The Biodiversity Duty

What is The Biodiversity Duty?

The Environment Act 2021 introduced a strengthened ‘biodiversity duty' which requires all public authorities in England to consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity.

Public authorities must:

1. Consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
2. Agree policies and specific objectives based on their consideration.
3. Act to deliver these policies and achieve their objectives.

Biodiversity Reports

As a first step, local authorities must produce a ‘first consideration' report to consider actions that they can take to conserve and enhance biodiversity when exercising their functions. Our report can be downloaded below.

• First Consideration Report

Future Biodiversity Reports will be published on this webpage when available.

Find out More

• Development Requirements SPD (refer particularly to Part N)
• Natural Environment Technical Evidence