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Introduction

This year鈥檚 Environment Improvement Act (EIP) Annual Progress Report is the final one in the series that reports on action taken to deliver the under the previous government. In this plan 10 goals were set out, with Thriving Plants and Wildlife the apex goal into which all other goals feed in to.

Later in 2025 we will publish a revision of the EIP (EIP25) to protect and restore our natural environment. EIP25 will include delivery information to set out how we will meet the ambitious Environment Act targets. The government鈥檚 number one mission is to kickstart economic growth. We know that the natural resources that underpin our economy are finite and under increasing pressure. The natural environment is amongst our most valuable national assets. EIP25 will set out the approach to improving the natural environment we need to take to grow our economy, build 1.5 million homes, boost food security and meet our environment and climate targets with nature as the enabler, driver and protector of growth.

Improving on EIP23, EIP25 will be a clearer, prioritised plan for achieving environmental outcomes such as reducing waste across the economy, planting more trees, improving air quality and halting the decline in species.

Our revised EIP will be a document that guides action and decision听making, with achievable delivery plans for restoring nature and improving the natural environment, underpinned by world-leading environmental science and consultation with experts. The EIP25 will include a clearer monitoring and evaluation framework through which we will assess progress and interim target delivery.

As part of EIP25, we are committed to strengthening our annual reporting on progress and changes to the condition of the natural environment using the monitoring and evaluation framework. In next year鈥檚 annual progress report, we will report on progress made under EIP25.

Overview

In 2023 the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23) was published, in accordance with the Environment Act 2021, as a revision of the 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP) published in 2018. This annual progress report covers April 2024 to March 2025.

EIP23 is set out in 10 goals. Each goal has specific targets and commitments described in the EIP23 that contribute to the goal outcome, including the legally binding targets set under the Environment Act 2021. The annual progress report is set out under these goals. This report provides a selection of key achievement updates related to each EIP23 goal. The 10 goals are:

1. Thriving plants and wildlife

2. Clean air

3. Clean and plentiful water

4. Managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides

5. Maximise our resources, minimise our waste

6. Using resources from nature sustainably

7. Mitigating and adapting to climate change

8. Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards

9. Enhancing biosecurity

10. Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment

Further information on progress towards the targets can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex, which forms part of the annual progress report.

Apex Goal: Thriving plants and wildlife

There are 6 legally binding Environment Act targets, and 5 interim targets associated with the apex goal of 鈥榯hriving plants and wildlife鈥�. More information on these can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Goal 1: Thriving plants and wildlife

Achieving thriving plants and wildlife is the apex goal of the EIP23. Achieving all the other EIP23 goals will support achieving the thriving plants and wildlife goal.

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by the annual progress report for 2024 (APR24), the following additional progress has been delivered.

Habitats and species

• In May 2024, the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 introduced management rules into domestic legislation to protect hedgerows on land used for agriculture in England.
• Between April 2024 and March 2025 Natural England declared a further 4 new National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and significantly extended another.
• In October 2024, we confirmed our on land in England and published the criteria for areas which can count towards this target.
• The government allocated 拢13 million to Protected Site Strategies to create and implement restoration plans for priority sites where nature recovery can also contribute to the government growth mission in 2025 to 2026.
• Between Oct 2024 and April 2025, we ran 2 phases of 30by30 pilots with a small number of partners, to inform the ongoing development of 30by30 guidance and assessment and reporting processes, which are both crucial for enabling 30by30 rollout.
• Between April 2024 and March 2025 Natural England declared 4 new National Nature Reserves and extended another by more than 7 times its original size. Combined, these 鈥楰ing鈥檚 Series鈥� declarations increased the area of National Nature Reserves by almost 5.5%, to over 115,000 hectares.

Green finance

• The Defra-sponsored BSI Nature Investment Standards Programme published a new Biodiversity Standard (BSI Flex 702) for consultation.
• We have commenced work on new urban nature markets, starting with an urban greening code which is linked to the British Standards Institution (BSI) - BSI Flex. An announcement is expected shortly on the successful grantees who collectively will receive 拢15 million capacity and capability grant funding.
• In 2024 to 2025, the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund demonstrated strong results. 86 projects have been supported in England across rounds 1 and 2, and of these, 17 projects have secured additional investment up to 拢2.5 million, and 4 projects generated over 拢2.9 million in environmental unit sales. The third funding round launched in June 2024, bringing total supported projects to 127.

Land use

• In April 2024, biodiversity net gain (BNG) became mandatory for small sites (unless exempt) following its introduction for larger sites 2 months prior to that. To note that recently in May 2025 the government launched a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development, as well as a consultation on how BNG will apply to nationally significant infrastructure projects from May 2026.
• Between April 2024 and March 2025, 2 Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) were published, and a further 13 had begun or completed the required public consultation on their draft strategy. The remaining 33 were either preparing to consult or at an earlier stage of the preparation process.
• In February 2025, government published updated Planning Practice Guidance to explain how planning authorities should consider LNRSs.
• In March 2025 the Planning and Infrastructure Bill was introduced into Parliament. Nature Restoration Fund measures in the Bill will unlock the positive impact development can have in driving the recovery of protected sites and species.
• The Planning and Infrastructure Bill also proposes that Spatial Development Strategies will have to take account of LNRSs and that Natural England will have to have regard to LNRSs when preparing Environmental Delivery Plans.
• In October 2024, we launched the Nature Towns and Cities programme. This coalition is working together to deliver greener, fairer, healthier and more connected towns, cities and neighbourhoods. This will enable millions more people to enjoy nature close to home. The goal of this programme is to ensure at least 30% of green and blue space network contributes to nature鈥檚 recovery.
• The Green Infrastructure (GI) Framework has been live for one year. Natural England has worked proactively with over 60 local authorities to embed GI standards within local plans and policies, which results in a nature positive approach to development and growing the economy.

