Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
2nd Report - Governing the marine environment
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 551
Published 5 June 2025
Recommendations
21
Accepted
Coordinate departments and Crown Estate to site offshore wind away from sensitive areas.
Recommendation
We recommend the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) coordinate with The Crown Estate to ensure that offshore wind developments are developed away from the most sensitive and …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, stating that a strategic steer has already been provided to The Crown Estate to avoid environmentally sensitive areas for offshore wind development, and this guidance will be incorporated into the Marine Delivery Routemap.
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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.
Conclusions (3)
15
Conclusion
Accepted
Long-term data collection is critical to scientific analysis of the effectiveness of marine protection measures such as whole-site protections and their impact on ecosystem recovery. We are concerned that funding for Lyme Bay has stopped, and this will lead to a gap in long-term data collection and undermine marine conservation …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the value of Lyme Bay research and stated that Defra is in discussions with Natural England to continue the long-term monitoring of the site.
23
Conclusion
Accepted
As a result of climate change, species are increasingly migrating into the high seas and global oceans. The movement of marine species beyond national jurisdictions poses significant challenges to conservation and sustainable management efforts highlighting the need for effective governance and protection of these areas. We are disappointed that the …
Government Response Summary
The government stated its complete commitment to ratifying the BBNJ Agreement and has committed to introducing the necessary legislation by the end of the year to implement it, ahead of ratification.
27
Conclusion
Accepted
The UK Government’s funding for programmes that enable local communities in Overseas Territories (OTs) to deliver marine conservation initiatives is critical for global marine protection, given the vast marine areas that are part of the UK’s OTs, and for empowering local communities. It is vital for the UK Government to …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees, confirming its continued support for UK Overseas Territories through programmes like Darwin Plus and the Blue Belt Programme, which received increased funding for 2025/26, demonstrating its commitment to marine protection and leadership.