The role of natural capital in the green economy [revived]

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 13 Nov 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee in the 2024 Parliament has revived the predecessor Committee's inquiry into the current and potential future role of natural capital in the green economy, and the Government’s proposals to increase private investment in measures to support nature recovery. Read the call for evidence for more information … Read more
19 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
4 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
16 Oct
2025
Correspondence
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
22 Jul
2025
Report published
22 Jul
2025
Correspondence
7 May
2025
Report published
18 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
18 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
4 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
4 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
18 Dec 2024
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1
Dr Will Lockhart OBE · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Helen Edmundson · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Mary Creagh CBE MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
4 Dec 2024
View on parliament.uk
EAC meeting
Alan Carter · The Land Trust Dr Heather Plumpton · Green Alliance Helen Avery · Green Finance Institute Judicaelle Hammond · Country Land and Business Association Kate McGavin · National Wealth Fund Rt Hon Philip Dunne · Environmental Audit Select Committee
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report – The role of natural capital in the UK's green econo… HC 501 7 May 2025 35 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
Clear
9 Conclusion Deferred
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Government has clear role encouraging landowners to increase natural capital assets for market supply.
There is a clear role for Government in encouraging landowners and land managers to engage in the use of land to increase the stock of natural capital assets. One way to do this is through incentivising the allocation of land … Read more
Government Response
The government states that responses to the Land Use Consultation and a call for evidence published in June 2025 are informing its approach to incentive design for nature recovery.
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13 Conclusion Deferred
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Remove barriers, review incentives, and prioritise offsite BNG for land managers
To ensure the effective delivery of its commitments to protect 30% of land in England for nature, the Government will need to consider how to make environmental land management more accessible and attractive to landowners and land managers. This will … Read more
Government Response
The government states that responses to the Land Use Consultation and a call for evidence published in June 2025 are informing its approach to incentive design and engagement for nature recovery.
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14 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Undertake thorough review of incentives for allocating private land to nature recovery
We recommend that as part of the forthcoming Land Use Framework the Government undertake a thorough review of its approach to incentivising the allocation of privately held land to nature recovery, in particular in respect of changes of use of … Read more
Government Response
The government states that responses to the Land Use Consultation and a call for evidence published in June 2025 are informing its approach to incentive design for nature recovery.
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16 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Clarify ‘effective means’ of protection, monitoring, and recourse for 30by30 land
We recommend that in its response to this report the Government clarify— • what it considers to be ‘effective means’ of protection against loss or damage to important biodiversity values for the purposes of designating land in England as ‘protected’ … Read more
Government Response
The government is developing detailed guidance and an assessment/reporting process for its 30by30 commitments and plans to publish these, along with its action plan, later in 2025.
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19 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Publish urgent plans for investing revenues from BNG credit sales
We are concerned to note that the Government has not yet published full details of its approach to the investment of revenues from the sale of BNG credits. The Government must demonstrate that it is committed to this approach to … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is legally obligated to spend BNG credit income on habitat projects and is working to design a transparent allocation method, with more details to be announced in due course.
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Government Response AI assessment · 35 of 19 classified
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 11
Deferred 5
Rejected 2
Total 19 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
16 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to the environmental impacts of the Spending Review, dated 3 October 2025
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Under Secretary of State for Nature relating to the Role of Natural Capital in the Green Economy: Government Response, dated 27 August 2025
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to The Role of Natural Capital in The Green Economy: Government response, 22 July 2025
Parliament page
22 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, regarding the Government's response to the Committee's report on the role of natural capital in the green economy, dated 22 July 2025
Parliament page