Environment Act 2021

The Environment Act (opens new window) became law in November 2021, and operates as the UK’s framework for environmental protection and enhancement following Brexit.

The Act makes provision for the UK Government to set legally binding targets to restore natural habitats and increase biodiversity, as well as mandating Biodiversity Net Gain and the production of Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies

England will be covered by Local Nature Recovery Strategies (opens new window): a new system of spatial strategies for nature to plan, map and drive more coordinated, practical, focussed action and investment in nature recovery.

The Peak District is included in six different strategies, being produced by six different bodies. This plan is not a statutory document, but aims to provide input into the Local Nature Recovery Strategies as they are being developed, and then bring them together into a consolidated vision for the Peak District. This Plan will sit as complementary to them once it is in place.

Nature Recovery Network

One of the government's key objectives from A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment Plan (opens new window) is to ‘achieve a growing and resilient network of land, water and sea that is richer in plants and wildlife’.

The national Nature Recovery Network (opens new window) will build on the Lawton report (opens new window), and it is envisaged that it will enhance natural beauty, heritage and conserve geodiversity, deliver benefits for people such as flood alleviation and recreational opportunities, and provide nature-based solutions to climate change adaptation and mitigation, alongside its primary role of protecting and restoring wildlife.

The Nature Recovery Network will help deal with three of our biggest challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change and wellbeing.

Environmental Improvement Plan

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23) (opens new window) for England is the first revision of the 25 Year Environment Plan.

It builds on the vision set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan (opens new window), setting out a new plan for how the government will work with landowners, communities and businesses to deliver the goals for improving the environment, matched with targets to monitor progress.

The 25 Year Environment Plan set out the framework and vision, this document sets out the plan to deliver.

© Copied from EIP23

Summary of main targets

• Halt the decline in species abundance by 2030
• Protect 30% of our land and sea by 2030 (30 by 30)
• 75% of protected sites in favourable condition by 2042
• Restore or create 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042
• Increase tree and woodland cover to 16.5% of total land area in England by 2050
• Restore 75% of water bodies to good ecological status
• Bring at least 60% of England’s agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2030

Climate Change

Climate change is likely to affect the wildlife of the Peak District, and negatively impact many of the ecosystem services and public goods that flow from it.

Solving the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change requires us to be ambitious, and work together to find solutions. At COP27, the Prime Minister set out:

there can be no solution to climate change without protecting and restoring nature

Net zero

By 2050, the UK government is legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels, and reach ‘net zero’. In 2019, the government published its Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener (opens new window).

Due to changes in the economic landscape, in 2022 the government commissioned an independent review of the net zero target. Following a Climate Change Committee assessment, Mission Zero: Independent review of net zero (opens new window) made 129 recommendations. In March 2023, the government produced Powering up Britain: The net zero growth plan (opens new window), which sets out its response to the independent review, demonstrates actions and strengthens delivery.

Agriculture was the source of 11% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2021 (opens new window). The Environmental Land Management update (opens new window) sets out how schemes will support farmers and land managers to undertake carbon audits and decarbonise their businesses and the Agricultural Transition Plan update (opens new window), released in January 2024, sets out further support for achieving a reduction in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions as set out in the Net Zero Growth Plan.

The target for tree coverage in the EIP23 (opens new window) is legally binding.

Climate change vulnerability assessment

In 2021, the Peak District National Park Authority produced a report assessing how vulnerable the special qualities of the Peak District National Park are to future climate change. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (opens new window) collates evidence and knowledge from a broad range of sources and experts.

The special quality most vulnerable to climate change impacts is ‘internationally important and locally distinctive wildlife and habitats’. Changes in rainfall patterns, with wetter winters and drier summers, as well as weather extremes are key factors that will affect our habitats and species.

Of the 31 features assessed under this special quality, 90% were rated ‘high’ (21) or ‘very high’ (7) vulnerability. The current poor condition of many habitats, and the resultant species population declines, contributes to these impacts and reduces their adaptive capacity.