Landmark legally binding targets to clean up UK waters and increase the richness of wild species are being delayed, the environment secretary admits.
Therese Coffey said the UK government would miss Monday’s deadline to publish its targets under its obligations under post-Brexit environmental law.
Conservative counterpart Lord Lucas accused the RSPB of being “lying shit” as the charity raised concerns.
#AttackOnNature
The spat comes after Rishi Sunak withdrew from the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt next month after he was criticised for a “failure of leadership”.
Ministers set an October 31 deadline to publish air quality, water, wildlife, waste reduction and resource efficiency targets.
But Ms Coffey told MPs in a written ministerial statement that it would be delayed due to the need for “analysis and careful consideration” of the 180,000 responses to the consultation.
“Given the volume of material and the backlash from the public, we won’t be able to announce the target until October 31, as required by the bill,” she said.
“However, I would like to assure the House and all parties involved that we will continue to work at a rhythm to produce a draft legal instrument as quickly as possible.”
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Using the hashtag “AttackOnNature”, RSPB England shared a video of Green MP Caroline Lucas on Twitter asking Prime Minister Liz Truss’s government for “destroying nature”.
Lord Lucas replied: “You lying shits. There is no attack on nature, never an attack on nature, that’s what Rishi has confirmed.
“You were and may again be a source of valuable and truthful advice. But not when you indulge in this outrageous lie.”
Mr Sunak spoke of his pride in the “landmark” environment bill in the Commons, adding: “We will achieve all these ambitions”.
Katie-Jo Luxton, RSPB’s Director of Conservation, said: “Defra’s failure to meet the deadlines to set the legally binding targets promised in the Environmental Act is deeply concerning .
dereliction of duty
“They also didn’t spell out a new deadline, leaving a huge question mark as to when we could see the ultimate goal.
“Meaningful and ambitious targets should be a catalyst for action over the next decade and beyond, and reassure the public that they are rightly concerned that nearly half of England’s wildlife is in decline and more than one in 10 species is threatened with extinction.”
Labour’s shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said: “It is a huge embarrassment for them and deeply worrying for the UK environment when the government admits that it will not meet its environment bill targets on time.
“Failure to set targets within statutory deadlines to ensure we have clean air, land and water is a serious dereliction of duty.”
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Sam Blewett is PA’s Associate Political Editor.
