International 

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (COP15)

The United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) ended in Montreal, Canada, on 19 December 2022 with a landmark agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030, represented by 188 governments including the UK.

COP15 resulted in the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) with a package of measures deemed critical to addressing the dangerous loss of biodiversity and restoring natural ecosystems. This includes four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030.

Notably this includes:

G7 2030 Compact (2021)

Held in Cornwall in May 2021, eight G7 Environment and Climate ministers shared  a G7 Nature Compact, a key agreement to address the most urgent international and interconnected challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. This compact agreed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023

The IPCC finalized the Synthesis Report for the Sixth Assessment Report during the Panel’s 58th Session held in Interlaken, Switzerland from 13 - 19 March 2023.

This provides an overview of the state of knowledge on the science of climate change, emphasizing new results since the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) in 2014, confirming human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, and has led to widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people.

National 

The Environment Act (2021) and Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain

Key elements of the Environment Act are described in section 2 of this Biodiversity Action Programme. Biodiversity net gain (BNG) became mandatory on 12th February 2024 and introduced the following requirements of local authorities:

• Process and determine planning applications to ensure they meet the legislative requirements, including an accompanying BNG statement.
• Assess and approve biodiversity gain plans to ensure they meet legislative requirements.
• Secure obligations through legal agreements linked to the grant of planning permission for offsite BNG delivery.
• Monitor compliance with planning conditions and legal agreements in relation to BNG; and
• Report on BNG delivery and plans in their authority area.

In addition, guidance has identified recommended action beyond statutory requirements to enable delivery of BNG and to achieve wider benefits for the local authority.

Planning

• Developing and adopting biodiversity net gain planning policies, setting out local circumstances and requirements, for example, on delivery of offsite biodiversity net gain.
• A strategic approach to BNG, linking into the relevant Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), once available; considering site allocations for development, as well as potential site allocations for nature recovery; and how BNG links to other plans, strategies and objectives.
• Establishing a biodiversity evidence base -  a reasonably up-to-date understanding of the quality and quantity of habitats in their area – this will act as a baseline from which biodiversity gain can be measured.
• Pre-application advice service – BNG needs to be embedded early in planning for a development and this should speed up decision-making at application stage; plus providing pre-application advice  is an income-generation opportunity for the local authority.
• Changes to the planning application validation process to factor in BNG information requirements.
• Monitoring of BNG delivery in the long- term.
• Enforcement of non-compliance.

Corporate

• Corporate embedding of BNG to deliver wider public benefits (Section 3.3 of the CIEEM, CIRIA and IEMA BNG Practical Guide highlights the benefits to this).
• Providing opportunities for  BNG  offset on the council estate, including parks – another income-generation opportunity.
• Setting up or facilitating a scheme for local offsite BNG delivery or habitat bank.

The Biodiversity Net Gain Statutory Instruments - explained - Environment (blog. gov.uk)

Resourcing biodiversity net gain for local authorities | Local Government Association

Complying with the biodiversity duty - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk)

Government response and summary of responses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan (2018)

The 25 Year Environment Plan has 10 themes:

• Enhancing biosecurity.
• Managing exposure to chemicals.
• Minimising waste.
• Mitigating and adapting to climate change.
• Enhancing beauty, heritage, and engagement with the natural environment.
• Using resources from nature more sustainably and efficiently.
• Reducing the risks of harm from environmental hazards.
• Thriving plants and wildlife.
• Clean and plentiful water.
• Clean air.

The Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity (2021)

The fundamental benefits of our natural environment were highlighted in The Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity, a landmark report commissioned by HM Treasury and released in February  2021. It calls for urgent and transformative change in how we think, act and measure economic success to protect and enhance our prosperity and the natural world and puts forward ways in which we should account for nature in economics and decision-making.

Its headline messages serve as a critical reminder of the importance of nature:

• Our economies, livelihoods and well-being all depend on our most precious asset: Nature.
• We have collectively failed to engage with nature sustainably, to the extent that our demands far exceed its capacity to supply us with the goods and services we all rely on.
• Our unsustainable engagement with nature is endangering the prosperity of current and future generations.
• The solution starts with understanding and accepting a simple truth: our economies are embedded within nature, not external to it. Recognising the many co-benefits from investing time, energy and resources into the natural environment, this plan will also support delivery against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 which have been developed to help ensure that we act as an international community to help to make the world more sustainable.

National Pollinator Strategy (2014)

The Government is committed to taking action to improve the state of our bees and other pollinating insects and to build up our understanding of current populations and of the causes of decline. The actions outlined in this strategy build on existing policies and initiatives in Government and in many other organisations. We want to draw on the skills, experience and enthusiasm that already exist among organisations and individuals across the country to put in place a united effort to make positive changes for our pollinators. The overarching vision is to see pollinators thrive, so they can carry out their essential service to people of pollinating flowers and crops, while providing other benefits for our native plants, the wider environment, food production and all of us.

