Lack of Candour in Environmental Audit Committee Report

The Environmental Audit Committee claims that the Government can meet its climate and housing obligations but then lists 28 complex problems that have to be quickly solved for this to be achieved

Click here to see a summary of the Environmental Audit Committees 100 page report on Environmental sustainability and housing growth dated 16/11/2025. The report claims, in the first paragraph of its summary, that the Government could meet this ambition, whilst achieving the targets that commit it to improving the natural environment and reversing nature’s decline, It then lists key blockers in the system: a lack of cross-government policy alignment and co-ordination, fragmented data systems, and a dearth of ecological, planning and construction skills. The report admits that the environment could be sidelined with the ‘presumption for sustainable development’ prioritising economic growth over environmental protection.

The report lists 28 problems that the Government must address for the housing and environmental targets to be met, many within the next few months, and a cultural change to abolish Ministerial silos.