Press release: 26 January 2021

Media reaction: UK Environment Bill is delayed again

Simon Alcock, Head of Public Affairs at ClientEarth, said:

“The Prime Minister promised the Environment Bill would be a flagship bill of this Parliament yet the Government has completely failed to get it through this session. As the UK prepares to host COP 26, this is deeply embarrassing and undermines its credibility.

"Rather than taking the opportunity to legislate to better protect the environment and people’s health, the Government is once again delaying any progress.

"This delay means a further extended period in which the Government and public authorities are not being adequately held to account over their compliance with environmental law. That will be almost a whole year of the Government avoiding any proper scrutiny.

The quality of the air that we breathe, the water we drink and the nature we enjoy will all be put at risk because of this incompetent and frustrating delay.”

ENDS

About ClientEarth

ClientEarth is a charity that uses the power of the law to protect people and the planet. We are international lawyers finding practical solutions for the world’s biggest environmental challenges. We are fighting climate change, protecting oceans and wildlife, making forest governance stronger, greening energy, making business more responsible and pushing for government transparency. We believe the law is a tool for positive change. From our offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin and Beijing, we work on laws throughout their lifetime, from the earliest stages to implementation. And when those laws are broken, we go to court to enforce them.