1 December 2025
With the UK Government publishing an updated Environmental Improvement Plan today, The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) says a thriving environment is fundamental to economic growth.
The government has committed £500m to landscape recovery projects, larger-scale efforts to restore landscapes and ecosystems, often working with farmers and other landowners. This will include a specific target to restore or create 250,000 hectares (618,000 acres) of wildlife-rich habitats by 2030. The updated Plan focuses on restoring nature, cleaning up waterways, and improving air quality over the next two decades.
Signe Norberg, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals, said:
“The environment is fundamental for a thriving society and economy, and it is critical that today’s Environmental Improvement Plan unlocks decisive delivery - with the government setting the course, providing the frameworks and levers that will accelerate private sector action.
“Partnerships will be critical to achieving the objectives that have been set, convening the public, private and civil society sectors to work towards the restoration of our environment and safeguarding future economic growth.
“The refreshed Plan provides a welcome focus on delivery, responsibility and increased consistency between target deadlines. Getting this right will help dialogue across sectors and industries, but needs to be followed by rapid implementation.
“The environment is fundamental to economic growth, so I welcome the Secretary of State’s recognition today of the vital need to achieve a win-win for the environment, particularly as the government looks to deliver on its missions.
“Additionally, to be successful, the EIP needs to be a cross-government delivery plan. At the moment, the majority of actions sit with Defra and arms length bodies, and to deliver transformative change, it needs to be embedded across all departments.”
