Brexit and environmental law in England: where are we now?

Abstract

Maintaining strong standards of environmental protection was used as arguments by both leave and remain campaigns during the Brexit referendum. Some argued that Brexit would lead to the decimation of environmental protection in the UK, whereas others argued that it would be an excellent opportunity to improve upon the environmental standards upheld in the European Union. This commentary focusses on the progress made in England surrounding environmental principles, the introduction of the Office for Environmental Protection, and plans to remove retained EU environmental law, with the aim of answering whether environmental protection has improved in the UK since Brexit.

Keywords:

• Brexit
• environmental protection
• environmental principles
• environmental impact assessment; strategic environmental assessment
• retained EU law
• Office for Environmental Protection

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 ‘REUL Act Creates Uncertainty for UK Environmental Protections’ (ClientEarth, 6 July 2023) <www.clientearth.org/latest/latest-updates/news/uk-setting-bonfire-of-environmental-regulations-alight-with-new-bill> accessed 12 July 2023; Leonie Cater, ‘A Post-Brexit Regulatory “Bonfire” Could Scorch UK Environmental Protections’ (Politico, 1 February 2023) <www.politico.eu/article/post-brexit-regulation-uk-environmental-protection-eu> accessed 12 July 2023

2 ‘New Environmental Protections to Deliver a Green Brexit’ (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 12 November 2017) <www.gov.uk/government/news/new-environmental-protections-to-deliver-a-green-brexit> accessed 12 July 2023

3 For specific commentary focussed on the impact of Brexit on environmental protection in the devolved nations, see Colin Reid, ‘Brexit: A View from Scotland’ (2018) 30(2/3) ELM 67; Colin Reid, ‘Brexit and the Environment: What Next?’ (2018) 190 SPEL 128; Sarah Hendry, ‘The Continuity (Scotland) Bill 2020’ (2019) 31(4) ELM 173; Sean Whittaker, ‘Environmental Principles and Governance in Scotland – an Analysis of the Consultation’ (2019) 192 SPEL 30; Ciara Brennan, Mary Dobbs, and Viviane Gravey, ‘Out of the Frying Pan, into the Fire? Environmental Governance Vulnerabilities in Post-Brexit Northern Ireland’ (2019) 21(1) Env L Rev 84; R Cowell and others, ‘Wales: Challenges and Opportunities for Post-Brexit Environmental Governance’ (Brexit & Environment, 2018) <www.brexitenvironment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/BrexitEnvWalesReport.pdf> accessed 21 July 2023

4 Consolidated Version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [2012] OJ C 326/47, art 11; art 191–93 (henceforth ‘Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union’)

5 For example, conformity with the precautionary principle was assessed in the following two cases: Case C-341/95 Bettati v Safety Hi-Tech Srl [1998] ECR I-4355; Case T-13/99 Pfizer v European Commission [2002] ECR II-3305

6 ‘Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 12 May 2022) <www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-principles-policy-statement> accessed 19 July 2023

7 Maria Lee, ‘The Environment Bill: A Framework for Progressive Environmental Law?’ (Brexit & Environment, 18 October 2019) <www.brexitenvironment.co.uk/2019/10/18/framework-progressive-environmental-law/#:~:text=Matters%20Environment%20Bill-,The%20Environment%20Bill%20%3A%20A%20framework%20for%20progressive%20environmental%20law%3F,its%20scale%20and%20its%20scope> accessed 12 July 2023; ‘The Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (Greener UK, June 2022) <https://greeneruk.org/sites/default/files/download/2022-06/Greener_UK_note_on_the_environmental_principles_policy_statement_June_2022.pdf> accessed 12 July 2023

8 ‘Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (n 6) 2–3

9 United Nations Rio Declaration on the Protection of the Ozone Layer (2 May 1989), 31 ILM 874 (1992)

10 Maria Lee, ‘DEFRA’s Draft Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (SSRN, 26 April 2021) <https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3827270> accessed 12 July 2023

11 ‘Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 31 January 2023) <www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-principles-policy-statement/environmental-principles-policy-statement#general-application-options> accessed 12 July 2023

12 Maria Lee (n 10) 6

13 ‘Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union’ (n 4) art 11; art 191–93

14 In her article, Maria Lee details various EU case law examples where environmental principles have been relied upon. For example Case C-616/17 Criminal Proceedings against Blaise ECLI: EU:C:2019:800; Case T-229/04 Sweden v Commission (Paraquat) ECLI:EU:T:2007:217; R (on the application of Mynnyd y Gwynt) v Secretary of State for BEIS [2018] Env L R 22; and [2017] Env LR 14; Case C-236/01 Monsanto Agricoltura Italia SpA v Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri [2003] ECR I-8105. For Lee’s commentary on this, see Lee, ‘DEFRA’s Draft Environmental Principles Policy Statement’ (n 10) 2

15 ‘Implementing EU Law’ (The European Commission) <https://commission.europa.eu/law/application-eu-law/implementing-eu-law_en> accessed 13 July 2023

16 Anne Perkins, ‘Campaigners Attack Plan for New Watchdog to Protect Environment After Brexit’ (The Guardian, 10 May 2018) < www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/10/new-watchdog-to-protect-environment-after-brexit-gove-announces> accessed 13 July 2023; Colin Reid, ‘Mapping Post-Brexit Environmental Law’ (2021) 21 ERA Forum 655, at 661–63

