Nature loss: Watchdog highlights 'precarious state' of environment

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A report from an independent watchdog says it is very concerned about the environment in England.

According to the Office for Environmental Protection, existing laws are not slowing the damage to land, air and water.

The study says that protecting the environment should be the same priority as reaching net zero emissions.

Current laws will make a difference in nature's recovery this decade, according to the government.

The Office for Environmental Protection was set up to hold the government and other public bodies to account in England and Northern Ireland.

The first report of the government's track record paints a picture of environmental crises on land, in the air and in the seas.

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The state of England's inland rivers and waterways are one of the issues identified by the OEP. They face pollution from multiple sources.

While the government is praised for putting in place a 25-year environment plan, the OEP says that it has failed to halt the loss of species or the unsustainable use of resources.

The 25-year environment plan was an ambitious attempt to confront the challenges facing the environment, yet we continue to see worrying and persistent trends of environmental decline.

Our rivers are in a poor state, bird and other species numbers are in decline, and our air quality is not good.

The potential for tipping points, where long term, slow declines become irreversible, is even greater. The decline in fish stocks is one of the points identified by the OEP.

The government needs to take stock and set out an ambitious vision to tackle the problems, according to the report.

The OEP highlights six building blocks that it believes are needed to turn around environmental decline. A better understanding of environmental pressures and drivers, setting more effective targets, and having a coherent strategy and policy are included.

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Our argument is that with the resources that are already available to government, for protecting, restoring and enhancing the environment, a much better job could be done.

She said that if there is a persistent effort and real attention to prioritisation in relation to environmental matters, we will get a long way.

The new study acknowledges that the Environment Act gives us new tools to make a real difference to our environment, and that it is at the heart of government.

We are consulting on legally binding environmental targets which include a world-leading target to halt species decline by 2030. We have launched a consultation to deliver the largest programme in history to tackle storm sewage discharges and we have taken action to transform the way that we deal with waste.

The government will respond to the recommendations this summer.

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