13 January 2026
“It is clear that the environment is fundamental to economic growth, both today and in the future, and we must start treating nature as part of the economic growth potential, rather than in opposition to it.
“The Office for Environmental Protection underscores that efforts to reverse the decline of nature and meet the UK’s near-term target of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 requires greater ambition, and for government to implement its policy delivery plans at pace. That should start with Government itself - by embedding an environmental focus across Whitehall departments.
“A crucial step forward is to recognise the environment as critical infrastructure. This will increase the UK's ability to invest in nature and prepare for the environmental impacts that undermine the smooth operation of other areas of the economy, such as food, water, health, transport, and communications.
“Finally, there is an urgent need to expand the understanding of environmental sustainability across the economy, both in terms of skills and competencies. Skills development is required in all sectors of the economy – ranging from manufacturing and ecology to finance and accountancy. The recently refreshed EIP recognises the need for skills development in the agriculture, land management and water sectors, but to maximise on the growth potential, it is essential that this is expanded across the whole economy.”
ISEP’s latest policy paper, Natural Capital is Critical Infrastructure, sets this out clearly. Developed by ISEP’s Biodiversity and Natural Capital Network with support from Jacobs, it shows just how dependent the UK economy is on nature. In 2022, ecosystem services were valued at £1.8 trillion – around 72% of GDP. At the same time, continued environmental damage could cut 6–12% from GDP by the 2030s. That is a serious economic risk, not an abstract environmental concern.
ISEP members work across planning, land management, infrastructure, and industry, and their experience is consistent. When nature recovery is built in from the start:
- projects move faster
- risks are reduced
- long-term value increases
To truly deliver on economic growth, it is vital that the UK Government provides long-term certainty through policy, targeted financial investments and regulatory support. This will give the private sector the clarity to invest and deliver jobs, innovation and nature restoration. This aligns with the findings of today’s report from the Office for Environmental Protection, which stresses the need to ensure that the regulatory system is set up to focus on outcomes rather than outputs.