Farming

• The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme (FiPL) was originally set to run until the end of March 2024. In recognition of the positive feedback and outcomes delivered by FiPL, we extended the programme until March 2026 and increased the overall funding to 拢130 million. The programme will continue to help Protected Landscapes teams work with farmers and land managers to deliver more for climate, nature, people and places.
• The expanded sustainable farming incentive offer (SFI24) launched in May 2024, including 102 actions covering all farm types in England. This includes actions on soil health, moorland, hedgerows, integrated pest management, farmland wildlife, buffer strips, agroforestry, precision farming, and grassland.
• In March 2025, with 37,000 live multi-year SFI agreements and the sustainable farming budget successfully allocated, the scheme was closed to new applications.
• We have a record number of farmers in Environmental Land Management agreements, and continue to refine and improve the offer.

Trees and woodlands

• Government supported the planting of 5,765 ha of woodland and 888,000 trees outside woodland in England between April 2024 and March 2025, equivalent to a total of 7,164 ha of tree canopy and woodland cover or 10.4 million trees.
• In July 2024, the Forest for Cornwall announced it had reached a major milestone of planting one million trees since it was created in January 2019.
• In November 2024, a Defra-commissioned review was published which analysed how provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) relating to ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees were applied in practice.
• In late November and early December 2024, the government celebrated National Tree Week with activities including publication of the Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems.
• As part of this, the government also launched a UK-wide Tree Planting Taskforce, which brought ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland together, alongside key delivery partners and arm鈥檚-length bodies, to work to resolve barriers to tree planting, boost biodiversity and grow the UK鈥檚 forestry sector to help meet net zero targets.
• In March 2025, the new Western Forest was announced, the first new national forest in over 30 years.
• The Western Forest will see 20 million trees planted across the west of England by 2050 and the creation of 2,500 hectares of new woodland by 2030. This is the first step towards delivering the government鈥檚 manifesto commitment to create 3 new national forests.

Global environment

• In April 2024, the government funded the first project under Darwin Plus Strategic. This is a new grant scheme designed to fund larger-scale, longer-term conservation projects in and between the UK Overseas Territories.
• At the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity the UK co-chaired the negotiations of the new multilateral benefit sharing mechanism, facilitating the launch of the Cali Fund. This global fund provides a route for companies using genetic information from nature to contribute finance for biodiversity.听 A strategy for raising finance from all sources for delivery of the Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed.
• The independent International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (co-sponsored by UK and French Governments) also launched a Framework for high integrity biodiversity credit markets, bringing together High-Level Principles, market actor guidance and pilot projects to help accelerate investment in nature.

Defra has continued to deliver its Official Development Assistance (ODA) portfolio which is focused on tackling nature loss, climate change and poverty reduction in developing countries. In 2024 to 2025 this has included continued implementation of the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, continued delivery of the Darwin Initiative and Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund which conserve biodiversity and safeguard the environment for local people. This is alongside delivery of the Blue Planet Fund, including the marine challenge fund OCEAN which works to build resilience for coastal people and communities.

Alongside this we are continuing support to address critical research gaps through the Global Centre for Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC). GCBC has funded 18 new projects this year and launched a third grant competition focusing on 2 themes: biodiversity in agriculture, food and bioeconomy value chains and biodiversity hotspots in Small Island Developing States. 听听

Examples of official development assistance programme impact reported in 2024 to 2025 include:听听

• 拢15.9 million of public and 拢8 million of private finance leveraged for climate and nature respectively, around 19,000 people with improved resilience to climate change, and 1,600 hectares under ecological management through Defra鈥檚 investment in the Global Fund for Coral Reefs since 2021.
• Around 570,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emission reduce or avoided, over 6,000 hectares of ecosystem loss avoided, over 46,000 hectares of land under ecological management, around 17,000 people with sustainable livelihoods created or protected, and over 8,000 people with improved tenure or access rights through Defra鈥檚 support to Rural Sustentavel in Brazil since 2021.
• Over 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions avoided or reduced, 拢59.5 million and 拢38.6 million of public and private investment leveraged for climate and nature respectively, around 100,000 hectares of land under ecological management, and over 80,000 people with sustainable livelihood created or protected through Defra鈥檚 investment in the Eco Business Fund and Land Degradation Neutrality Fund since 2017.

Marine

• In March 2025, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) launched a consultation on proposals for a byelaw to prohibit anchoring in the Allonby Bay Highly Protected Marine Area.
• In March 2025, Defra鈥檚 拢37 million marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme completed. Over 3 years, the programme delivered natural capital evidence, tools and guidance to inform policy and decision making for marine and coastal environments. mNCEA evidence and approaches will help us to factor the wider (environmental, economic and social) value of nature into decision making, so we can manage our natural resources in a way that drive benefits for both people and nature.
• In 2024 to 2025, Defra and Innovate UK invested 拢1.3 million into small and medium-sized enterprises to develop complete end-to-end marine monitoring systems. This was part of a 拢2.1 million competition to improve the way we monitor marine biodiversity in UK waters.
• At the end of 2024 the 5 year, 拢2.5 million EU Life Recreation ReMEDIES project led by Natural England was delivered. This project sought to improve the protection of seagrass beds across 5 marine protected areas in Southern England through improved management of recreational activities such as boating and associated anchoring damage.

