New plan sets course for cleaner rivers and air, as well as more nature and wildlife in England
- Targeted and measured delivery plans to set out progress towards environmental targets while supporting economic growth
- £500 million to supercharge landscape-scale nature recovery across England
People across England will benefit from cleaner air and water under a strengthened plan to restore the natural environment, backed by hundreds of millions of pounds to revive iconic landscapes.
The revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), published today (Monday 1 December), sets out an ambitious five-year roadmap to tackle the nature and climate crisis, improve public health, and support sustainable growth.
Communities will see improved air quality thanks to action on fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) - a harmful pollutant linked to asthma, lung disease, and heart conditions. Under a new interim target, population exposure to PM2.5 will be cut by 30% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels - supporting better quality of life and reducing pressure on the NHS.
Nature will be boosted with a quarter of a million hectares of wildlife-rich habitats created or restored by 2030 - an area larger than Greater London. This is 110,000 hectares of habitat more than had been previously committed, supporting our aims for a healthier environment, which is essential to growth.
A new target to halve the presence of damaging invasive species compared to 25 years ago will protect native wildlife and farmers' livelihoods. This will help prevent new invasive species from becoming established and manage existing invaders like the American Signal Crayfish and Japanese Knotweed.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said:
Our environment faces real challenges, with pollution in our waterways, air quality that's too low in many areas, and treasured species in decline.
This plan marks a step change in restoring nature. Our ambitious targets are backed by real action to cut harmful air pollutants, revive habitats and protect the environment for generations to come.
The plan is being supported with new headline commitments and funding announced today. This includes:
£500 million for Landscape Recovery projects, bringing together farmers and land managers to restore nature at scale, creating wildlife-rich environments, reducing flood risk and improving water quality while unlocking economic opportunities through green jobs and nature-based solutions that support rural prosperity
£85 million to improve and restore peatlands, reducing flooding in communities, improving water quality and supporting public health through cleaner air and enhanced access to green spaces for physical and mental wellbeing. This comes alongside £3 million to improve access to nature in Public Forest Estates through facilities including accessible bike trails and all-terrain mobility equipment.
First-ever plan to reduce risks from 'forever chemicals' (PFAS) to health and the environment, with a review of sewage sludge spreading rules to ensure sustainable practices
New Trees Action Plan and measures to reduce damaging methane emissions, particularly from agriculture, alongside exploring new domestic combustion measures to drive climate progress
Environment Act target delivery plans published for the first time, providing clear progress tracking and fixing the lack of rigour in the previous plan
The publication follows wider government action on nature and biodiversity, including the reintroduction of beavers to the wild, a commitment to end bee-killing pesticides, and the launch of two National Forests.
Government will now work with individuals, communities, farmers, businesses and local authorities to deliver the plan, driving economic growth through green jobs and innovation while ensuring future generations benefit from a greener and more prosperous country.
Landscape Recovery is one of the government nature-friendly farming schemes, alongside Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which also deliver positive outcomes for nature and sustainable food production. Over half of farmland is already in one of these schemes, with an improved SFI offer opening next year.
