Defra
Government plots recycling reforms as it delays deposit return scheme to 2024
Plans to make manufacturers pay full costs of recycling their packaging and develop consistent household collections nationwide unveiled
'So far off track': UK air pollution data prompts court action warning
ClientEarth urges government to overhaul Clean Air Strategy as figures show UK is still off track for meeting a raft of legal targets
Sustainable Farming Incentive: Defra plots first post-Brexit green farming subsidy pilot
Sustainable Farming Incentive trial to kick off later in 2021, as Defra develops new environmentally-focused approach for supporting farmers now the UK has left the EU
'Polluter pays': Government unveils legally binding environmental principles to guide future policies
Defra to consult on five-overarching principles to be embedded in landmark Environment Bill, as campaigners warn welcome new approach needs to be embedded right across government
UK recycling rates tick up, but still only match 2017 levels
Latest DEFRA statistics on UK recycling rates put them on a par with 2017, although local authorities made some progress in diverting waste from landfill
Could a greener post-Brexit trading policy soon take shape?
Government confirms the Interim Office for Environmental Protection is to be up and running in July, as independent advisors warn Ministers against 'race to the bottom' on food and farming standards
Could poor flood provisions cause the next major building regulations scandal?
With the government already under fire for its handling of the cladding scandal, MPs on the Public Accounts Committee have today warned Ministers must enhance the UK's approach to flood protection and risk management in preparation for escalating climate...
Autumn pilot scheduled for Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme
Defra confirms pilot project for landmark scheme will allow farmers to choose from a range of standards based on specific features of the natural environment such as grassland, hedgerows, water bodies or woodland
Defra unveils £10m fund to drive private investment in nature projects
Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) promises £100,000 grants for woodland, peatland and habitat restoration projects that can then harness further private investment
'Floods are here to stay': MPs slam government's flood defence planning
UK flood defence plans once again called into question, as Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee calls for clear targets and long-term budget for resilience
'Painfully slow': MPs deliver scathing review of government's environmental progress
MPs in Public Accounts Committee have urged government to 'move on from aspirational words' and start 'taking the hard decisions'
Defra steps up home flood insurance measures amid storm warnings and evacuations
Proposals aim to offer households discounted insurance premiums alongside additional funds to make their homes more resilient
'Step in the right direction': Government announces partial ban on peat burning, but campaigners call for wider action
Campaigners welcome new ban on burning on blanket bog sites, but calls grow for government to extend the scope of planned legislation to include more types of peat and crackdown on peat-based composts
Wildlife Trusts consider legal challenge against Defra authorisation of neonicotinoids
The Wildlife Trusts are exploring whether a 2018 decision from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides could enable a legal challenge
'Significant changes': Government publishes updated Waste Management Plan
New plan for England is updated to include fresh policy developments and reflect UK's 2050 net zero commitment
Poll: British public 'overwhelmingly' backs robust supply chain deforestation laws
WWF calls on government to set legally-binding target to eradicate both legal and illegal deforestation from UK supply chains
'Exasperating': Government delays Environment Bill, again
Environment Minister Pow argues delay to landmark legislation does not diminish government’s environmental ambition, but green groups have panned the move, claiming it is at odds with Ministers repeated promises to deliver a 'green Brexit’
Water companies pledge to share more information about sewage overflows
Government and water industry taskforce vows to establish a long-term goal to eliminate harm from discharges of sewage that occur during and after periods of heavy rainfall
'Shocking': Overfishing tips UK cod, herring, and crab stocks into 'critical state'
Audit by conservation group finds six out of 10 fish stocks in UK waters are being overfished or are already in a 'critical state'
From taxes to targets: How can the UK curb its offshore carbon emissions?
Major report makes the case for new carbon tax on imported goods and goods, as the Environment Secretary reveals the UK's climate targets could eventually cover carbon embodied in imported goods
WWF: Restored oceans could net UK a £50bn economic boost
Report argues ambitious Ocean Recovery Strategy could create 100,000 clean energy jobs, protect and restore carbon sinks, and allow fish stocks to recover
'Environmentally regressive': UK government approves use of bee-harming pesticide banned in EU
Decision to temporarily lift restrictions of neonicotinoid insecticide on sugar beet crops prompts outcry from public and conservation groups
Nature-based prescriptions: Green projects secure £5.77m to help boost mental wellbeing
Seven projects across England secure funding to test nature-based prescriptions designed to improve mental health and community well-being
Wet winter warning: Labour calls for flood preparedness taskforce
Opposition accuses government of 'letting down flood-hit communities yet again' as new analysis suggests flood recovery grants have not been fully distributed
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