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Environmental sustainability

Protecting the natural environment for future generations requires co-ordinated action across government and a thorough understanding of the long term implications of decisions. Meeting climate change targets, for example, will require radical changes in energy, transport and housing by 2050. Improving air quality involves the environment and transport departments as well as local government.

To achieve real change government needs to ensure there is clear ownership for sustainability in government. This is particularly important in times of austerity, to avoid issues being side-lined under competing pressures. Environmental considerations should be an integral part of departments' planning and decision making processes, with rigorous arrangements for monitoring policy delivery and for holding people to account for performance. Government needs to understand the link between environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Key NAO publications:

Environmental and sustainability metrics briefing (Oct 2015)
A Short Guide to Environmental protection and sustainable development (Sep 2015)
Sustainability reporting in central government: An update (Feb 2015)
NAO Briefing: Environmental protection (Jun 2014)

Local government and net zero in England

This new report responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee to examine local government and net zero.

Sector(s): Energy and environment, Local services

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability, Local service delivery

Department(s): Cabinet Office, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, HM treasury, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Published:
16 Jul 2021

Autumn 2021

Green Homes Grant

This report will examine how the Green Home Grant has been managed and what has been achieved to date.

Posted 7 April 2021 in: Energy and environment

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial, Environmental sustainability

Contact:

NAO Press Office
+44 (0)20 7798 7400 or email pressoffice@nao.org.uk

Reducing carbon emissions from cars

This report examines how well the government has used public money to support the uptake of ultra-low emission cars.

Sector(s): Energy and environment, Infrastructure, Transport

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability, Infrastructure finance

Department(s): Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Transport

Published:
26 Feb 2021

Environmental tax measures

This report examines how HM Treasury and HMRC manage tax measures that have an impact on the environment.

Sector(s): Energy and environment, Tax

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability

Department(s): Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, HM Revenue and Customs, HM treasury

Published:
12 Feb 2021

Autumn 2021

The Environmental Land Management scheme

This report will examine whether the Environmental Land Management scheme has been designed to meet the government’s strategic policy objectives.

Posted 7 January 2021 in: Energy and environment, Food and farming

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial, Environmental sustainability

Contact:

NAO Press Office
+44 (0)20 7798 7400 or email pressoffice@nao.org.uk

Achieving net zero

This report applies experience from auditing cross-government challenges to highlight the risks government needs to manage to achieve net zero.

Sector(s): Energy and environment

Performance Improvement area(s): Economic growth, Environmental sustainability, Major project delivery

Department(s): Cabinet Office, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, HM treasury

Published:
4 Dec 2020

Managing flood risk

This report evaluates whether government’s approach to managing the risks of flooding and coastal erosion is achieving value for money.

Sector(s): Energy and environment

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability, Infrastructure finance

Department(s): Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Published:
27 Nov 2020

Achieving government’s long-term environmental goals

This report examines how government has set itself up to deliver its long-term environmental goals.

Sector(s): Energy and environment

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability, Major project delivery, People and Operational Management, Performance measurement

Department(s): Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Published:
11 Nov 2020

Environmental Sustainability Overview

This report examines how far the Ministry of Defence has embedded environmental sustainability in estate management, procurement, governance and policy-making.

Sector(s): Energy and environment, National security

Performance Improvement area(s): Environmental sustainability

Department(s): Ministry of Defence

Published:
13 May 2020