Spring Update

by Hugo Field

Policy consultations

The LI responded to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) review of energy National Policy Statements, in which, the government presented its policy for the delivery of energy infrastructure and provided the legal framework for planning decisions. We supported the review of the energy National Policy Statements (NPS) and welcomed many of the changes to the policy. Consulting with members allowed us to provide a holistic response, in which we reviewed the various relevant NPSs and set out potential areas for additions and amendments.

In terms of actions to combat the decline of nature and biodiversity, the government released a consultation on its new Local Nature Recovery Strategies. The LI responded to Defra’s consultation on the Local Nature Recovery Strategies – an England-wide system of spatial strategies that will establish priorities and map proposals to drive nature’s recovery and provide wider environmental benefits.

Policy and political announcements

In mid-October, the LI issued a response to the government’s new Net-Zero strategy, which outlines how it intends to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the UK by 2050. The strategy had some promising funding for the landscape sector, such as an extra £124 million to the Nature for Climate Fund. However, the strategy lacks detailed policies for green infrastructure investment in nature-based solutions and green infrastructure.

Towards the end of November, just a few days before COP26, the government released their latest budget. In a briefing in which we reacted to the new budget, it was asserted that the government had failed to deliver appropriate funding and investment in the right areas to tackle the climate change and biodiversity crisis. A broad issue with the budget was the over-focus on technological solutions to climate change, in lieu of nature-based solutions.

As set out above, the LI has addressed the Environment Act, which was given royal assent on the 10th of November. This is an incredibly significant piece of legislation for our members, as it is an overhaul and replacement for EU environment frameworks. The LI has worked with partners to ensure the Act is the best it can be, pushing for amendments, and after its Royal Assent, explaining the effects to our membership.

Partner working

With such urgent action needed to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency, collaboration on policy is more important than ever. The LI has worked closely with partner organisations at the Environmental Policy Forum (EPF) to deliver a response to the Local Nature Recovery Strategies. The LI also contributed to various partner reports, such as supporting the Construction Industry Council’s Climate workstreams. We have also worked hard to reach out to new audiences, publishing an article in the Government Business Magazine on the role of parks and green spaces in the levelling-up agenda.

In the past few months, the LI has kickstarted policy work in two key areas, holding the meetings of two newly formed policy panels: the BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) and Embodied Carbon advisory groups.

This brief overview highlights just some of the work the policy team at the LI has been delivering. To learn more, please visit the policy section of the LI website or email: policy@landscapeinstitute.org.