Government publishes Environment Bill – Friends of the Earth reaction

Responding to a government announcement on its Environment Bill, which will be published later today (Thursday 30 January), Friends of the Earth campaigner, Kierra Box, said: 
 

“If the government wants to show global leadership on protecting our environment it must set out legal guarantees in the Environment Bill to ensure existing eco-laws aren’t watered down in a post-Brexit world. This bill does not offer that guarantee.

“A strong environmental watchdog is crucial, but will be useless without the resources, independence, and teeth to hold businesses and government to account.
 

“Measures to stem the tide of plastic pollution pouring into our environment are certainly welcome, but ministers must get to the heart of the crisis by introducing a binding timetable to phase-out the use of all non-essential single-use plastic.”