Environmental Improvement Plan “falls short"

Today, the government has unveiled its new Environmental Improvement Plan, which ministers say “marks a step change in restoring nature”. It replaces the previous government’s version with "ambitious targets" to reduce pollution, restore nature and protect the environment.

Reacting to the announcement, Paul de Zylva, nature campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:

“Although this Environmental Improvement Plan is far more detailed than its predecessor, it still falls short of what’s needed to reverse the alarming loss of nature. There are several areas of grave concern – not least that the UK is still going backwards on its nature targets, including species recovery.

“Ministers talk about a ‘step change’, but too much of this plan relies on future consultations, voluntary measures and vague private finance. We need concrete action and investment to meet the UK’s legally binding targets to restore habitats, clean up rivers and protect communities from pollution.

“Without stronger enforcement against polluters, clear safeguards against environmentally damaging development and firm protections for the natural world written into planning and land-use decisions, nature will continue to decline. The government must turn promises into delivery or risk another decade of missed targets and worsening environmental harm.”

ENDS

Editor's notes:

The government’s updated Environmental Improvement Plan, launched on 1st December 2025 can be viewed online: Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 - GOV.UK

This plan is the second update to the original 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP) launched by PM Theresa May in January 2018. The 25YEP was updated by the first Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), launched by PM Rishi Sunak and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey in January 2023. A year later, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) said “Put simply, it is not clear whether government’s plans stack up” and reported that almost every part of the EIP was off track.