UK makes new law to 'protect and enhance' environment for future generations

LONDON

A new environment act aiming to “protect and enhance our environment for future generations” became law in the UK on Wednesday, a government statement said.

With the new act, the UK government “will clean up the country’s air, restore natural habitats, increase biodiversity, reduce waste and make better use of our resources.”

The new act aims to “halt the decline in species by 2030, require new developments to improve or create habitats for nature, and tackle deforestation overseas.”

“It will help us transition to a more circular economy, incentivising people to recycle more, encouraging businesses to create sustainable packaging, making household recycling easier and stopping the export of polluting plastic waste to developing countries,” the statement added.

It said the changes will be driven by “legally binding” environmental targets and enforced by a new, independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP).

“The Environment Act will deliver the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth,” said Environment Secretary George Eustice.

“It will halt the decline of species by 2030, clean up our air and protect the health of our rivers, reform the way in which we deal with waste and tackle deforestation overseas. We are setting an example for the rest of the world to follow,” he said.

The new legislation came on the final days of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is traveling back to Glasgow for the final stages of the COP26.

“Negotiating teams are making progress, but we need to pull out all the stops in the next few days to keep 1.5 alive,” he wrote on Twitter.

“It’s time for nations to put aside differences and come together for our planet and our people.”

The summit will end on Friday, with a final declaration on collective actions for the future of the planet.