Improving environmental quality

A healthy environment is essential to restore nature. The following EIP23 goals are critical to improve the quality of our environment:

• Goal 2: Clean air
• Goal 3: Clean and plentiful water
• Goal 4: Managing exposure to chemicals

There are 6 legally binding Environment Act targets and 9 interim targets in the 鈥榠mproving environmental quality鈥� theme. More information can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Goal 2: Clean air

For this goal, the state of the environment is improving with levels of most air pollutants decreasing over the most recent 5-year period of available data. Progress has been made towards the Environment Act 2021 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) targets and there has been good progress towards meeting the National Emissions Ceilings Regulations 2018 for 4 out of 5 air pollutants.

However, significant efforts are still needed to address emissions of ammonia, which impacts ecosystems and biodiversity (Goal 1) and contributes towards PM2.5, as well as concentrations of ground-level ozone, which have been rising. Progress is being made to deliver compliance with the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide (see the indicator from the Outcome Indicator Framework (OIF)): ). Through the NO2 programme we are working to deliver compliance in areas with remaining exceedances of the limit value.

Current measurement data suggest better than expected progress against the Environment Act PM2.5 interim targets. Evidence suggests emissions reductions in UK and across Europe have contributed to these reductions. Many factors that influence PM2.5, such as weather, transboundary movement of PM2.5 from overseas alongside UK emissions may have both positive and negative impacts on PM2.5 in the future, meaning further action is needed to secure progress made and meet the long-term targets.

As well as the Environment Act 2021 legally binding and interim targets, the 鈥榗lean air鈥� goal acknowledges 5 emission reduction targets, set in the National Emissions Ceilings Regulations 2018 (which are applicable to the whole UK). The legal emission reduction targets for damaging pollutants by 2030 relative to 2005 levels are to reduce emissions of:

• nitrogen oxides by 73%
• sulphur dioxide by 88%
• PM2.5 by 46%
• ammonia by 16%
• non-methane volatile organic compounds by 39%

We also have legal concentration limits for several other key pollutants under the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010. We already meet the majority of these limits and are working towards meeting compliance with the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide (40 micrograms per cubic metre).

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by the annual progress report in 2024, the following additional progress has been delivered:

• We are continuing to work with English local authorities as part of the NO2 programme, to meet NO2 concentration limits. Defra in partnership with Department for Transport (DfT) has provided 拢1.45 million in financial year April 2024 to April 202524/25, to help local authorities to develop and implement measures to address their NO2 exceedances in the shortest possible time and improve the health of their residents.
• On 23rd January 2025, Greater Manchester鈥檚 clean air plan was announced. This investment-led package included funding for bus investment (including zero emission buses and charging infrastructure), local traffic measurement measures and support for moving the city鈥檚 taxi fleet to cleaner vehicles.听The announcement ruled out a charging Clean Air Zone in Greater Manchester and instead, a fleet of new buses and traffic management measures will improve air quality in the region. While local authorities in other areas have found that a Clean Air Zone is the best route to cutting nitrogen dioxide pollution, Greater Manchester provided evidence they can achieve compliance with legal limits faster without charging.听
• Through Phase 2 of the Air Quality Competition managed by Innovate UK and ended in March 2025, six companies were funded to develop their ideas from concept to prototype and develop new ways to reduce emissions of ammonia, and emissions of fine particles from domestic burning.
• In April 2024, in response to Government proposals for regulation to reduce ammonia emissions from urea fertilisers, an industry-led scheme to reduce ammonia emissions was implemented through standards and FACTS-trained farm advisors.
• Average ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations are observed to be falling in most local authority Local Plan areas. Where clean air zones (CAZ) have been in place for over 12 months, levels appear to be falling faster and across a wider area. Some residents within CAZ areas have noticed health improvements due to improved air quality.
• In March 2025, the government published its review of the Air Quality Information System, making a series of recommendations aimed at informing the public about the link between poor air quality and ill health.
• The UK supported the World Health Organisation (WHO) pledge to take actions towards a voluntary 50% reduction in the health impacts of air pollution by 2040 at the 2nd Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in March.
• In August 2024, the was relaunched, a key resource for local authorities, which now features improved navigation and updated content based on feedback from authorities and government departments.
• In October 2024, the launched the first public version of the new web service providing air quality information for citizens. The service continues to improve functionality and expand features.
• The was published by Defra on the in October 2024 and outlines the considerations for incorporating the Environment Act PM2.5 targets into individual planning decisions.
• 35 new PM2.5 monitoring sites were delivered in 24/25 taking us to a total of 126 as part of the Air Quality monitoring expansion programme.
• Technical reviews of four sectors were completed under the UK BAT (Best Available Techniques) system, which provides a coherent and predictable regulatory framework for reducing emissions to air, water and land.听These sectors were Ferrous Metals Processing Forming, Ferrous Metals Processing Galvanising, Waste Gas Treatment in the Chemicals sector and Textiles.听 These will be considered for adoption by Ministers. Regulators initiated technical reviews of five sectors: Slaughterhouses and Animal By-Products, Foundries, Ceramics, Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals and Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics.

