In a stark reversal of campaign promises, a recent joint report by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) reveals that the UK is slipping behind the EU in key environmental standards since exiting the bloc. The analysis highlights that while the EU has adopted or updated 28 environmental laws, the UK has failed to follow suit and has actually regressed in at least four critical areas.
Key protections—once rooted in EU legislation—have been rolled back or entirely removed in the UK. Among the most acute issues are threats to protected habitats, lapses in air and water quality standards, and weakened regulations around chemical safety. Although the UK has enacted some positive environmental measures—such as bans on sand eel fishing and increasing marine protected areas—these efforts are seen as overshadowed by broader policy reductions.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill stands out as a particular setback, effectively overriding EU-derived habitat protections. Rather than requiring developers to safeguard sensitive areas, the bill permits them to pay into a general fund, a move critiqued by the Office for Environmental Protection as a backward step.
A broader picture emerges of the UK failing to keep pace with EU environmental improvements. In areas such as sewage treatment, the EU has moved forward with tighter regulations, including measures targeting micropollutants and microplastics—upgrades the UK has not adopted. Air quality standards, emissions limits, and chemical regulation frameworks have similarly diverged, with the UK trailing behind EU advancements. While the UK has its own REACH-style chemical regime, it’s under-resourced and lacks the pace of the EU’s equivalent system.
On the positive side, the UK has introduced stronger marine protections compared to the EU, marking a standout environmental improvement. However, experts caution that enforcement remains inconsistent.
This growing regulatory divergence raises concerns over the UK’s ability to lead on environmental issues post-Brexit. While the UK now has the flexibility to enhance protections independently, critics argue it’s squandering the opportunity to pioneer ambitious green policy rather than rolling back hard-won advances.
In summary, the report paints a troubling picture: despite early optimism that Brexit would free the UK to strengthen its environmental agenda, the reality is one of retreat—marked by weakened protections across habitat conservation, water and air quality, and chemical safety.
