The chief executive of the Environment Agency has criticised EU environmental regulation and welcomed Brexit as an opportunity to rethink its future.
Sir James Bevan, EA chief executive, emphasised the importance of the removal of EU ‘red tape’
In a speech made on 13 January for an environment conference, Sir James Bevan said EU regulations are “not perfect”, emphasising the importance of the EU exit, and the removal of “red tape” with regard to the future of the Agency.
He reiterated that the Agency must “seize the opportunities” of the EU exit, and begin to set its own environmental rules, establishing new arrangements to ensure they are implemented.
Mr Bevan added that the new Free Trade Agreement the government concluded with the EU on is “explicit” that the UK now has the right to determine the environmental levels of protection it “deems appropriate”.
Arguing that the future of environmental regulation requires a “truly modern approach”, Mr Bevan said that good regulation is not about a process, or “red tape”, but an outcome.
He added that all good relegation must be outcome focused, and the “ultimate aim” should not be to just protect nature, but to enhance it.
‘Not perfect’
Mr Bevan said: “Of course we want to maintain and where possible enhance the environmental protections we already have, much of which currently derives from EU law, much of which (let us not forget) was written by UK experts.
“But we also think that not all EU environmental regulation is perfect, either because the goals it sets are not the right ones or because the methods specified are not the best ones for actually delivering the outcomes we want.
“Which is why we welcome the Prime Minister’s invitation to business leaders to identify which rules and regulations they would like to see gone now Brexit has happened.”
Mr Bevan said Mrs Thatcher called for action on climate change ‘before it was mainstream’ (picture: Shutterstock)
‘Restriction of liberty’
In concluding his speech, Mr Bevan referred to Margaret Thatcher, who he described as “calling for action on climate change before it was mainstream”.
He said: “She had views on most things, including regulation, about which she said: ‘Every regulation represents a restriction of liberty. Every regulation has a cost. That is why, like marriage in the Book of Common Prayer, regulation should not be enterprised unadvisedly, lightly or wantonly’.
“Let us resolve to avoid wanton regulation. But let us also recognise that good environmental regulation is not red tape: it is what will get us a green recovery and a blue planet.”
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