The UK government has welcomed the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP’s) report ‘Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2023 to 2024’ published in January 2025 and “largely accepts” the OEP’s recommendations.

The OEP report provides a detailed assessment of government progress up to March 2024 and consideration of requirements for environmental improvement as part of its on role monitoring and reporting on progress towards goals in the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).

The UK government was commenting in its response to the OEP report – the response covers each of the 44 recommendations which have fed into the government’s work on revising the EIP to create a clearer, prioritised plan.

The 8 key recommendations are as follows, with the remaining 36 recommendations addressed under each corresponding Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) goal in turn.

OEP recommendation 1 - Get nature-friendly farming right

It is essential that the government strengthens engagement with farmers and landowners if it is to achieve Environment Act targets and many other environmental ambitions and commitments. The OEP’s analysis We has identifed limited capacity for reducing water pollution, supporting the government’s environmental priority of cleaning up rivers and lakes, without changes to how land is used, the current schemes and regulatory approach, and greater collaboration between delivery partners.

The government has partially accepted this recommendation – but says there are a wider range of levers available than identified in this recommendation. The levers include Environmental Land Management schemes as well as advice and guidance. There are also opportunities for improved regulation, greater emphasis on supply chains and peer to peer collaboration. The revised EIP will clarify Environment Act target delivery plans.

OEP recommendation 2 - Maximise the contribution of protected sites for nature

The OEP says the current framework is not working well enough and the government should enhance and enforce levels of legal protection. Further steps should be taken urgently to correct underinvestment in site designation and management including implementation of conservation measures; improving monitoring and strengthening overall governance and engagement with partners

The government has deferred a full response to this recommendation, saying it will be addressed through the UK government response to the OEP’s monitoring report on protected sites - Defra are expecting the OEP report later this year.

OEP recommendation 3 - Speed up action in the marine environment

The OEP says the government has not met its commitment to ban all damaging activities in Marine Protected Areas in 2024 and is calling for government to deliver the current steps to achieve targets and commitments more rapidly. Overdue Marine Protected Area byelaws urgently need to be put in place and the government should implement a new UK Marine Strategy that focuses action on those descriptors not yet at good environmental status.

The government partially accepts this recommendation, saying that Defra agree that action in the marine environment is key to environmental improvement and are making progress in this space.

OEP recommendation 4 - Set out clear mechanisms for reconciling competing demands for use of land and sea

The government needs to progress Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs), a Land Use Framework, and detailed catchment and marine spatial plans. In addition to recent changes to the National Planning Policy Framework concerning LNRSs, the government should also make the Green Infrastructure Framework and emerging LNRSs material considerations for local planning.

The government accepts and defers a full response to this recommendation.

The government says Defra is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to deliver much needed planning reforms to support the UK government’s Growth and Clean Energy missions.

The Land Use Framework will set out the evidence, data and tools needed to prioritise the most productive agricultural land and environmental opportunities.

OEP recommendation 5 - Develop a circular economy framework

The OEP says progress in this area has been too slow and the government should update the Resources and Waste Strategy to establish a framework for a circular economy. This includes the acceleration of a new UK policy and regulatory framework for chemicals.

The government accepts this recommendation. The former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed set this as one of Defra’s top 5 priorities. In November 2024, the former Secretary of State Steve Reed convened a Circular Economy Taskforce to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The government plans to publish proposals for consultation in the coming months.

OEP recommendation 6 - Mobilise investment at the scale needed

The government’s target of private investment for nature recovery is a key enabling step to close the finance gap, alongside continued and well targeted public investment. To achieve this the government needs to provide strong incentives, oversight and regulation, to create the market confidence to deliver rapid, substantial growth in investment, as well as the capability and capacity of the environmental sector to make the most of that investment.

In addition, local authorities are a key delivery partner, and they need support to build and maintain the capacity needed to mobilise investment. The government should improve transparency and accountability by publishing sectoral pathways that define the scale and direction of investment required to become nature positive and develop monitoring capability for tracking investment flows over time, from funding sources to desired outcomes.

The government partially accepts this recommendation - Defra agree that additional incentives are needed to mobilise private investment towards environmental targets. The government says Defra are already working to build the capacity of the environmental sector, and local authorities, through the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund and Local Investment in Natural Capital programme respectively. In addition, the government says it is building its monitoring capability for tracking investment flows and exploring innovative ways to generate resources for public investment..

OEP recommendation 7 - Regulate more effectively

Full implementation and enforcement of existing regulations would accelerate progress towards targets and commitments.To achieve this the government should ensure the availability of sufficient resources, build capacity and improve engagement of businesses and citizens as well as coordination of relevant authorities.

The government accepts this recommendation - Effective regulation is an important tool in delivering the ‘Plan for Change’, and the government believes that its ongoing actions are coherent and efficient.

OEP recommendation 8 - Harness the support needed to achieve ambitions

The government needs to provide clear leadership at the highest level to ensure cross-government delivery and wider stakeholder buy-in. Directly linking the EPPS to statutory targets and their delivery plans and the revised EIP can help secure cross-government delivery of environmental ambitions alongside the government’s other priorities. A revised EIP should be far more transparent and better communicated.

The government accepts and defers a full response to this recommendation

The UK government’s EIP revision will include a more streamlined and effective plan of action linking government actions and the role of key delivery organisations. The revised EIP will also seek to give clarity on the role of cross cutting enablers for environmental delivery.

OEP - government actions "need to speed up, scale up and catch up to get on track to achieving targets"

Commenting in response Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the OEP, said:

“We welcome the Government’s response and will take time to consider it as we finalise our next progress report, which will be out in mid-January (2026).

“The Government largely accepts our recommendations, and we note they have fed into the revised EIP, that we await with great interest.

“Government is currently off track to meet its environmental targets and commitments.

“Its actions need to speed up, scale up and catch up to get on track to achieving targets. Getting the revised EIP right is key to that.

“However, the review of the EIP has taken more than a year so far and there is much to do and little time to do it. The window of opportunity is closing fast.

“The revised EIP must show realistic and determined plans that stack up to actual delivery to make achieving these imperative targets and commitments a reality.”

Click here to download the government response to the OEP report Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2023 to 2024