Goal 3: Clean and plentiful water

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• In February, the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 received Royal Assent. The Act strengthens the powers of the water industry regulators, giving them the most significant increase in enforcement powers in a decade, and will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry.
• Since APR 2024, the Water and Abandoned Metal Mines Programme has constructed one new mine water treatment scheme which is now in operation, and three new diffuse interventions. We now have two mine water treatment schemes and 14 diffuse interventions in total contributing towards the interim target and the long-term Environment Act statutory target.
• In December 2024, Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. This will deliver substantial and enduring improvements for customers and the environment through a 拢104 billion upgrade for the water sector. This increased revenue will fund improvements to storm overflows and wastewater treatment works, secure water supply and manage demand, replace water mains pipes and installation of 10 million smart meters. It is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to the second largest private sector investment programme in this parliament.
• Water companies published their statutory Water Resources Management Plans, informed by collaborative Regional Water Resources Groups. The plans set out how the water companies will provide secure water supplies, sustainably for at least the next 25 years. They show how the gap of 5 billion litres of water per day by 2050 will be filled and include the development of 9 new reservoirs, multiple new water transfer schemes to share resources as well as showing how the companies will meet our water demand target.
• In financial year April 2024 to March 2025, we increased funding to the Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF) by 拢11.5 million, funding 180 local projects led by Catchment Partnerships across England.
• The Water Restoration fund is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties accumulated from April 2022 until October 2023 to improve the water environment. Up to 拢11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support water restoration projects, which will commence over financial year 2025 to 2026.
• As of 31 March 2025, there are now over 70,000 live agreements across agri-environment schemes (AES). AES pay farmers for the delivery of environmental benefits, including water quality improvements.
• The expanded SFI offer (SFI24) was launched in May 2024 and included 102 actions covering all farm types in England. Many of the additional actions directly contribute to water quality.
• The Environment Agency works with farmers through advice-led enforcement to improve compliance. Between 2024-2025, the Environment Agency conducted over 4,500 inspections. These inspections are targeted to areas of the greatest risk, including the catchments of protected sites.听These figures are broadly in line with those from the previous year.
• To address uncertainty around the application of the Farming Rules for Water, the Environment Agency issued statutory guidance in 2022. Defra began a review with industry in November 2024 to ensure the approach aligns with government priorities and supports the Rules鈥� objectives. The review will assess options, evaluate their impact, and recommend next steps. Findings will be published as soon as possible.
• Between January 2023 and September 2024, the Environment Agency and Natural England have developed and agreed Diffuse Water Pollution Plans (DWPPs) (in accordance with a Judicial Review Consent Order) for Yare Broads & Marshes, Ant Broads & Marshes, Trinity Broads, River Axe, Oak Mere, Dorset Heaths, Marazion Marsh and the River Kent.
• On 1 September 2024 Section 79 of the Environment Act 2021 came into force; it is now a statutory obligation for water and sewerage companies in England to prepare, publish and maintain a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP), referred to in legislation as a Drainage and Sewerage Management Plan. On 1 March 2025 the same duties came into force for water and sewerage companies in Wales.

Goal 4: Managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• In March 2025, The UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) was published. It promotes the sustainable use of pesticides to minimise impacts on the environment and human health, while supporting food security and managing pests and pesticide resistance effectively.
• The NAP introduces a domestic reduction target for pesticides in the UK, to reduce the potential pressure on the environment from pesticides by reducing each of 20 Pesticide Load Indicator metrics by at least 10% by 2030 (measured against a 2018 baseline). The actions in the NAP set out how this will be achieved, while supporting food production.
• In Summer 2024 we launched 4 new paid actions on precision application, including robotic weeding and camera or remote sensor guided herbicide spraying as part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) to minimise use of pesticides. This built on actions already available for Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
• An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidance page was launched on 51茶馆 in November 2024 to provide clear and practical information to support increased use of IPM approaches.
• On 25 July 2024, a consultation on an Alternative Transitional Registration model for the UK regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (UK REACH) and further improvements to UK REACH was completed.
• The consultation aims to significantly reduce the costs to industry of transitioning to UK REACH while preserving a high level of protection for human health and the environment from chemical risks.
• The Environment Agency continued targeted risk-based compliance activity to increase the destruction of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). This included work with Local Authorities (LAs) to ensure Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating (WUDS), such as sofas, were collected separately, treated (by shredding) and destroyed at municipal waste incinerators rather than sent to landfill.
• The Environment Agency supported holders of equipment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), such as equipment used in energy infrastructure, to identify, register, and remove this equipment from use by the end of 2025. This has led to a reduction of contaminated equipment by over 63% from 2016 to September 2024.
• The Environmental Pollution Programme has delivered projects to help countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia deliver low cost and financially sustainable solutions to tackle pollution challenges, improving health outcomes and reducing environmental harm.
• For example, in Vietnam, by demonstrating alternatives to open burning and adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices the programme has delivered several benefits to communities, including increased farmer incomes, higher crop yields and reduced use of hazardous pesticides. The programme has trained over 6000 farmers in techniques which have reduced pesticide use by up to 70%.
• The UK played a role in the development and adoption of the new UN Global Framework on Chemicals. Progress has been made in establishing an intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel for Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Prevention (SPP).

