The first few weeks of a new government often feels like a whirlwind as ministers seek to bring their manifesto to life and etch a compelling public narrative. This time is no different, but summer recess provides a brief pause to reflect on what we have observed and can expect in the coming months.
The new government is committed to governing more responsibly than its predecessor by ending what it terms “sticking-plaster politics”. This would be welcome, as there’s no doubt that an approach that put headline grabbing ahead of policymaking for the public good had environmental casualties. Policies that protect city dwellers from air pollution; the longstanding cross-party consensus on net-zero ambition; nature protections; and even household recycling have suffered setbacks.
To achieve real change, the new government will have to turn ambitious rhetoric and plans into reality, working with focus and at pace, while grappling with diminished public finances and growing global conflict. This will not be easy, and the civil service will be integral to delivering progress in this challenging context.
Success depends on strong foundations. The four interconnected pillars below will shore up action to tackle environmental crises, while also helping to restore faith in politics and government.
Delivery-focused government
We are in a decade of delivery, with crucial 2030 goals on net zero and halting nature’s decline fast approaching. In January, the Office for Environmental Protection found that the government remains largely off track to meets its environmental ambitions and must speed up and scale up its efforts if it is to achieve them.
The new environment secretary, Steve Reed, has announced a rapid review of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan. This is welcome and reflects our advice for a sharp and focused review. However, it must not get lost in policy weeds. The flaws of the plan are not in its content, but in the absence of coherent and visible delivery plans and pathways. Civil society and business partners stand ready to put their shoulder to the delivery wheel – but their efforts risk being misguided if not built into a coherent plan.
Delivery must become the watchword of government; while some legislating will be needed on the environment, this must be purposeful, not performative.
“The flaws of the Environmental Improvement Plan are not in its content, but in the absence of coherent and visible delivery pathways”
A collaborative mindset must endure
The previous government had a strong disinclination to involve stakeholders in its work. Policies and plans were often produced without meaningful consultation and even its arm’s-length bodies were treated with a degree of contempt. Meeting attendees were vetted by special advisers to an unreasonable degree and civil servants were banned from engaging with Greenpeace, a farcical approach which has already been overturned. More positive shoots are now growing, thankfully – for example, in the government’s attitude toward the Office for Environmental Protection, established to hold it to account on its environment commitments. The environment secretary has promised to work “hand in glove” with businesses, local authorities and civil society to develop new plans for nature.
A reception in July brought Defra ministers, advisers, civil servants and stakeholders together. The room was brimming with confidence in the ministerial team, who have developed experience through shadowing their new briefs – or, in the case of nature minister Mary Creagh, through her forensic scrutiny of government during her tenure as chair of the Environmental Audit Committee.
This spirit of goodwill and a collaborative mindset must endure, even when there are disagreements, and we have every reason to be hopeful that it will.
Scrutiny and transparency are friends of good governance
Labour has promised a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to oversee and enforce ethical standards in government (although questions remain on its remit). The leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, is setting up a Modernisation Committee to consider reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards, and working practices.
Successive governments have put a preference for seeking unfettered powers and capitalising on political opportunities above the primary purpose of lawmaking for the effective functioning of society, to protect citizens and the environment, and to provide clear rules for government, businesses and the public.
The dawn of a new government offers an opportunity to reset how laws are made and implemented, including on environmental protection, and to restore a healthier role for parliament. Green Alliance has proposed ten priorities for a new approach, which include meaningful public consultation, re-invigorating pre and post-legislative scrutiny and improving parliamentary oversight of delegated legislation.
Mission-based government must unite departments and bust silos
The new government has promised a mission-driven approach to provide clarity of purpose and drive unity. Missions set bold visions for change and are meant to inspire collaboration across government to achieve common goals.
The natural environment is absent from the mission headlines, but this explainer is clear that protecting nature is an integral part of the clean energy mission. Pledges to expand nature-rich habitats and reduce waste by moving to a circular economy are reflected in Defra’s five new core priorities. Net zero secretary Ed Miliband has promised a voice for nature in the new clean power control centre, although it isn’t clear if this is a person, process or both.
Meanwhile, the chancellor is seeking to plug holes in public finances through efficiencies across Whitehall, with departments asked to find £3.2bn savings. This is potentially ominous for unprotected departments like Defra. Reports suggest the Cabinet Office, which has traditionally played a central coordinating role, may be drastically slimmed down.
The Institute for Government think tank and the innovation agency Nesta have made recommendations on how government could effectively organise itself to deliver missions but there is as yet no clarity from the government on how its mission-based delivery will be orchestrated. The government has a difficult economic inheritance, but it will need money if it is to fulfil its good intentions. Short-term savings will make long-term delivery impossible.
Ruth Chambers is senior fellow at the environmental think tank Green Alliance