State of Nature 2023

The State of Nature 2023 was published on 28 September 2023, providing a benchmark for the status of wildlife in the UK and the UK

Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Production of the report involved a partnership of over 60 organisations that are directly involved with nature conservation evidence and/or delivery. The report uses the latest and best available evidence, generated from monitoring schemes and biological recording, many of which are supported by thousands of skilled volunteers.

• The report reveals one in six species are at risk of becoming extinct in Great Britain, while widespread animals and plants such as starlings, swifts, hedgehogs and chamomile are becoming rarer.
• Losses of insects, fish and plants can trigger chain reactions affecting other species in the food chain.
• The report also reveals that while UK nature is in crisis, some species have managed to thrive and we have the solutions to restore nature.
• Conservation projects and strong environmental protections through legislation can have a positive impact on nature, human wellbeing and the natural resources we rely on.

Legislation

Specific habitats and species relevant to this BAP receive legal protection in the UK under various pieces of legislation, including:

• The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended).
• The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
• The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 Section 41 requires the Secretary of State to publish and maintain a list of habitats and species which are of Principal Importance for the conservation of biodiversity in England (i.e. Habitats of Principal  Importance  (HoPI) and Species of Principal Importance (SoPI)). Public authorities have a responsibility to give specific consideration to the S41 list when exercising their normal functions. This is in addition to statutory protected afforded to those habitats and species by the additional legislation outlined above.

The Environmental Improvement Plan

The Environmental Improvement Plan published in January 2023 (shortly after the Kunming-Montreal GBF) is the first 5-year review of the 25 Year Environmental Plan and sets out government plans for significantly improving the natural environment.

By 2030, the government has committed to:

• halt the decline in species abundance.
• protect 30% of UK land
• by 31 January 2028 restore or create 140,000 ha of a range of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites, compared to 2022 levels (interim target).

By 2042, the government has committed to:

• increase species abundance by at least 10% from 2030, surpassing 2022 levels.
• restore or create at least 500,000 ha of a range of wildlife-rich habitats
• reduce the risk of species extinction.
• restore 75% of our one million hectares of terrestrial and freshwater protected sites to favourable condition, securing their wildlife value for the long term.

Making Space for Nature (2010)

An independent review for DEFRA, The Lawton Review published in 2010, aimed to review how England’s wildlife and ecological network could be improved to help nature thrive in the face of climate change and other pressures. The review concluded that England’s wildlife sites, despite their diversity, did not comprise a coherent and resilient ecological network even today, let alone one capable of coping with the challenge of climate change and other pressures. To address this, a step change is needed in nature conservation. The review fed into production of the Natural Environment White Paper, published in 2011, which ensured a Government commitment to implementing the principles set out. The report made the following key points for establishing a strong and connected natural environment:

• That we better protect and manage our designated wildlife sites.
• That we establish new Ecological Restoration Zones.
• That we better protect our non-designated wildlife sites.

Nature Positive 2030

Nature Positive 2030 was produced by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. In response to the crisis of biodiversity loss, many Heads of State around the World made significant commitments for nature, notably through the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature launched at the United Nations General Assembly in 2020, and the ‘30by30’ commitment to protect 30% of our land and seas for nature by 2030. These commitments are far reaching, requiring transformational change across sectors in the way we protect, value, use and engage with nature. Through Nature Positive 2030, the five statutory nature conservation bodies of the UK came together to identify how the UK could succeed in achieving these commitments along with ensuring that nature recovery plays its critical role in achieving net zero. It consists of two reports – a Summary Report and an Evidence Report. Nature Positive 2030 was published in September 2021 to mark the first anniversary of the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

The NPPF was first published on 27 March 2012 and updated four times, the most recent being 5 September 2023. This sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. Key requirements of the NPPF, relevant to conserving and enhancing biodiversity are summarised below:

Planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by:

• protecting and enhancing sites of biodiversity.
• recognising the wider benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services – including the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land, and of trees and woodland.
• minimising impacts on and providing net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures.

Plans should: distinguish between the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites; allocate land with the least environmental or amenity value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework; take a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing networks of habitats and green infrastructure; and plan for the enhancement of natural capital at a catchment or landscape scale across local authority boundaries.

To protect and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity, plans should:

• Identify, map and safeguard components of local wildlife-rich habitats and wider ecological networks, including the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites of importance for biodiversity; wildlife corridors and stepping stones that connect them; and areas identified by national and local partnerships for habitat management, enhancement, restoration or creation; and
• promote the conservation, restoration and enhancement of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species; and identify and pursue opportunities for securing measurable net gains for biodiversity.