Improving our use of resources

To implement the Environmental Improvement Plan, the following goals will improve use of resources:

• Goal 5: Maximising resources, minimising waste
• Goal 6: Using resources from nature sustainably

There is 1 legally binding Environment Act target and 8 interim targets that contribute to the Improving the use of our resources theme. More information can be found in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Goal 5: Maximising resources, minimising waste

The resources that our livelihoods depend on are finite, but we use them as if they are not. Indeed, if everyone in the world lived as we do in the UK, the planet would need to produce nearly double what it can currently produce each year just to sustain our consumption. This cannot continue if we want to continue growing, innovating, and improving our day to day lives.

This government is committed to moving to a circular economy 鈥� a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives.

The circular economy is a system that aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability. A circular economy takes a whole lifecycle approach to eliminate unnecessary and problematic products and materials, maintaining a circular flow of resources, by regenerating, retaining or adding to their value, and contributing to sustainable development.

Through sharing, repairing, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling, this model creates a closed-loop system that minimises the amount of resources used. It also reduces the creation of waste, and associated pollution and carbon emissions.

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• We announced significant updates progressing the Collection and Packaging reforms which aim to simplify household recycling and reform in the waste system to boost recycling rates and protect the environment.
• This includes delivering Simpler Recycling in England, which will ensure the same recyclable waste streams are collected for recycling from all households and businesses, was introduced for workplaces with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees from 31 March 2025. It will be introduced for households from 31 March 2026, and for workplaces with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees from 31 March 2027.
• The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 came into force on the 1 January 2025. These regulations change how household waste collections are funded by employing the polluter pay principle to make organisations that place packaged products on the market responsible for the costs of managing this packaging once it is discarded by consumers. In doing so they will incentivise move to towards more sustainable (e.g. reusable or recyclable) packaging.
• In Spring 2025, the Deposit Management Organisation for the Deposit Return Scheme was appointed. The Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers will launch in October 2027.
• In November 2024, we convened the Circular Economy Taskforce, an independent expert advisory group established to support the government in creating a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Circular Economy Strategy for England will be published in Autumn 2025. The Strategy will be supported by a series of sector-based roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government will make on a sector-by-sector basis. Roadmaps for six initial sectors (Agrifood, Built Environment, Chemicals and Plastics, Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Textiles and Transport) will be published alongside the strategy in Autumn 2025. Further roadmaps will be published in 2026.
• We have made legislation banning the supply and sale of disposable vapes in England. By reducing the number of vapes in residual waste streams and being littered, this legislation will rapidly reduce environmental harm caused by incorrect disposal of disposable vapes.
• Having supported councils in England with 拢261.66 million in capital funding in early 2024, we followed that with resource funding of up to 拢56.2 million to introduce weekly food waste collections by 31 March 2026.
• We announced figures which show that by 2024 plastic bag use has fallen by more than 98% in the main 7 retailers (Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury鈥檚, Tesco, The Co-operative Group and Waitrose) since the single use carrier bag charge was introduced in 2015.
• In April 2024, we announced a UK-wide ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. This will be enforced after an 18-month transition period to allow businesses time to adapt.

Goal 6: Using resources from nature sustainably

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• New Sustainable Farming Incentive actions for soils (no-till farming and multi-species spring-sown cover crops) were announced. These focus on improving soil health, structure, organic matter and biology.
• Since April 2024, 82 research projects, involving 203 organisations, have begun within the Farming Innovation Programme. These projects are developing new technologies and practices to improve long-term productivity and sustainability for English farmers. Defra has committed 拢43.7 million towards total project costs of 拢60.2 million.
• Launched a themed competition under the Farming Innovation Programme, with 拢15 million of funding available, for businesses and researchers to work on longer-term innovation in nutrient management.
• In April 2024, the Forestry Commission published the annual 鈥楾ree Supply Report鈥� which showed that during the 2023 to 2024 season the overall production of saplings for woodland and forestry planting were 160.1 million saplings, around 8 million higher than for the 2022 to 2023 season, largely reflecting the added capacity of new entrant nurseries.
• In July 2024, a third funding round of the Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund (FATF) was launched, enabling individuals to diversify their forestry skills. The fund was also expanded to include silviculture training.
• In September 2024, the Forestry Commission published new online resources to showcase forestry careers and provide guidance on forestry career paths as part of the launch of the 鈥榊our Career in Forestry鈥� campaign.
• In February 2025, the Timber in Construction roadmap 2025 was launched as part of government plans to boost the domestic timber industry, economic growth, rural jobs and housebuilding targets. In February 2025, the Professional Forester Apprenticeship programme re-opened to support the government鈥檚 objective of boosting forestry careers.
• In March 2025, the Forestry Commission launched the 鈥楾rees to Timber鈥� campaign, focusing on the benefits of planting and managing woodlands for timber production for carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity and income generation.

Improving our mitigation of and adaptation to climate change

The 鈥榠mproving our mitigation of and adaptation to climate change鈥� theme includes:

• Goal 7: Mitigating and adapting to climate change
• Goal 8: Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards

The goal to mitigate and adapt to climate change includes the following commitments:

• Under the Climate Change Act, a UK-wide legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050, including carbon budgets 4, 5, and 6 from 2023 to 2037; and the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution
• to produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment to identify climate risks, followed by a National Adaptation Programme to address those risks every 5 years. The next Climate Change Risk Assessment will be published in 2027, and the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.
• in accordance with the Montreal Protocol, the UK has phased out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, except for very minor exempted uses
• under the Kigali amendment to the Montreal protocol, the UK has an obligation to phasing down hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) production and consumption by 85% by 2036
• under the Paris Agreement, the UK is committed to pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

The goal to reduce risk of harm from environmental hazards includes the following commitments:

• to invest in flood and coastal defence projects to better protect more properties
• by the end of 2025 we will publish an updated approach to flood and coastal erosion risk management partnership funding which will strengthen the delivery of nature-based solutions
• to maintain at least 94% of major flood and coastal erosion risk management assets fit for their designed purpose, through to March 2025. The long-term aim is for this to reach 98%

Goal 7: Mitigating and adapting to climate change

The aim of this goal is to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change to ensure a climate resilient nation.

