Environmental Improvement Plan 2023.

The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 (EIP23 - the Plan) represents the first review (after five years) of the 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP). The 25YEP contains the framework and vision for a quarter-of-a century of action to help the natural world regain and retain good health, the EIP23 reinforces the intent of the 25YEP. The 10 Goals of the 25YEP have been used by EIP23 as basis to set out an integrated and outcome focused delivery plan which recognizes the interdependencies among the goals and combines them for the first time. Goal 1 (Thriving plants and wildlife - improving nature) is recognized by the EIP23 as the apex goal, which all the other goals will help to achieve, hence this chapter has been put first in the document and the other chapters have been re-ordered so they are grouped by how they will help to deliver the apex goal. The four areas under which falls the other Goals are: 1) Improving environmental quality; 2) Improving use of resources; 3) Improving mitigation of climate change; 4) Improving biosecurity.
The 1st Goal and apex goal under the EIP23 is improving nature defined as "halting the decline in biodiversity to achieve thriving plants and wildlife". The delivery plan for this Goal focuses on 8 important areas: 1) Creating more joined up space for nature on land – protecting land and increasing interconnections to boost natural resilience; 2) Restoring protected sites on land – tackling increasing pressures on most valuable sites and building their long-term resilience; 3) Managing woodlands for biodiversity, climate and sustainable forestry – delivering co-benefits for nature and climate; 4) Enhancing nature in marine and coastal environments – taking a holistic approach to coastal and marine protection; 5) Taking targeted actions to restore and manage species – such as tailored conservation strategies and habitat creation; 6) Mobilizing green finance and the private sector – drawing on the increasing interest in investing in nature; 7) Taking action to restore global environment – supporting other countries to take the action; 8) Unlocking private and public financial finance flows – ensuring that new sources of finance arise for nature. The key policies that will deliver the apex biodiversity goal include: promote Biodiversity Net Gain, and make sure developments leave habitats in a better state for wildlife than before; create, restore and extend areas for wildlife including through new National Nature Reserves and the next round of Landscape Recovery; support land owners and farmers to adopt nature friendly farming; launch the Species Survival Fund to create, enhance and restore habitats; invest our Official Development Assistance in solutions that protect and restore global nature; support Marine Protected Areas to be in a favorable or recovering condition; Create Highly Protected Marine Areas to allow sites to fully recover; map wetlands and the future actions to protect these habitats r goals will help us to achieve it.
To achieve Goal 2 (Clean Air) the delivery Plan focuses on these four sectors: 1) Reducing emissions in the home by managing domestic burning, which is the biggest source of emissions of fine particulate matter; 2) Driving effective local action through local authorities; 3) Maintaining and improving our regulatory framework for industrial emissions, which have already reduced significantly; 4) Supporting farmers to reduce the impact of ammonia emissions from agriculture on air quality; 5) Reducing emissions from cars and other forms of transport. To deliver Goal 3 (Clean and plentiful water) targets actions are taken across a number of areas: 1) Improving wastewater infrastructure and water company environmental performance; 2) Reducing pressures on the water environment from agriculture; 3) Enabling the sustainable use of water for people, business and the environment; 4) Tackling pressures from chemicals and other pollutants; 5) Restoring natural function and iconic water landscapes; 6 Joined-up’ management of the water system. The focus for driving progress towards Goal 4 (Managing exposure to chemical and pesticides) is spread across three areas: 1) Ensuring chemicals are safely used and managed; 2) Minimizing the risks and impacts of pesticides; 3 Harnessing UK expertise internationally to improve global chemicals management. To deliver against Goal 5 (Maximize resources, minimize waste) and targets, the actions are organized under the following areas: 1) Delivering our collection and packaging reforms; 2) Enabling people to take the right action; 3) Reducing our use of materials. Continuing to drive progress towards Goal 6 (Using resources from nature sustainably) will require concerted action across a range of sectors: 1) Shifting to more sustainable supply chains; 2 Maintaining a sustainable and long-term supply of timber and wood products; 3) Managing fisheries more sustainably; 4) Improving and protecting soil health;5 Supporting a prosperous, healthy and nature positive food system. Goal 7 ( Mitigating and adapting to climate change) delivery plan aims to : 1)Reaching net zero domestically; 2) Building resilience by adapting to climate change; 3) Leading action internationally to tackle climate change. Goal 8 (Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards) includes actions: 1) Upgrading and expanding our national flood defences and infrastructure; 2) Using nature to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk; 3) Managing the flood risk from surface water; 4) Better preparing our communities; 5) Supporting sharing best practice and innovative approaches at a local level; 6) Building resilience to increasing wildfire risk; 7) Reducing risks from heat. Goal 9 (Enhancing biosecurity)envisages the following measures: 1) tackling invasive non-native species; 2) Protecting and enhancing animal and plant health. Goal 10 (Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment) actions include: 1) Improve access to nature; 2) Protect our landscapes and their heritage; 3) Nature for wellbeing; 4) Connecting children and nature.