Martin Harper – RSPB  ‘The UK Government says that the bill “sets out a vision for a greener future” and “underlines the government’s commitment to tackling climate change and to protecting and restoring our natural environment for future generations”. It’s worth noting that the Bill is broadly focused on England.  Some of the provisions (such as for the proposed Office for Environmental Protection, environmental principles and the need to create environmental improvement plans) apply to Northern Ireland, but for the most part the rest of the Bill will apply in England only.

That said, I can’t overstate the significance of this legislation which, if it matches the UK Government’s stated ambitions, should not only maintain existing protections for some of our most threatened species and important places but also could help us put back what we have lost by providing commitment, tools and resources to restore the natural world.

Before the Environment Bill was re-laid in Parliament (after its brief appearance before the December General Election), I laid out five tests that it should meet. Below I offer an assessment from the RSPB team as to whether the legislation comes close to meeting these tests. Click here to read more