Actions under this goal support:

• transitioning to net zero
• balancing demands on our land
• designing policies to be prepared for a changing climate
• delivering and improving on commitments in the 3rd National Adaptation Programme (NAP3)
• using nature-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is the lead department for net zero, with Defra sectors playing an important role in emissions reductions. Defra is the lead department for domestic climate adaptation. Responsible for coordinating action by across multiple government departments to address a wide range of climate risks as well as leading adaptation and management of climate risks owned within Defra.

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

Mitigation听

• Climate mitigation has been put at the heart of the government agenda. 鈥楢ccelerating to net zero across the economy鈥� is one of the 2 central pillars of the 鈥楳ake Britain a Clean Energy Superpower鈥� Misson. Net zero is also one the 7 pillars of the government鈥檚 Growth Mission.
• We continue to work towards the delivery of Defra鈥檚 contribution to carbon budgets and net zero.
• From May to August 2024, DESNZ launched a consultation regarding Integrating Greenhouse Gas Removals into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. This consultation considered inclusion of the Woodland Carbon Code as a nature-based greenhouse gas removal. The government response to the consultation will be published in due course.
• Through the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (NCPGS), active restoration management began on 7,032 hectares of peatlands in England in 2024 to 2025, with works ongoing on a further 9,088 hectares, where these began in a previous year. Therefore the NCPGS was active on 16,120 hectares of peatlands in England during 2024 to 2025, and currently provides the primary funding vehicle for peatland restoration in England.
• To address the degradation of lowland peat, between 2024 and 2025 Defra funded 45 projects across pilot schemes delivering water infrastructure, paludiculture trials, and future water management plans. It has also continued to deliver the lowland peat research and development programme.
• Defra launched a public consultation in March 2025 to seek views on proposed changes to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, which prohibit burning of vegetation on deep peat on our most protected sites in England, unless licensed.

Adaptation

• Defra has commissioned UK government departments to provide 6-monthly updates on progress towards delivering the actions they committed to in the third National Adaptation Programme, as part of our commitment to make it an actively managed and monitored programme.
• Defra and Met Office, working together, launched the Local Authority Climate Service (LACS) pilot on 9 October 2024. The LACS will provide local authorities with data about climate change in their area, to support decision-making and climate adaptation planning.
• Defra and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have co-funded and launched the Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) programme, to accelerate adaptation action research. The programme has now been let as a 拢15 million climate change adaptation hub and 6 novel research projects.
• The 4th round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power^{[footnote 1]} concluded on 31 December with 101 reports submitted to government from 14 sectors, including a pilot of reporting by 18 local authorities. Reports set out the risks that climate change poses to the delivery of reporting organisations鈥� functions and their plans and progress on adaptation.

Goal 8: Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• In 2024 to 2025, the Flood and Coastal Investment Programme better protected over 27,000 properties from flooding.
• In February 2025 it was announced, as part of the government鈥檚 Plan for Change, a record 拢2.65 billion is being invested over 2 years (2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026) for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones.
• This includes an additional 拢108 million that the government is re-prioritising into asset maintenance, ensuring an additional 14,500 properties will have their expected level of protection maintained or restored.
• With this funding, 1,000 flood schemes are being supported, better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026.
• In March 2025, the government announced an additional 拢16 million boost to the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Fund to support greater flood resilience for farmers and rural communities. We have increased funding from 拢75 million to 拢91 million to provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets. More than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land and around 91,000 homes and businesses across England are expected to benefit.
• The government established a new Floods Resilience Taskforce in September 2024. This focuses on building national resilience to flooding, including assessments of readiness and capabilities to prepare, respond and recover from flooding. Members include government organisations, industry, businesses and environmental charities.
• In July 2024, Defra Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) launched the 拢14.8 million Resilient UK Coastal Communities and Seas. This provides grant funding to improve understanding of the resilience of UK coastal seas, coastal communities, and the natural capital these areas support.
• On 1 September 2024 Section 79 of the Environment Act 2021 came into force; it is now a statutory obligation for water and sewerage companies in England to prepare, publish and maintain a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan.

Improving our biosecurity

Goal 9: Enhancing biosecurity

Delivering the targets and commitments for the biosecurity goal will require a range of actions that improve safeguarding and response measures. This includes to:

• reduce the number of establishments of invasive non-native species by at least 50% by 2030, compared to levels seen in 2000, supporting delivery of the convention on biological diversity global target on invasive species
• ensure at least 97% of export health certificates (EHCs) and licences are issued correctly within agreed timeframes to support safe and secure trade
• invest in the Science Capability in Animal Health Programme at Weybridge
• achieve official bovine tuberculosis free status for England by 2038

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.

