8
Develop binding targets for improving soil health and amend the Environment Act by 2028.
Recommendation
Once a soil baseline and health indicators are in place, the Government must work with industry and academia to develop a set of binding and measurable targets for improving soil health in England, based primarily on the agreed soil health indicators, and giving a clear but realistic indication of how the use of agricultural inputs will be reduced over time. By the end of 2028, the Government should have amended the Environment Act 2021 section 1, subsection 3 to explicitly mention soil health, put soil on an equal, harmonised footing with water and air, and to bind future governments to these targets.
Paragraph Reference
39
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 21 March 2024. Response attribution to this recommendation has not been verified. Read the response document.
Addressee Bodies
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Timeline
Recommendation age
2.8 yrs
Report published
05 Dec 2023