The UK is entering a period of 'profound uncertainty' which could lead to the downgrading of many key environmental protections due to Brexit, a new report has said.
The Green Party report says that Brexit could mean key environmental rules become ‘unenforceable’ and threatens to end funding for agri-environmental schemes through the loss of Common Agriculture Policy and LIFE+ funding.
"With the environment being a mere afterthought for this government, Brexit threatens to cut us off from the crucial environmental safeguards that the EU has provided," said the report.
"Key laws could become unenforceable, spending on crucial schemes could be cut and new trade deals could undermine existing regulations.
"We need the environment firmly back under the radar and for the government to deliver on their commitment of ensuring that we become 'the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it'.
"We need to immediately begin work on introducing an Environment Act to ensure that crucial environmental protections and enforcements are made legally binding."