• Control, containment or eradications of invasive non-native plants and animal pests continued, including the yellow-legged hornet. Spring trapping and contingency action by the Animal and Plant Health Agency鈥檚 National Bee Unit has captured 19 individual hornets and destroyed 24 nests.
• In August 2024, Defra Ministers committed to refreshing the bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) strategy for England. The measures to be introduced under the strategy include a survey of the badger population for the first time in a decade, a wildlife surveillance programme, the launch of a Badger Vaccinator Field Force and a badger vaccination study to end the cull by the end of this parliament.
• Between March 2024 and April 2025, Great Britain has regularly taken action to implement emergency import restrictions to protect domestic biosecurity in response to emerging disease outbreaks in approved trading partners. This includes action to mitigate the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Sheep Pox and Goat Pox, Lumpy Skin Disease, African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease. This has been completed through amendments to our lists of countries approved to export to Great Britain, as well as through the laying of emergency safeguard declarations.
• In September 2024, a new phase of the Tree Health Pilot (THP) was launched, which is evaluating and testing different ways of slowing the spread of pests and diseases affecting trees in England.
• In January 2025, we introduced further measures against Popillia japonica (known as the Japanese beetle) and the fungal pathogen Heterobasidion irregulare to continue to protect Great Britain from incursions of non-native plant pests.
• In Summer 2024, extensive surveillance was conducted in the Colorado beetle demarcated area in Kent.听 No beetles were detected and if there are no new findings eradication is likely to be declared in 2025.
• Action has been taken to prevent the spread and eradicate an outbreak of Columbia root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne chitwoodi from a farm in East Anglia. Tracing activities have been conducted to identify possible sources of introduction and possible spread.
• Between October 2024 and March 2025, 5 Pest Risk Assessments have been fully completed, and made available for stakeholder engagement, including a detailed analysis of the plant hopper Pochazia shantungensis, which was intercepted on numerous occasions in 2024 on plants for planting.
• The Plant Health Information Service went live on the 22 October 2024 and aims to support Great Britain鈥檚 plant biosecurity by 鈥淧roviding the correct information, in the right place, at the right time and the right format.鈥�
• Over 27 outbreaks of eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) were identified in the 2024 to 2025 season. The beetle could have a significant impact to the forestry industry if it became established so we maintain a robust eradication programme to eliminate these outbreaks. Outbreaks undergo 3 years of monitoring before eradication can be declared, we have now successfully declared eradication at all 13, sites that had outbreaks in 2021.
• In April 2025, Defra, the Food Standards Agency and Home Office awarded the Specialist Science and Contingency Services (SSCS) contract to Fera Science Limited. Building upon a decade of support to the government under a Long-Term Services Agreement (LTSA) since 2015.
• This new contract ensures the continuation and expansion of critical and expert scientific work Strategic scientific services provided include strengthening border security, protecting the natural environment, helping to ensuring food safety, public and animal health 鈥� in addition to providing critical support for significant contingent events.
• Defra awarded 12 Local Action Groups (LAGs) in England 拢300,000 over 2 years to tackle invasive, non-native species under the Local Invasive Species Management Fund, which ended in March 2025. In the second year of the fund over 234,000 meters of riverbank were managed and over 68,000 meters of watercourse surveyed for INNS.
• Defra continued to fund the Great Britain Non-Native Species Information Portal (GB NNSIP), a notification, monitoring and data repository for over 3,000 non-native species. As part of the Great Britain NNSIP, a horizon scanning exercise was carried out in March 2025 to identify the non-native species that are most likely to establish and become invasive in GB. Horizon scanning is vital in the prevention of establishment of new invasive non-native species (INNS), and is important for guiding efforts on risk analysis, pathway management and contingency planning.
• Defra continued to fund research into the biological control (鈥榖iocontrol鈥�) of invasive, non-native riparian weeds and plants, including floating pennywort, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and Australian swamp stonecrop. Notable progress has been made, for example in 2024, bio control agents have been found persisting on floating pennywort populations at 12 sites.
• Defra has continued work to develop metrics for monitoring progress towards targets and commitments for invasive non-native species.
• Defra developed a Pets Pathway Action Plan (PAP), laying out best practice guidance to reduce the risk posed by pathways of introduction and spread, which is a key way of tackling the threat posed by INNS. Please follow this link to the
• The Non-Native Species Inspectorate (NNSI) has continued to undertake inspections and enforcement action. In the financial year April 2024 to March 2025, it undertook 876 inspections and non-compliance rates among premises appear to have dropped to 9% in 2025 from 16% in 2022 when the NNSI was established.

Enhancing beauty, heritage, and our engagement with the natural environment

Delivering the goal outcomes will require meeting a range of targets and commitments including the following key commitments:

• everyone should live within 15 minutes鈥� walk of a green or blue space
• make the England Coast path fully walkable by the end of 2024
• deliver a new National Trail along the route of the Coast-to-Coast path by 2025

Goal 10: Enhancing beauty and our engagement with the natural environment

Key activities over the past year

Since the period covered by APR24, the following additional progress has been delivered.听

• Natural England鈥檚 12 Nature Recovery Projects have engaged partners in the natural environment. These projects which cover 319,480 hectares, have grown collaborative partnerships, and demonstrated how blended public and private finance can support delivery of a national network for nature recovery.

• Over 1,469 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path has been completed and open to the public, with establishment works underway on another 941 miles. Full completion of the path is targeted for Spring 2026.听

• In October 2024, the launched a 拢15 million grant programme to build capacity and capability, enabling 10 million people to benefit from their local green and blue spaces being improved for nature, heritage and community by 2035.

