acthub.beta

Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill [HL]

← Back to the Bill
4amendments tabled against this printing

A bill to Make provision for a statutory objective requiring public bodies to contribute to delivery of targets set under the Environment Act 2021 and Climate Change Act 2008; to place a duty on public bodies to meet this objective in the exercise of their functions; and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 The environmental recovery objective

(1) The “environmental recovery objective” is the objective of contributing to—
(a) the achievement of targets set under sections 1 to 3 of the Environment Act 2021,
(b) the achievement of targets set under Part 1 of the Climate Change Act 2008, and
(c) the delivery of the programme for adaptation to climate change under section 58 of the Climate Change Act 2008.
(2) The environmental recovery objective is a principal objective for the public bodies listed in section 2(2) in carrying out their respective objectives, functions and responsibilities.

2 Duty on public bodies to take steps to achieve environmental targets

(1) A relevant public body must, in the exercise of its functions, take all reasonable steps to meet the environmental recovery objective.
(2) In this Act, a relevant public body means—
(a) The Forestry Commission;
(b) The Rural Payments Agency;
(c) The Environment Agency;
(d) The Joint Nature Conservation Committee;
(e) The Marine Management Organisation;
(f) Natural England;
(g) The Office for Environmental Protection;
(h) a designated national park authority;
(i) The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat);
(j) The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem);
(k) The Coal Authority;
(l) The ESO (and any successor body);
(m) The Committee on Climate Change;
(n) Great British Nuclear;
(o) The Oil and Gas Authority (The North Sea Transition Authority);
(p) The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning;
(q) The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority;
(r) National Highways;
(s) Network Rail;
(t) UK Infrastructure Bank;
(u) The Crown Estate;
(v) any Minister of the Crown;
(w) unitary authorities in England;
(x) London boroughs;
(y) metropolitan districts in England;
(z) county councils in England;
(z1) district councils in England;
(z2) combined authorities in England;
(z3) internal drainage boards in England;
(z4) commons councils in England.
(3) A “designated national park authority” in subsection (2)(h) means an authority that manages land in England or Wales to be specified in regulations to be made by the Secretary of State.
(4) A Minister of the Crown may by regulations made by statutory instrument add to the list of public authorities specified in subsection (2).
(5) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this Act may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

3 Extent, commencement and short title

(1) This Act extends to England and Wales.
(2) This Act comes into force at the end of the period of 90 days beginning with the day on which it is passed.
(3) This Act may be cited as Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Act 2024.