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:
Insights we have drawn from exploratory analysis of data used by the Environment Agency as part of its regulation of storm overflows
This report examines the strategic management of the Environmental Land Management scheme.
This report examines the performance, implementation, procurement and management of the Green Homes Grant scheme.
This guide will help ARACs recognise how climate change risks could manifest themselves and support them in challenging senior management on their approach to managing climate change risks.
This new report responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee to examine local government and net zero.
This report examines how well the government has used public money to support the uptake of ultra-low emission cars.
This report examines how HM Treasury and HMRC manage tax measures that have an impact on the environment.
This report applies experience from auditing cross-government challenges to highlight the risks government needs to manage to achieve net zero.
This report evaluates whether government’s approach to managing the risks of flooding and coastal erosion is achieving value for money.
This report examines how government has set itself up to deliver its long-term environmental goals.
