Delivering the Environmental Improvement Plan

Natalie Prosser, Chief Executive of the OEP explains why connecting people to nature is essential for achieving the EIP’s goals.

It was a delight to speak at the APSE Parks Seminar in Manchester, introducing the work of OEP and our recent assessment of the government’s progress in improving the natural environment.  
 
I enjoyed hearing from local leaders who are passionately committed to protecting precious green space, using entrepreneurial initiatives to tackle the difficult job of adapting government priorities into successful and financially workable community projects.  
 
What is our environmental assessment function? 
  
The OEP is a new public body with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and improvement of the natural environment. We were created under the Environment Act 2021 and we hold government and public authorities to account. We are part of a new post-EU exit governance framework that underpins environmental protection and improvement in England and Northern Ireland. 
 Government has an ambitious vision to leave the environment in a better state for future generations. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 (EIP23) is the means to achieve that vision. Each year we assess the government’s progress against the targets and commitments it has set in our EIP progress report.  
 
What did our annual progress assessment tell us about the need for public engagement?   
  
Viewed against the government’s long-term vision, our summary assessment is that while some progress has been made, very substantial challenges remain and that the government is largely off track to meet its ambitions, targets and commitments.  
 
However, these prospects are not fixed. There are many clear opportunities to change trends, make progress towards targets and deliver significant environmental improvements.  
 
The EIP23 has ten goal areas and recognises the interconnected nature of actions to improve the environment. The first goal “thriving plants and wildlife” is presented as the apex goal which all other goals help to achieve. The tenth goal “enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment” is presented as benefiting from the achievement of the other nine goals. 
 
Improving people’s connection with the environment and their understanding of the importance of the environment to the economy, society and people’s wellbeing is fundamental to building societal support for actions to improve nature. In our view, the tenth goal should be seen as the foundation goal which supports the achievement of all the other goals. Currently, this is not the case.  
 
Throughout our assessment of progress, the importance of enabling non-government stakeholders to play their part in protecting and improving the environment was apparent. While the specific actors and how they can contribute varies, the necessity of their involvement is common across all goals. 
 
What is needed? 
 
Time is not on our side when it comes to the environment and things must change.  
 
We know that improved quality, access to and engagement with nature have positive impacts for people. Yet, there is an absence of actions to increase public awareness of the importance of the environment for health and well-being. Progress has stalled on key government commitments, such as green social prescribing, that link environment, health and wellbeing and deliver multiple benefits.  
 
Dedicated actions aimed at increasing buy-in and involvement from wider society are fundamental to achieving EIP23 goals. A greater focus on green choices, particularly building acceptability for change, presents opportunities to support progress. This requires government to take the lead in creating a society that is greener by design and enables action at all levels.  

The OEP will continue to play our part to bring about the change needed to protect and improve the environment – here is our full EIP23 report, findings, and recommendations.