New environmental improvement plan for England

Every household will be within a 15-minute walk of green space or water under the new environmental improvement plan (EIP) for England set out by the government.

The plan includes commitments to restore at least 500,000 hectares (1.2m acres) of wildlife habitat and 400 miles of river. This will include 25 new or expanded national nature reserves and 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of new woodland along England’s rivers. A species survival fund will target some of the most threatened wildlife, including hedgehogs and red squirrels. Sewage spills are to be tackled with upgrades to 160 wastewater treatment works by 2027.

The plan acknowledges the increasing pressures on the water system from pollution, new housing developments and the climate crisis, with a further strategy coming later in the year

From November every government department will also have an obligation to consider the environmental and climate impacts of each new policy and piece of legislation.

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