Legally binding targets for air quality and waste

The government has set out how it will underpin key environmental commitments with legally binding targets, including for air quality, water, waste and biodiversity.

Under its landmark Environment Bill, the government will introduce at least one long-term target in four priority areas to drive significant and lasting environmental improvements: cleaner air, cleaner water, less waste and more biodiversity. This is all to ensure that this government, and any future governments, continue to deliver a truly green recovery and pursue the Prime Minister’s commitment to ‘build back greener’.

Defra says that further priority areas and targets can be introduced at a later date, informed by the latest scientific evidence.

For air quality, the proposed objective is to support action to improve air quality across the country by exploring targets focusing specifically on reducing public exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the air pollutant that has the most significant impact on our health.

Potential targets for resource efficiency and waste reduction will look to increase resource productivity and reduce the volume of residual waste and plastic pollution we generate, whilst the government will explore targets to restore and create wildlife-rich habitats in our protected sites on land, in freshwaters and at sea to improve biodiversity.

To improve water, ministers will also look to set targets to tackle pollution from agriculture and waste water to improve water quality, as well as a target on water demand to reduce the volume that is abstracted.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “The targets we set under our landmark Environment Bill will be the driving force behind our bold action to protect and enhance our natural world - guaranteeing real and lasting progress on some of the biggest environmental issues facing us today. I hope these targets will provide some much-needed certainty to businesses and society, as we work together to build back better and greener.”

The Environment Bill will resume its passage through Parliament ‘as soon as possible’.