In England Local Authorities must consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity in England. This is the strengthened ‘biodiversity duty’ introduced by the Environment Act 2021.
We must:
- Consider what we can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
- Agree policies and specific objectives based on this consideration.
- Act to deliver these policies and achieve the identified objectives.
We are required to set out what we are doing to conserve and enhance biodiversity within our district in a report known as our 'first consideration' in order to comply with the new duty. Read the Biodiversity Report: First Consideration (PDF, 232KB).
The action local authorities take for biodiversity will contribute to the achievement of national goals and targets on biodiversity. The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23), published in January 2023, sets out government plans for significantly improving the natural environment.
By 2030, the government has committed to:
- halt the decline in species abundance
- protect 30% of UK land
By 2042, the government has committed to:
- increase species abundance by at least 10% from 2030, surpassing 2022 levels
- restore or create at least 500,000 ha of a range of wildlife rich habitats
- reduce the risk of species extinction and
- restore 75% of our one million hectares of terrestrial and freshwater protected sites to favourable condition, securing their wildlife value for the long term.
Biodiversity Duty Report
The Environment Act 2021 requires Local Authorities to publish a biodiversity report every five years. The first Biodiversity Report must cover the reporting period ending no later than 1 January 2026 and published within 12 weeks (i.e. no later than 26 March 2026). The first reporting period covers 1st January 2024 – 1st January 2026 and the report provides a summary of the actions taken to comply with the biodiversity duty.
Biodiversity report - March 2026 (PDF, 9.6MB)
Biodiversity New Gain duty report - January 2024-January 2026 (XLSX, 47KB).