The natural environment

Under the Environment Act 2021, all local authorities must consider how they can conserve and enhance biodiversity across all functions and operations. This is known as the Biodiversity Duty.

Local Authorities must publish a report showing the actions they have taken to protect nature and how they plan to continue this work. Following this, reports must be published every 5 years setting out what actions have been undertaken to fulfil the council’s Biodiversity Duty obligations and include any future plans, policies or projects.

The first stage in the process of producing a Biodiversity Report is to firstly set out the council’s considerations of how it will address the requirements of the Statutory Duty in a First Considerations report. The council has published its First Considerations report which sets out the approach and timetable for producing the first Biodiversity Report:

• Biodiversity Report - First Consideration

The follow-up Biodiversity Duty Report - 1 January 2024 to 1 January 2026 documents the policies and actions City of York Council have undertaken to fulfil our Biodiversity Duty as set out in the Environment Act 2021:

• Biodiversity Duty Report - 1 January 2024 to 1 January 2026

Defra guidance on complying with the duty is available.

See related information about:

• Green Infrastructure (GI) Guidance
• York's GI Ambition
• Planning Policy Context
• Biodiversity Net Gain
• Local Nature Recovery Strategy
• LNRS Consultation
• Background to LNRS
• Pollinator strategy
• Key supporting evidence

Also see

• Conservation and archaeology
• York: Fairtrade City