Environment

This briefing paper covers the passage of the Fisheries Bill 2019-21 [HL], which was first presented in the House of Lords on 29 January 2020, through Parliament. It is now the Fisheries Act 2020 and received Royal Assent on 23 November 2020.

This is a reading list of publications on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and future UK-EU relations from library, research services and committees of the UK and devolved parliaments and assemblies.

The report from Climate Assembly UK, The Path to Net Zero, will be debated in the House of Commons on 26 September 2020. Climate Assembly UK was jointly commissioned by six Parliamentary Select Committees in 2019 to answer the question of how the UK should meet its target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Key statistics and trends in the UK sea fishing industry, including landings, employment, fleet size, trade, sustainability and comparisons with EU countries.

This briefing from the House of Commons Library examines some of the recent concern and controversy about the Green Belt and discusses how the white paper Planning for the Future treats it. It applies only to England.

Please note: for information on accessing food banks and food parcels during the pandemic please see our briefing Coronavirus: Support for household finances. For an account of developments in food bank activity over the crisis period see section 7 of this paper, Food Banks in the UK. Recent research means we have increasing amounts of data on food banks, giving us a fuller picture of their provision across the UK, and providing a more detailed picture of the characteristics of food bank users.

In February 2020, The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill 2019-21, was reintroduced as a Private Members Bill with Government support. The First Reading took place on 5 February 2020 with the Second Reading scheduled to take place on 23 October 2020.

A debate will be held in Westminster Hall at 4.30pm on Monday 19th October 2020 on two e-petitions concerning pet theft. The debate will be opened by Tom Hunt MP.

This Commons Library briefing paper provides information on the single use carrier bag charge in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, examines the legal basis for the charge, the exemptions and what will be done with the proceeds of the charge. It also examines the impact of the charges to date.

A Westminster Hall Debate on "The Work of the Jet Zero Council" is scheduled for 2.30pm on Wednesday 14 October 2020.

The aviation industry has been under long-term pressure to decarbonise air travel limiting its contribution to climate change. This briefing paper provides an overview and analysis of UK and international policies to decarbonise the aviation sector, including market-based measures, technological solutions and demand management.

A House of Commons Library Briefing Paper on plastic waste in the UK, including statistics on plastic waste and information on UK Government and devolved Government plans and ambitions to reduce avoidable plastic waste and examples of voluntary initiatives from the plastics industry, environmental groups and retailers.

In 2019, there were 3.4 million procedures completed involving regulated living animals, which was the lowest annual number since 2007. This note summarises and analyses trends in data, including the growth of universities as the dominant seat of research on animals, the use of different species, and the decline of research for toxicological purposes.