The 25 Year Environment Plan

The UK Government has pledged to pass nature on to the next generation in a better condition than in which they inherited it. The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out England’s environmental ambition for the next quarter of a century.

Why is it important?

The State of Nature 2016, a report from more than 50 nature conservation and research organisations ranked the UK among the most nature-depleted countries in the world. The loss of nature in the UK continues and this new plan could play a part in ensuring it a brighter future.

We need significant government effort to make it easier for people to do the right thing and harder for people to cause harm. With well-planned conservation, we can turn around the fortunes of wildlife, which is why the contents of the 25 Year Environment Plan are so important for our environmental future.

A statement from Martin Harper, The RSPB's Global Conservation Director

“Today's 25 Year Environment Plan is a welcome acknowledgement that we must make a generation-long commitment to saving nature. We applaud the ambition of the plan; now we need to see the radical action it proposes enshrined in law."

"Unfortunately there is no quick fix for the threats faced by nature; we need the challenge to owned by departments across government. And as our problems are not restricted to one country, it is essential that all four governments in the UK – in Westminster, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – work together.  This will allow us to create an approach that helps nature recover in all of the UK and its overseas territories. Together we can provide international leadership on the environment, even in challenging times ”.

Read the full 25 Year Environment Plan here

Follow conversation and discussion around the 25 Year Environment Plan.