The landmark bill designed to protect and restore the country’s natural environment in the face of changing climate and loss of natural habitats has been brought back to parliament.
The Environment Bill, which was introduced last October but had not completed its passage before parliament was dissolved, will enshrine environmental principles in law and introduce measures to improve air and water quality, tackle plastic pollution and restore habitats so plants and wildlife can thrive.
For water, the bill will increase sustainable water management by securing long-term, resilient water and wastewater services.
New powers will be given to regulatory bodies Ofwat and the Environment Agency to oblige water companies to work together to meet current and future demand for water across the country.
The bill will set out legally-binding environmental improvement targets with a newly created office for environmental protection established to scrutinise policy and law.
The new deaprtment will have powers to investigate complaints and take enforcement action against public authorities as necessary. Its power will cover all climate change legislation and hold the government to account on its commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The bill was welcomed last year and has been re-introduced early in the current parliamentary session, which Defra said “underlines the government’s commitment to tackling climate change and to protecting and restoring our natural environment for future generations”.
Environment secretary Theresa Villiers said: “We have set out our pitch to be a world leader on the environment as we leave the EU and the Environment Bill is a crucial part of achieving this aim. It sets a gold standard for improving air quality, protecting nature, increasing recycling and cutting down on plastic waste.”
Under the bill, the export of plastic waste to other countries will be stopped and following Brexit, Defra said the UK will have more stringent environmental protection laws relating to plastic waste.
In November this year the UK will host the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.