The Natural Capital Committee’s 7^th annual report

Chairman’s message: Dieter Helm       ‘Nine years have now passed since the government published the 2011 White Paper, The Natural Choice, committing to the objective “to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than it inherited.” To achieve this, the Natural Capital Committee (NCC) proposed a 25 year plan for environmental improvement. In 2018, the 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP) was finally published, following further advice from the NCC. Of prime importance in the Environment Bill is to ensure that the 25 YEP is put on a statutory basis along with all ten goals, with firm milestones and all environmental institutions aligned to ensure that the 25 YEP’s objectives are met. The absence of progress since 2011 is more notable than the successes. Broadly the natural environment is deteriorating. The government’s first report on progress against the 25 YEP published in 2019 provides a long list of actions and very little evidence of improvements in the state of England’s natural capital. This failure is due in large part to the lack of a natural capital assets baseline against which to measure progress. The NCC remains critical of the biodiversity net gain measure in the Environment Bill. This does not go far enough – only an environmental net gain approach in planning and development will ensure that aggregate natural capital is maintained and enhanced. Without these changes, there is a very real danger that the 2011 White Paper and the 25 YEP go the way of so many bold initiatives that have punctuated the decline of England’s natural environment over the previous generations. To allow this to happen would not only undermine confidence in environmental policy generally but condemn the next generation to a poorer economy and environment. We can be green and prosperous, but it will not happen by default. The huge opportunities, both economic and environmental, should be grasped by the new government. Let me conclude by thanking my fellow NCC members and the secretariat for all of their hard work, putting time and effort in far beyond what is required of them.’

Professor Dieter Helm Chairman of the Natural Capital Committee

Click here to read more:

Enabling a Natural Capital Approach – Guidance

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/858808/natural-capital-enca-guidance-pdf.pdf

Natural capital tool launched to help protect the environment

Defra ‘A new online resource for measuring natural capital is available. An ambitious new online resource has been launched today (22 January) by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to help ensure better environmental decision-making by valuing our ‘natural capital’.

For the first time, a comprehensive and integrated set of evidence and guidance about UK natural capital is now accessible from one place. It is intended to help policy makers, businesses, landowners and public sector organisations make better planning decisions in order to protect and to boost natural capital. ‘Natural capital’ is the sum of our ecosystems, providing us with food, clean air and water, wildlife, energy, wood, recreation and protection from hazards. The natural capital approach will make it easier for public and private organisations to better assess and value the environment. This will help deliver benefits including long-term flood risk reduction, boosts to wildlife, improvements to water and air quality, and opportunities for biodiversity net gain.

• Natural Resources Wales interim state of natural resources report alongside which a list of evidence needs has been published. If you think you can help with the evidence needs, please email sonarr@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

• A range of new reports in the Valuing Nature Network’s Demystifying series: Health Metrics; Cost Benefit Analysis; Green Finance; Shared and Social Values; and Valuing Arts and Arts Research