Corporate report

Environment Agency EA2025: updates 2021 to 2022

Updated 31 October 2022

EA2025 translates our vision for the future into action.

We will protect and enhance the environment as a whole and contribute to sustainable development.

The plan sets out 3 long term goals:

  • a nation resilient to climate change
  • healthy air, land and water
  • green growth and a sustainable future

These goals will drive everything we do today, tomorrow and to 2025. They:

  • champion sustainable development
  • support our work to create better places
  • challenge us to tackle the climate emergency
  • deliver a green economic recovery for everyone

This annual update shows where we have made changes to the EA2025 in 2021 to 2022, particularly in the way we measure our performance.

How we know we are succeeding

Goal - a nation resilient to climate change

5 Year Aims 2021 to 2022 metric 2021 to 2022 out-turn target
1. By 2025 we will have created more climate resilient places and infrastructure, by ensuring the nation is prepared for flooding, coastal change and drought a) We reduce the risk of flooding for more properties
b) We maintain our flood and coastal risk management assets at or above the target condition
a) cumulative total of 45,000 properties by end of financial year
b) 98% of high risk Environment Agency maintained assets at target condition 
2. By 2025 we will be a stronger leader on climate adaptation and resilience, encouraging others to act now on the climate emergency We deliver our strategic adaptation actions to tackle the climate emergency 90% of adaptation actions delivered from our Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy and Adaptation Report
3. By 2025 we will be a recognised and trusted incident management organisation responding rapidly to environmental emergencies to protect people and the environment  We have a first class incident response capability - proportion of trained staff utilised in core incident roles number of staff cumulative and percentage 80% utilisation rate

Goal - healthy air, land and water

5 Year Aims 2021 to 2022 metric 2021 to 2022 out-turn target
4. By 2025 air will be cleaner and healthier Air quality is improving - nonitor the reductions across 5 priority pollutants:

NOX (oxides of nitrogen)
SOX (oxides of sulphur)
NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compound)
NH3 (ammonia)
particulates in the refineries sector
 
5. By 2025 rivers, lakes, groundwater and coasts will have better water quality and will be better places for people and wildlife Kilometres of the water environment enhanced 1,650km
6. By 2025 nature and land is better protected and enhanced We increase biodiversity and promote an environmental net gain by creating more and better habitats for the benefit of people and wildlife 620 hectares total (restoration and creation of habitat)

Goal - green growth and a sustainable future

5 Year Aims 2021 to 2022 metric 2021 to 2022 out-turn target
7. By 2025 we will achieve cleaner, greener growth by supporting businesses and communities to make good choices, through our roles as a regulator, adviser and operator We successfully influence planning decisions by local planning authorities 97% of decisions taken in line with our advice
8. By 2025 we will have cut waste crime and helped develop a circular economy We reduce the number of high risk illegal waste sites 200 sites
9. By 2025 we will be on track to deliver our sustainable business commitments, including to be net zero by 2030 27,342 tonnes  

Goal - cross cutting enabling aims

5 Year Aims 2021 to 2022 metric metric and out-turn target
We manage our money efficiently to deliver our outcomes Achieve 100% spend to budget
The proportion of our staff who are from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic background 14% of workforce (cumulative)
The proportion of our executive managers who are female 50% of executive manager workforce
We have the lowest possible lost time incident (LTI) frequency rate Achieve a lost time incident frequency rate of 0.11 per 100,000 hours worked or better