17 ‘The Office for Environmental Protection’ (Office for Environmental Protection) <www.theoep.org.uk/office-environmental-protection> accessed 13 July 2023

18 Richard Macrory, ‘Breaking the Mould – Britain’s New Office for Environmental Protection’ (2023) 35 Journal of Environmental Law 33 at 33

19 ‘The Interim Environmental Protection Assessor for Wales: What We Do’ (Welsh Government) <www.gov.wales/interim-environmental-protection-assessor-wales#:~:text=The%20Interim%20Environmental%20Protection%20Assessor,Ministers%20to%20improve%20environmental%20outcomes> accessed 19 July 2023; ‘Environmental Standards Scotland Is Here to Ensure Scotland Has High Environmental Standards and Strong Systems which Maintain Them’ (Environmental Standards Scotland) <www.environmentalstandards.scot/> accessed 19 July 2023

20 ‘Memorandum of Understanding between the Office for Environmental Protection, Environmental Standards Scotland, and Interim Environmental Protection Assessor for Wales’ (Environmental Standards Scotland) <www.environmentalstandards.scot/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Memorandum-of-Understanding-between-the-Office-for-Environmental-Protection-20221011.pdf> accessed 19 July 2023

21 Macrory (n 18) 36–37

22 Environment Act 2021, sch 1, para 17

23 Environment Act 2021, ss 28–29

24 Environment Act 2021, s 30

25 Environment Act 2021, s 31

26 For all of the advice given by the OEP to the government to date see, ‘Advice to Government’ (Office for Environmental Protection) <www.theoep.org.uk/advice-government> accessed 20 July 2023

27 ‘Draft Air Quality Strategy a Step Forwards but More Work Needed to Ensure that Targets Are Hit’ (Office for Environmental Protection, 4 May 2023) <www.theoep.org.uk/report/draft-air-quality-strategy-step-forwards-more-work-needed-ensure-targets-are-hit> accessed 20 July 2023

28 ‘New Assessment Approach for Developments Must Lead to Environmental Improvements, Says OEP’ (Office for Environmental Protection, 15 June 2023) <www.theoep.org.uk/report/new-assessment-approach-developments-must-lead-environmental-improvements-says-oep> accessed 20 July 2023

29 ‘OEP Submission to the Retained EU Law Bill Committee’ (Office for Environmental Protection, 22 November 2022) <www.theoep.org.uk/report/oep-submission-retained-eu-law-bill-committee> accessed 20 July 2023

30 Ibid

31 Environment Act 2021, s 30

32 ‘About Us’ (Environment Agency) <www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency/about> accessed 20 July 2023; ‘About Us’ (Natural England) <www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england/about#:~:text=We%20have%202%2C000%20staff%20in,a%20map%20of%20our%20offices.> accessed 20 July 2023; The Office for Environmental Protection, ‘College of Experts Information Webinar Recording’ (12 July 2023) 13:12 <www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh7EOb5VEvM> accessed 20 July 2023

33 Macrory (n 18) 43

34 Environment Act 2021, s 36

35 Macrory (n 18) 40

36 Ibid

37 Trade and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part [2021] OJ L 149/10, art 391(2)

38 Ibid art 391(5)

39 Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (2022–23) 156

40 ‘Schedule of Retained EU Law’ (Gov.uk, 15 May 2023) <www.gov.uk/government/publications/schedule-of-retained-eu-law#:~:text=On%2010%20May%20an%20amendment,at%20the%20end%20of%202023> accessed 19 July 2023

41 Ibid

42 Council Regulation (EU) No 394/2012 of 27 July 2012 establishing the fishing opportunities for anchovy in the Bay of Biscay for the 2012/13 fishing season [2012] OJ L 203/26

43 Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (2022–23) 142. It is looking likely that the bill will be enacted as it is currently at the report stage in the House of Lords

44 ‘Better Planning Coalition – Briefing for the Commons Second Reading of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’ (Wildlife and Countryside Link, 1 June 2022) <www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Better%20Planning%20Coalition%20briefing%20for%20the%20Commons%20second%20reading%20of%20the%20Levelling%20Up%20and%20Regeneration%20Bill.pdf> accessed 19 July 2023

45 Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (2022–23) 142, cl 147(1)

46 ‘OEP Written Evidence to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill Committee’ (Office for Environmental Protection, 8 September 2022) <www.theoep.org.uk/report/oep-written-evidence-levelling-and-regeneration-bill-committee> accessed 19 July 2023, para 5.4–5.7

47 Ibid s 6

48 Ibid para 6.1

49 Clause 127 is now found in Clause 154 of the latest reading of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (2022–23) 142

50 Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (2022–23) 142 cl 154

51 Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (2022–23) 142 cl 143

52 ‘Levelling Up Bill and Impact on Devolved Environmental Protections’ (Scottish Environment LINK, August 2022) <www.scotlink.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Levelling-Up-Bill-Briefing-FINAL.pdf> accessed 19 July 2023; ‘Better Planning Coalition’ (n 44)

53 Pippa Crerar and Helena Horton, ‘Rishi Sunak Signals He Could Abandon Green Policies that Cost Consumers’ (The Guardian, 24 July 2023) <www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/24/rishi-sunak-suggests-delay-or-abandon-green-net-zero-pledges> accessed 25 July 2023