into Defra [Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrating-a-systems-approach-into-defra ] 2 Defra (forthcoming). The Role of Social and Institutional Dimensions within Sustainable Fisheries Governance. 3 Defra (2020). Low impact definition co-design [Available at: https://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/ProjectDetails?ProjectID=20408&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=low%20impact&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description ] 4 Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.
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