When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should apply the following principles:

• if significant harm to biodiversity resulting from a development cannot be avoided, adequately mitigated, or, as a last resort, compensated for, then planning permission should be refused.
• development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists; and
• development whose primary objective is to conserve or enhance biodiversity should be supported; while opportunities to improve biodiversity in and around developments should be integrated as part  of their design, especially where this can secure measurable net gains for biodiversity or enhance public access to nature where this is appropriate.

Regional 

Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Species and Habitat Action Plans

There are 52 biodiversity action plans for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, 27 for vulnerable species and 25 for characteristic habitats, ranging from woodlands and wetlands to urban and rural settlements. These were initially compiled between 2002-2005 and widely consulted amongst conservation specialists and potential partners. Their comments and amendments were incorporated, and the plans adopted by the Steering Group, and have been periodically updated.

The area of Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull has been categorised into 6 broad habitat types: grassland, farmland, woodland, urban, post-industrial and wetland. These broad habitats have been sub-divided into  25 Action Plans, the aim being to give a comprehensive cover of all the land area of the sub-region.

In all, 27 Species Action Plans for Warwickshire Coventry and Solihull were selected on the basis of the criteria outlined below:

• UK Steering Group report listed as internationally or nationally threatened.
• Keystone species for which management action will benefit a number of associated species.
• Cultural value, or locally characteristic. Includes species which are familiar to local people.
• Scarcity. Species which are locally/ nationally scarce. Especially if the species “should” be more widespread locally.
• Specific action needed over and above general habitat conservation.
• In rapid decline locally.

Consideration has been given to the County level species and habitat action plans in the selection of target habitats and species for Warwick District Council's Biodiversiyt Action Programme. Furthermore, the programme seeks to integrate the Warwickshire actions where relevant to the district and Warwick District Council activities.

Green Infrastructure Strategy (2013)

The Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Green Infrastructure Strategy seeks to create a diverse and well-managed Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Green Infrastructure network that underpins the quality of life for communities.

This will be the result of a well-connected, accessible and biodiversity resilient landscape, supporting economic growth, social health and climate change adaptation.

The purpose of this strategy is to provide evidence for the preparation of plans, policies and strategies relating to Green Infrastructure (GI) at a sub-regional level. It is to be available for adopting as a strategic mechanism to deliver GI enhancements across the partner authorities to meet national, sub- regional and local GI needs. However, it can be applied at a local, parish and field level through partnership and landowner assistance.

The strategy details how landscape, biodiversity and accessibility to the countryside GI assets have been identified and recommendations for their protection and enhancement. These GI assets are important to strategic spatial planning and Neighbourhood Planning policies and subsequent development proposals. However, as importantly, the strategy  is to help landowners integrate biodiversity, accessibility and landscape into their businesses.

Warwickshire Carbon and Environmental Markets (2022)

This project was supported by the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) to enable Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to investigate opportunities to develop long-term, sustainable funding mechanisms for its environmental ambitions within the mandatory system of Warwickshire’s Local Authority consenting regimes. Although the project was carried out for WCC and the NEIRF, this report has also been written to inform any individuals or organisations that are interested in the application and implementation of a natural capital investment approach and the development of ecosystem services (ES) markets. The findings and recommendations of this report will be applicable throughout the UK and are especially relevant to other local authorities or organisations investigating developing similar mandatory systems or markets. The overall aims of this project were to produce recommendations for the development of a natural capital investment strategy and the establishment of a carbon market and at least one other ES market within Warwickshire. In addition to detailed desk research and interviews, the team worked closely with WCC teams, other consultants, many current researchers and projects (including ongoing NEIRF projects), and specialists in the relevant fields.

Warwickshire Landscape Character Area Guidelines

The Warwickshire County Council landscape team pioneered the landscape character assessment process, which considered the unique and distinctive landscapes of Warwickshire and developed a methodology for landscape assessment of lowland areas. The project culminated in the production of the Warwickshire Landscapes Guidelines, which map and describe the special characteristics of each of the county’s seven landscape character areas. The guidelines provide invaluable strategies for managing and enhancing these landscapes and underpin work in rural areas.

These guidelines provide a framework upon which to develop biodiversity enhancement and habitat creation proposals whilst also ensuring the local distinctiveness of the rural parts of the district are promoted, especially the Ancient Arden on the west.

District

Warwick District Local Plan

The Local Plan was adopted in September 2017. It is the overarching local policy document for the district and will guide the area’s development until 2029.

