UK Government to consider the environment in all policy-making

The UK government will follow five internationally recognised principles to recognise environmental impacts when making policy.

The UK Government has made a legally binding policy statement to embed environmental protections and enhancements into all government policy-making.

Ministers will be steered towards opportunities to protect the environment and support sustainable development along five internationally recognised principles.

They include the prevention policy to ensure government policy prevents environmental harm and the rectification principle - where environmental damage should be addressed at its origin.

Under the polluter pays principle, those that cause environmental damage have to pay for mitigation or compensation. The precautionary principle declares that cost-effective measures to remedy the threat of serious environmental damage sould not be delayed due to a lack of scientific certainty.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow says, 'Ministers will have a duty under the Environment Act to consider opportunities to protect and enhance the environment, ensuring that we leave it in a better state for future generations.'