Press release: 10 March 2021

Media reaction: UK Government’s draft policy statement on environmental principles

ClientEarth Lawyer Sarah Denman:

“It is disappointing to see that the UK Government has again moved to undermine its own bold statements committing to green post-Brexit policies. The principles policy statement will set the direction of travel for England, but it regrettably under delivers on ambition.

“We firmly believe that environmental standards must go hand-in-hand with economic considerations, and that high environmental standards are key to long-term economic resilience. The statement as it currently stands creates unnecessary loopholes and allows the Government the flexibility to shift away from the high environmental rhetoric it is currently using.

“Our lawyers are calling on the Government to urgently prioritise environmental protection and accountability at the heart of the green recovery, in order to achieve its stated aim of leaving the environment in a better state for future generations.”

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.