After over 18 months of passage through Parliament, the Environment Bill is nearly there. For the latest version Click here

Over several late-night sittings in September, members of the House of Lords voted through 14 separate amendments to the Environment Bill in the face of Government opposition. Although all the amendments are welcome by Wildlife & Countryside Link, six are particularly so. The six key amendments would:

• make interim targets binding
• remove exceptions to the duty to give due regard to environmental principles
• secure OEP independence
• empower courts to grant meaningful remedies following an environmental review
• extend the charging power to cover all single use items
• safeguard the habitats regulations

Wildlife and Countryside Link and Greener UK briefings on these key amendments can found here

House of Commons considerations of the Lord’s amendments will take place on 20 October.

In the weeks ahead there will be much discussion with Government on which Lords amendments can be accepted. The amendments secured at Lord report stage, if carried through into the bill, would make royal assent a hugely important moment for nature – especially when combined with the Government’s own welcome amendment creating a State of Nature target.