• In August 2024, an official statistic in development on access to greenspace in England was published. In May 2025, an official statistic in development on access to blue space in England was published. These will enable identification of areas with greatest paucity of provision and where听interventions to drive improvements should be targeted.听

• In September 2024, an of the green social prescribing project was published which showed that green social prescribing is both cost effective and markedly improved people鈥檚 reported well-being. Over 8,500 people participated in the green social prescribing project.听

• A second phase of the green social prescribing programme was launched in April 2024 and ran until March 2025. This phase was used to produce additional data and evidence needed based on learning from the first phase (for example, on value for money) to support national roll-out, ensuring that anyone, anywhere in the country, can receive a green social prescribing prescription and benefit from these valuable nature-based interventions.听 听

• Funding has been provided from April 2024 to deliver a second phase of the Generation Green programme, helping over 25,000 disadvantaged children and young people experience the benefits of the great outdoors, including improvement in physical and mental health, and a greater sense of connection to the natural world. The funding is providing both day and residential experiences in Protected Landscapes.听The funding is providing both day and residential experiences in Protected Landscapes.听

• In December 2024, marking the was made to work with partners to develop new legislation to empower our National Parks and National Landscapes. This legislative reform will strengthen Protected Landscape鈥檚 mandate to recover nature.听

• In December 2024 guidance for relevant authorities on seeking to further the purposes of Protected Landscapes was published for relevant authorities on the Protected Landscapes duty, The guidance will support public bodies operating in these areas, including water companies, deliver better environmental outcomes working together with Protected Landscape organisations.

• Defra has worked with National Parks England, the National Landscapes Association, National Trails, and Natural England through the Protected Landscapes Partnership (PLP), to contribute to EIP targets through delivering on the Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework.
• The PLP have supported National Parks and National Landscapes to interpret and mobilise evidence on the state of the natural environment in Protected Landscapes. That is delivering workshops, providing guidance, supplying additional data and agreeing best-practice consistent methodologies to support Protected Landscapes to contribute more to EIP targets.
• The PLP have also facilitated events and provided training and resources to diversify the sector and remove barriers to access and are building on the work in the coming year.听

How data are used in this annual progress report

Commenting on environmental improvement

Section 9 of the Environment Act 2021 requires that annual progress reports:

• describe what has been done, in the period to which the report relates, to implement the Environmental Improvement Plan
• consider, having regard to any data obtained, whether the natural environment has, or particular aspects of it have, improved during that period
• consider the progress that has been made towards achieving any legally binding targets or interim targets set under the Environment Act

Scope of the data

Different data sets are provided in this annual progress report to understand if the environment is improving and to report on individual goals or targets. The main data sources are the (OIF) and data from additional monitoring activities against the individual Environment Act 2021 targets. The OIF is a set of indicators describing environmental change relating to EIP23. Its 66 indicators were custom-designed to describe those key facets of environmental change that were deemed most relevant to understanding progress towards achieving the overarching ten goals of the EIP

Updates and information on monitoring progress for the legally binding Environment Act targets and the interim targets are provided in the accompanying monitoring annex.

Commentary on environmental improvement relating to individual EIP goals is supported by the OIF and additional evidence around supporting implementation of specific policies.

Reporting on progress towards Environment Act targets: availability of data

Reporting on the natural environment: data on EIP23 goals

Figure 1 summarises the short-term (5 year) assessment of the 66 indicators in the OIF. Each of the 66 indicators measure a different aspect of the environment that together provide a wider assessment of the state of the environment. The individual indicators are assessed on progress over the short term and grouped into the EIP23 goal that they primarily measure progress against. So, whilst within a set of indicators that report against a goal some may show improvement, others may show deterioration.

Figure 1: Short-term progress towards the 10 goals, based on OIF indicators

This stacked bar chart shows the percentage of indicator components within each goal area that have been assessed as improving, showing little or no change, deteriorating or have not yet been assessed against the stated goal. For example, all of the indicators for Goal 7 have shown an improvement in short-term assessments

Overall, there have been improvements in aspects of the natural environment in 9 of the goals. There has been deterioration in other aspects of the environment in 7 of the goals.

There are a number of indicators for which there is not yet a long enough time series to make an assessment. These are categorised as 鈥榥ot assessed鈥�. For example, there are 3 indicators published against goal 8, all of which cannot yet allow for a robust assessment of overall trends.

The methodology for these assessments is detailed on . Not all 5-year periods cover the same years as data become available at different times for different indicators. For example, the D4i indicator on relative abundance of species in England spans from 1970 to 2023, whereas D2a on the extent of protected sites in England covers 2005 to 2024. The most recent data have been used for each individual indicator. All assessments are refreshed annually to ensure the latest available data are captured.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning

Next year鈥檚 annual progress report will be reporting on the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP25). As part of the EIP review we are developing a new approach to monitoring and evaluation. This approach uses theories of change and systems thinking to better coordinate evidence and to better understand where action is needed or can be better focused. We are developing a systematic approach to understanding and monitoring contributions across EIP goals and targets. This will be complemented by specific policy and EIP wide evaluations to understand the process and impact of our activities better. We will share what we learn from monitoring and evaluation evidence in the annual progress report demonstrating how this is shaping the ongoing development of the EIP.

Our updated approach will enable us to conduct more comprehensive reporting on Defra鈥檚 progress towards our environmental goals.