The Environment Act 2021 introduced a stronger biodiversity duty. This means public authorities in England must consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
Our local actions support national goals to restore nature. Through the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan, the government has committed to improving the natural environment by:
- halting the decline in species
- promoting nature‑friendly farming on 70% of the countryside
- protecting 30% of land and 30% of sea by 2030
- increasing species abundance by at least 10%
- reduce risk of species extinction
- restoring half a million hectares of wildlife rich habitats and three-quarters of a million of our protected sites into favourable condition by 2042
Biodiversity duty report (1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025)