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Nutrients

Asked by Anna GelderdLabourDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 9 June 2025UIN 52160

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Global Biodiversity Framework commitment to reduce excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half by 2030, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of domestic targets (a) to reduce (i) nitrogen, (ii) phosphorous and (iii) sediment from agriculture by 40% and (ii) to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater by 80% by 2038.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The UK has published a full National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and UK National Targets that commit us to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at home, including Target 7 which features a pledge to reduce excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half by 2030.

An assessment of progress toward achieving the UK National Targets and implementation of the GBF will be set out in the UK 7th National Report, due to be published in February 2026.

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