The Environment Act 2021 required that the long-term targets will be supported by interim targets, of up to 5 years in duration. These set the trajectory towards long-term targets and allow for an ongoing assessment of whether government is on track to meet them. The interim targets were published in the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) in January this year. When setting the interim targets, we considered a target to reduce the decline in species abundance by a specified percentage by 2028 using the same metric as the statutory species targets. However, it would be difficult to accurately assess the appropriate level to set such a target, based on the evidence and analysis provided within the biodiversity evidence pack published during consultation. The time taken for data collection and reporting makes reviews every 2 years impractical. We are currently reviewing available data across Defra and Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) to identify other short-term metrics that can help measure our progress towards meeting the targets.