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May 14, 2022

Andrew Campbell

Pollution is still a threat to England's land. The restoration process is too slow to meet the standards that experts expect. According to an independent watchdog report, England's environment is in grave danger.

Glenys Stacey of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) expressed her concern that pollution of the air, water, and land is growing too quickly to restore. The OEP was established by the 2021 Environment Act to hold the government and other public bodies in England and Northern Ireland accountable.

In its first report, the OEP claimed that the English government's actions were polite demolition. This depicted environmental crises in the air, seas, and rivers. The OEP urged the government to take more concrete steps to address this urgent and necessary crisis.

Pollutants from agriculture and other sources pollute rivers and lakes. While the government praised the implementation of a 25-year environmental plan in 2018, the OEP stated that ineffective implementations have resulted in living threats to species and human health.

Six "key components" were identified by the OEP. These elements would aid in the reversal of environmental degradation. These included gaining a better understanding of environmental pressures and drivers, setting more effective goals, and developing a cohesive strategy and policy.

The government welcomed the report, according to Environment Minister Rebecca Pow, and believes the Environment Act will become a new tool for restoring our living environment. The government will provide a formal response to the OEP this summer.