WWF calls on water companies to back binding targets in Environment Bill

WWF has called on water companies to follow Anglian Water’s lead and back a robust Environment Bill.

Speaking last week at THE WATER REPORT and Indepen’s Defining the Social Contract Summit, executive director for advocacy and campaigns Tony Juniper said vocal backing from business was the defining factor in securing binding commitments in the Climate Change Act, and that the same approach was needed now for the Environment Bill.

Anglian Water was one of 20 leading businesses who sent a letter to the Sunday Telegraph last week claiming the Environmental Bill offers a unique opportunity to improve the competitiveness of the British economy and demonstrate continued environmental leadership after Brexit – but that for this promise to be realised, the government needs to back up its 25 Year Environment Plan with sufficiently robust and properly enforced legislation.

The companies, which also included M&S, Siemens, IKEA, Ecotricity and Triodos Bank UK, wrote after press reports that chancellor Philip Hammond had pushed back against proposals from environment secretary Michael Gove for the Bill to contain a series of legally binding targets.

• Last week, the government published its response to 30 recommendations in the Environmental Audit Committee’s report on the 25 Year Environment Plan.