What next for the Environment Act? Delivering nature restoration in the UK

Chair

• Nick Molho, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group

Panel

• Pip Goodwin, Senior Policy Officer, External Affairs, RSPB
• Jon Khoo, Head of Sustainability, Interface
• Josh Apperley, Senior Consultant, Buro Happold
• Guy Thompson, Group Director, Environmental Futures, Wessex Water
• Matthew Ryan, Regeneration Lead, Nestle UK&I

The UK is set to produce its first Environmental Improvement Plan and finalise the first set of  targets under the Environment Act this year. These milestones will have a key role to play in setting the direction and level of ambition of environmental policy for many years to come.

This represents a significant opportunity to set an ambitious benchmark globally and start to deliver the environmental restoration that the UK needs to see.

It comes at a crucial moment with, last year’s Biodiversity Intactness Index finding that the UK is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world, sitting in the bottom 10 per cent globally. Now is the time for action.

As a new Prime Minister begins in post and nations prepare for the CBD COP15 biodiversity summit an ambitious set of targets and a clear delivery plan could set the tone for future policy, drive business investment in nature and deliver credible leadership on the world stage.