It is important to ensure that our environment is protected after we leave the EU. Our natural environment is precious and fragile and we must do everything we can to ensure that it is properly managed.
The EU (Withdrawal) Act converts all EU environmental law into UK law when we leave the Union next year. The manifesto on which all Conservative MPs were elected last year also promised that we should be the 'first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it in.'
The consultation on environmental principles and governance was launched earlier this year and it proposed a new Environmental Principles and Governance Bill to ensure that environmental principles, such as the 'polluter pays' and the 'precautionary principle' are embedded into UK law. The Bill would also create a world-leading, independent environmental watchdog to hold the Government to account. The consultation closed on 2 August 2018 and the Government is now analysing the feedback.
An amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Act which puts a legal obligation on the Government to publish an Environmental Principles Bill containing nine environmental principles within 6 months of the EU (Withdrawal) Act becoming law, was put forward and accepted.
No decisions have yet been taken on the UK's future relationship with EU agencies including with the European Environment Agency. This is a matter for the negotiations.
