CIEEM writes to new Secretaries of State on the value of ecological expertise

Following Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister and his recent ministerial appointments, CIEEM has written to the Secretaries of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), setting out the vital role that ecologists and environmental managers play in delivering the Government’s growth, housing and nature recovery ambitions.

In a letter to Rt Hon Dame Angela Eagle MP, congratulating her on her appointment as Defra Secretary of State, CIEEM highlighted the contribution of its members – who work across housebuilding, infrastructure and land management – in enabling development that works for both nature and communities. The letter welcomed Defra’s recognition of the importance of biodiversity metric calculations being carried out by qualified ecologists as part of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), and called for ecological expertise to be represented on Defra’s Infrastructure Board as this policy moves into implementation.

In a separate letter to Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, congratulating her on her reappointment as MHCLG Secretary of State, CIEEM set out how ecological expertise supports delivery across several Government priorities: protecting investment and avoiding legal delays as 150 major infrastructure decisions are fast-tracked; helping meet the commitment to 1.5 million high-quality, sustainable new homes; supporting the delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects as BNG comes into force for NSIPs in England this November; and building climate resilience into housing from the outset, ahead of a future in which, according to Climate Change Committee advice, 92% of homes could otherwise be at risk of overheating by 2050.

Both letters underline CIEEM’s central message: that housing and infrastructure delivery and nature recovery are not in competition, and that early, proportionate involvement of qualified ecologists speeds up delivery rather than creating unnecessary barriers.

CIEEM has requested meetings with both departments to discuss how it can support the implementation of these priorities, and looks forward to working constructively with the new ministerial teams.