Environment Act
The long-awaited Environment Act 2021 came into force towards the end of 2021. The draft Environment Bill was first read in the Commons in January 2020 and its genesis arguably goes back to the Brexit referendum on 23rd June 2016. The referendum outcome meant that new approaches to the management of the natural environment in the UK would be needed, to replace EU Directives.
The Act sets out a new legislative framework for reversing the decline of biodiversity and putting sustainability at the heart of the UK economy. IEMA has sought to work with the government on key elements of this framework throughout its development, as part of the Broadway Initiative, and is delighted that many recommendations have been incorporated.
In conjunction with the government’s Net Zero Strategy, the key elements are in place to make transformational change towards a sustainable future. IEMA members will play a central role in the implementation phase, to ensure that the ambitions set out in the Act are rapidly transformed into action.

View our latest Environment Act resources
- Developing a Resource Productivity Target for England - December 2022
- IEMA Core Principles for Environmental Policymaking – November 2022
- IEMA response to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair’s Consultation on Environmental Targets - June 2022
- IEMA reacts to Environment Act - November 2021
- Environment Bill Series: Environmental Principles - November 2020
- The Environment Bill: Background, content and passage through UK Parliament - September 2020
- Environmental renaissance depends on delivering legally binding targets - September 2020
- Environment Bill – Seizing the Opportunity - February 2020
- IEMA Calls for Parliament to Complete Unfinished Environment Bill - February 2020
- Environment Bill offers opportunity to put sustainability at the heart of the economy - January 2020
- Environment Bill aims to re-set relationship with society and the economy - October 2019
- Environment Bill: the role and design of objectives and targets - September 2019
- IEMA's Chief Policy Advisor, Martin Baxter responds to Defra Secretary of State Michael Gove speech on the forthcoming Environment Act - July 2019
- Assurances for an environment act - June 2019
- IEMA calls for an ambitious Environment Bill that puts sustainability at the heart of the UK economic model - May 2019
- IEMA calls on Government to now use a zero-emission target to transition the UK economy - May 2019
- Assurances Needed to Put Sustainability at the Heart of UK Economic Model - May 2019
- IEMA Sets Out Key Tests of Green Watchdog’s “Independence” - December 2018
- Concerns Over Independence of Gove’s New Watchdog - December 2018
- Assurances Needed for a “World Leading” Environment Bill - November 2018
- Blueprint for an Environment Act - November 2018
- Blueprint for a new Environment Act - September 2018
- IEMA’s Seven Point Plan to Enhance New Environment Act - August 2018
- Legal Teeth Required: IEMA Welcomes Proposals for New Environmental Watchdog - May 2018
- Core Principles for the Environment - Brexit and Beyond - October 2017