Policy NE3 covers biodiversity: New development will be permitted provided that it protects, enhances and/or restores habitat biodiversity. Development proposals will be expected to ensure that they:

• lead to no net loss of biodiversity,  and where possible a net gain, where appropriate, by means of an approved ecological assessment of existing site features and development impacts;
• protect or enhance biodiversity assets and secure their long-term management and maintenance, and;
• avoid negative impacts on existing biodiversity. Where this is not possible, mitigation measures must be identified. If mitigation measures are not possible on site, then compensatory measures involving biodiversity offsetting will be required.

Policy NE2 covers Protecting Designated Biodiversity and Geodiversity Assets: The Council will protect designated areas and species of national and local importance for biodiversity.

Sites of National Importance

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are of national importance; therefore, development will not be permitted which will destroy or adversely affect these unless, in exceptional circumstances, it can be demonstrated that the benefits of the  development clearly outweigh the nature conservation value or scientific interest of the site and its contribution to wider biodiversity objectives and connectivity.

Where development is permitted that has an adverse impact on a SSSI, whether direct or indirect, measures to enhance the condition of the site will be required.

Sites of Local Importance

Development will not be permitted that will destroy or adversely affect the following locally important sites and assets unless it can be demonstrated that the benefits of development clearly outweigh the nature conservation value or scientific interest of the site and its contribution to wider biodiversity objectives and connectivity:

• Ancient Woodland, aged and veteran trees;
• Local Nature Reserves;
• Local Wildlife Sites and potential Local Wildlife Sites;

All proposals likely to impact on the above assets will be subject to an ecological assessment. The ecological assessment should include due consideration of the importance of the natural asset, the nature of the measures proposed (including plans for long term management) and the extent to which they avoid and reduce the impact of the development. Development affecting these sites will only be permitted where: i) the proposal is justified against  the above criteria, and ii) where it can be demonstrated that the proposed mitigation or compensatory measures are equivalent to the value assigned to the site/asset in the ecological assessment.

South Warwickshire Local Plan

Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Councils are working together to prepare a new local plan for South Warwickshire. The plan is expected to replace the strategic policies in the Stratford Core Strategy and the Warwick District Local Plan (above). The South Warwickshire Local Plan will set out a long-term spatial strategy for homes, jobs, infrastructure and climate change across both districts.

Warwick District Council Developer Contributions (Supplementary Planning Document) (2020)

The purpose of this Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is to provide clarity regarding Warwick District Councils approach to seeking developer contributions that are necessary to provide the physical, social and green infrastructure to support high quality development outcomes and sustainable planning objectives.

Warwick District Council Open Space (Supplementary Planning Document)

This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) sets out guidance for the provision, enhancement, adoption and future maintenance of Public Open Spaces (POS) required in conjunction with new residential and commercial development across Warwick District. One of the six primary objectives is to help enhance the environment and ecology/biodiversity in the vicinity of new housing developments.

Warwick District Council Corporate Strategy 2030

This corporate strategy sets our vision for enhancing the district by playing to our strengths without shying away from tough decisions to tackle long-standing issues. It provides the basis to inform, prioritise and shape where the Council will focus its efforts, time and resources to help make the district a great place to live, work and visit by improving lives and our environment.

The delivery of the Corporate Strategy is underpinned by the following seven principles:

• Sustainability will be at the heart of our decision making.
• Plan and invest for the long-term benefit for the people and environment of the district.
• Good governance and transparent decision making.
• Use data, including insight from our customers, residents, businesses, and visitors to help us make the right decisions.
• Social value and inclusive growth will underpin the investments we make throughout the district to help ensure all our communities prosper.
• Consultation and engagement with stakeholders will be used to help inform and shape how we deliver improvements and change.
• We will evaluate how we make the best use of resources to offer the best service at the best value.

A strategic goal is to enhance the biodiversity of the district by:

• Increasing the level of biodiversity on Council owned land and creating a network of accessible linked biodiversity rich spaces.
• Encouraging residents, communities and businesses to enhance the biodiversity of the district using the planning system, the biodiversity net gain legislation and other opportunities.

Warwick District Climate Change Action Programme

In 2019, Warwick District Council declared a Climate Emergency and a Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP) was developed and agreed by Cabinet in November 2021. The CCAP was reviewed and updated in December 2023. The CCAP sets out our three ambitions and how these will be achieved:

• Ambition 1 - Net Zero Carbon Council 2025
• Ambition 2 - Low Carbon South Warwickshire 2030
• Ambition 3 - Adaptation 2050

In 2022, Warwick District Council declared an Ecological Emergency and resolved to prepare this Biodiversity Action Programme. Both ecological and climate emergency work is being led by the Climate Change team, with clear mutual and interrelated benefit between the two work streams.