Government green Brexit is not happening environmental groups warn

A coalition of environmental organisations has accused the government of failing to deliver its pledged Green Brexit in a report that concluded environmental protections remain unchanged from, or weaker than they were pre-Brexit.

In its Risk Tracker report the coalition – Greener UK – has found that “the government’s landmark promise to ‘maintain and enhance’ protections has not been met.” It reported protections for climate, farming, fisheries and water quality were “judged similar to 2016” and for chemicals, nature, air quality and waste, “they are weaker now than they were before.

In this, its eleventh and final Risk Tracker, the coalition reported “concerns over institutions and regulations.”

It warned: “New bodies to enforce air pollution limits and water quality, including the Office for Environmental Protection, are set to be less independent and weaker than those they are replacing.” It added: “Crucial environmental principles, which underpin strong environmental law, are also being watered down.”

The report said the UK government’s “desire to retain the option to diverge from EU rules has left holes in existing standards and compromised cooperation on important issues.” It said this was demonstrated in a “lack of coordination with the EU on mutually beneficial issues, from carbon pricing to wildlife protection, and the decision to leave the EU’s gold standard chemical regulation system, EU REACH.” It said the UK’s domestic chemical regulation “with fewer staff, less funding and restricted access to existing data,” was putting public health and the environment at risk.

Greener UK is a coalition of 12 organisations set up to monitor environmental protections and standards through Brexit. The members of the coalition are: ClientEarth, CPRE, Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance, Greenpeace, Marine Conservation Society, National Trust, RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, The Woodland Trust, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and WWF.