The Office for Environmental Protection has published its latest Corporate Plan, setting out its commitment to working towards nature’s recovery.
Other areas of focus identified in the plan for 2025/26 to 2026/27 include clean water in England and the effective management of nutrients in Northern Ireland, alongside work to contribute to nature’s recovery at sea and effective environmental governance.
The Corporate Plan also covers how the OEP aims to improve as an organisation.
OEP Chair Dame Glenys Stacey said: “This plan sets out our programme of work for the years ahead, and so explains the part we aim to play to protect and improve the environment in England and Northern Ireland, by holding government and other public authorities to account. It is our fourth annual plan, and our first since we refreshed our strategy and enforcement policy in November 2024.
“In the last 18 months, much has changed. We have seen the restoration of the power sharing Executive and political institutions in Northern Ireland, and a new Programme for Government is agreed with protecting Lough Neagh and the Environment a core priority. A first statutory Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) is in place, taking a further critical step to implement the national environmental governance envisaged by the Environment Act.
“In the UK, a new Parliament and government has been elected with economic growth and clean energy among its core missions. A refreshed EIP is soon to be published and the Secretary of State has made cleaning up waters, rivers and seas, ensuring nature’s recovery and the move to a zero-waste economy early priorities.
“Yet amongst this change, much also remains the same. Our latest assessment of progress in England reports that the previous government remained largely off track to achieve commitments to significantly improve the natural environment. The window of opportunity to redress environmental harms is now closing, with the effort needed and cost of action increasing.”
OEP Chief Executive Officer Natalie Prosser said: “We explain here the role we can play. We set out priorities for our scrutiny, reports and recommendations to Parliament and the Assembly – we aim to scrutinise those areas most critical to government’s goals, commitments and targets, so that it is more likely these can be achieved.
“We also set out how our investigation and enforcement activities will progress, in the year ahead.
“We look forward to working with and engaging with the many organisations and individuals interested in our work, in delivering the priorities set out here.”
The OEP Corporate Plan 2025/26 to 2026/27 can be downloaded via the blue button to the right of this page.
Our Strategy and Enforcement Policy sets out how we will carry out our work to protect and improve the environment.