Environment Act: Timeline of all the provisions that have come into force

In order to find the provisions that are still waiting for a secretary of state’s approval, see - The Environment Act powers that have still not come into force. 

Starting from November 2021, when the act was signed, here are the provisions that have been scheduled.

Provisions coming into force on 17th November 2021

• 22. The Office for Environmental Protection

• 23. Principal objective of the OEP and exercise of its functions

• 24. The OEP’s strategy: process

• 26.Memorandum of understanding

• 44. Meaning of “natural environment”

• 45. Meaning of “environmental protection”

• 46. Meaning of “environmental law”

• 47. Interpretation of Part 1: general

• SCHEDULE 1 The Office for Environmental Protection

Provisions coming into force on 24th January 2022

• Section 1-7 Environmental targets

• Section 8-15 Environmental improvement plans

• 16. Environmental monitoring

• 25. Guidance on the OEP’s enforcement policy and functions

• 27. Co-operation duties of public authorities and the OEP

• Section 28-30 The OEP's scrutiny and advice functions

• sections 31 to 41 The OEP's enforcement functions

• Sections 42 and 43 Information

• 50.Producer responsibility obligations + SCHEDULE 4 Producer responsibility obligations as far as relating to England. 

• 60. Hazardous waste: England and Wales so far as relation to England 

• 62. Transfrontier shipments of waste

• 64. Powers to make charging schemes so far as relating to the Environment Agency

• 86. Water and sewerage undertakers in England: modifying appointments SCHEDULE 13 Modifying water and sewerage undertakers’ appointments: procedure for appeals

• sections 104 to 108 Local nature recovery strategies

• 110. Protected site strategies

• 112. Habitats Regulations: power to amend general duties + 113.Habitats Regulations: power to amend Part 6

Provisions coming into force on 1st April 2022

• 21. Reports on international environmental protection legislation

Provisions coming into force on 1th May 2022

• 72. Local air quality management framework - SCHEDULE 11 Local air quality management framework

• 73. Smoke control areas: amendments of the Clean Air Act 1993 so far as it relates to Parts 1 + 3 of SCHEDULE 12 Smoke control in England and Wales

• SCHEDULE 11 Local air quality management framework

• Part 1 and 3 of SCHEDULE 12 Smoke control in England and Wales [Part 4 of Schedule 12 came into force on 9 November 2021]

Provisions coming into force on 10th May 2022

• 17. Policy statement on environmental principles

• 18. Policy statement on environmental principles: process

• 19. Policy statement on environmental principles: effect (5) and (6) (policy statement on environmental principles: effect);

• 20. Statements about Bills containing new environmental law

• 85. Authority’s power to require information + 87. Electronic service of documents so far as relating to undertakers whose areas are wholly or mainly in England and licensees using the systems of such undertakers;

Provisions coming into force on  29th September 2022

• 94. Valuation of other land in drainage district: England

• 96. Valuation of agricultural land in drainage district: England and Wales , so far as relating to internal drainage districts which are wholly or mainly in England;

Provisions coming into force on 30th September 2022

• 109. Species conservation strategies

• 111. Wildlife conservation: licences

• 116. Use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity for the purpose of making regulations.

• SCHEDULE 17 Use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity for the purpose of making regulations.

• PART 7 Conservation covenants

• SCHEDULE 18 Discharge or modification of obligations under conservation covenants

• SCHEDULE 19 Application of Part 7 to Crown land

• SCHEDULE 20 Consequential amendments relating to Part 7

Provisions coming into force on 9 November 2022

• 50.Producer responsibility obligations + SCHEDULE 4 Producer responsibility obligations as far as relating to Scotland

• 64. Powers to make charging schemes so far as relating to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency

• SCHEDULE 4 Producer responsibility obligations as far as relating to scotland

Provisions coming into force on 1st January 2023:

• 102. General duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity

• 103. Biodiversity reports

• 114. Controlling the felling of trees in England

• SCHEDULE 16 Controlling the felling of trees in England

As of 1st April 2023:

• 68. Littering enforcement  

• 69. Fixed penalty notices subsections (2) and (4) and subsection (1) so far as relating to those subsections;

As of 1st November 2023:

Section 19 (policy statement on environmental principles: effect) comes into force, insofar as it is not already in force (which is (a)Part 1 (environmental governance); PART 1 Environmental governance)