Who will uphold environmental law after Brexit? Lords to ask industry experts

The discussion follows on from the Committee's 2017 inquiry Brexit: environment and climate change, which recommended that an independent domestic enforcement mechanism should be established in order to replace the powers of the European Commission and CJEU to enforce environmental obligations.

The Government's draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, published in December 2018, includes provisions to establish an Office for Environmental Protection. The Committee will explore whether this new office will be effective in taking enforcement action on environmental law and in ensuring that Brexit does not result in a reduction in environmental protection.

• Martin Baxter, member of the Broadway Initiative's project board
• Professor Charlotte Burns, co-chair of the Brexit and Environment Network
• Ruth Chambers, senior parliamentary affairs associate at Green Alliance
• Begonia Filgueira, the UK Environmental Law Association's Brexit Task Force Co-Chair
• Professor Richard Macrory, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Law at University College London
• Debbie Tripley, legal advisor at WWF
• Tom West, UK Environment Lead at ClientEarth
  

Topics which are likely to be covered include:

• Whether the proposed Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) is sufficiently independent
• Whether it has the powers it will need to hold the Government to account
• Whether it should have a UK-wide remit
• Whether its proposed remit should be extended to include legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• What changes would need to enable the OEP to enforce any ‘non-regression' clause that might be agreed as part of a Withdrawal Agreement
  

The evidence session is open to the public. If you would like to attend or arrange to speak with Lord Teverson, Chair of the Committee, please contact Anouska Russell on 02072198535 or email russellaf@parliament.uk