Environmental Improvement Plan 2025

Overview

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 is a strategic UK government framework aimed at restoring nature, improving environmental quality and security, fostering a circular economy, and enhancing public access to nature. The plan covers England's natural environment improvement efforts with targets running through to 2043, including interim goals for 2030 and beyond.

Key Goals and Targets

Reduce human exposure to the most harmful air pollutants by 30% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels.
Create or restore 250,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2030.
Achieve statutory nature recovery targets as outlined in the Environment Act 2021.
Enhance local environmental leadership and delivery through Strategic Authorities and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS).
Mobilize private investment and finance for nature restoration and protection.
Support Protected Landscapes with over £110 million funding by 2026 to make them greener, wilder, and more accessible.
Develop green skills across sectors such as agriculture, land management, and water stewardship.

Framework and Delivery

The EIP integrates environmental goals with economic growth plans to balance land and water resource pressures. It involves:

Publishing LNRS across England for public, private, and voluntary sector use by the end of 2025.
Convening partnerships to coordinate action, funding, and investment in nature recovery.
Trialing innovative land management approaches with National Estate for Nature groups.
Promoting sustainable behavior and public engagement aligned with clean energy and nature action goals.

Commitments and Actions

Delivery partners include multiple government departments such as Defra, DBT, and DESNZ, alongside local authorities.
The plan supports unlocking private finance via frameworks like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
Plans to include high-quality UK woodland carbon removals in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
Expansion of education and apprenticeships for green skills, particularly in land-based sectors.

"The plan provides the overview needed to manage competing pressures on limited land and water, integrating environmental action with economic growth to improve working people's lives."

The Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 lays a comprehensive blueprint to drive nature recovery, pollution reduction, and sustainable economic development while empowering local and national actors to deliver measurable environmental progress by 2030 and beyond.

GOV.UK — 2025-12-01

Overview

Key Goals and Targets

Framework and Delivery

Commitments and Actions

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