The Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2023

PART 1 Introduction

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2023.

(2) These Regulations come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales but apply in relation to England only, including the territorial sea adjacent to England.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations—

“the 2021 Act” means the Environment Act 2021;

“the 2022 Red List Index for England” means the document entitled “Outcome Indicator Framework for England’s 25 Year Environment Plan: D5 Conservation status of our native species, Data Sheet 2022 (NERR124)” published by Natural England in October 2022(1);

“native species” means species which naturally occur or have in the past naturally occurred in England, and include—

(a)

regularly occurring migratory species (both breeding and non-breeding) and natural colonists; and

(b)

species that have been reintroduced in England following past extinction;

“natural colonists” means species that arrived in England of their own accord and have become established, including those that become migratory species;

“species” includes ranks below and above species level, where these are listed—

(a)

for the purposes of Part 2 of these Regulations, in the 2022 Red List Index for England; or

(b)

for the purposes of Part 4 of these Regulations, in Schedule 2.

Biodiversity targets

3.—(1) Regulations 4, 7 and 14 specify targets for the purposes of the Secretary of State’s duty in section 1 of the 2021 Act to set a long-term target in respect of biodiversity.

(2) Regulation 11 specifies a target for the purposes of the Secretary of State’s duty in section 3 of the 2021 Act to set a target in respect of a matter relating to the abundance of species.

(1)

The 2022 Red List Index for England may be found at http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6315201438941184 . A printed copy of the 2022 Red List Index for England may be obtained from Natural England, County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester WR5 2NP.