Advice on the draft environmental principles policy statement

The Interim Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has provided advice on Defra's draft environmental principles policy statement, following a request from Environment Minister Rebecca Pow.

The Government consulted on a draft legally binding statement covering five environmental principles that ministers have a duty to be guided by when making policy.
 
We welcome the statement as an important step towards implementing the Environment Bill following Royal Assent. However, we recommend the draft policy statement is strengthened in a number of areas to ensure that protecting and enhancing the environment lies at the heart of future policy across government.
 
CEO Natalie Prosser said:

“I would like to express our strong support for the Government's aim to put the wellbeing of our natural environment at the heart of policy-making.
 
“As the Government seeks to build back better and play a leading environmental role globally ahead of COP26, there are such important benefits to be reaped should policy-making across all departments embrace and live by these principles.
 
“From focusing on opportunities to deliver a greener future to expanding how the precautionary principle is applied, we believe the draft statement must be strengthened in a number of key areas if it is to fully embrace these ambitions and deliver the benefits envisaged.”

You can also read Minister Pow's letter to us here