Accredited official statistics

3. Overview of assessment of change for all indicators and their component measures

Updated 10 December 2024

Applies to England

1. Key messages

Overall, more indicators are deteriorating or showing no change than improving, over both the long and short term (Figure 1).

• No indicators have changed category over the short term to become improving. Some indicators already showing improvement in the long term remained as improving in the short term.
• Of those indicators which have been improving in the long term, many have begun to show no change or even deteriorate in the short term.
• Of those indicators which have been deteriorating in the long term, some have stopped deteriorating in the short term.

Figure 1. A summary of long-term and short-term indicator assessments, 2024

Notes about Figure 1

• Figure 1 shows how the assessment of changes for indicators depending on the time frame assessed. Left hand bars represent the long term assessment results, while right hand bars represent the short term assessment results. The change between long term and short term results are highlighted in the shaded flows.
• The data labels do not sum to 100%, as indicators with insufficient data or which are not assessed are not included. In addition, one measure, Condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, is assessed over the short term, but not over the long term.

2. Assessment of change: all measures

There are 34 individual measures that make up 20 indicators, of those 34 measures, some are unsuitable for a formal assessment of change (for instance they may have insufficient data or are in development). In 2024, 29 are suitable for assessment.

In the long term:

• 12 measures (35%) show an improvement
• 6 measures (18%) show little or no overall change and
• 11 measures (32%) show a deterioration.

There are insufficient data to make long-term assessments for 3 measures (9%), and 2 measures (6%) are not assessed.

In the short term:

• 7 measures (21%) show an improvement
• 10 measures (29%) show little or no overall change and
• 13 measures (38%) show a deterioration.

There are insufficient data to make short-term assessments for 2 measures (6%), and 2 measures (6%) are not assessed.

Figure 2. Long-term and short-term indicator assessments by direction of change, all measures, 2024

Notes about Figure 2

• Based on 34 measures, which make up 20 indicators.

Tables 1 to 3 at the bottom of this page show the assessment results of all the measures when separated into ‘pressure’, ‘state’ and ‘benefit’ categories. Figure 2 summarises the results for all measures, Figures 3 to 5 break the results down by category.

3. Assessment of change using a Natural Capital Framework

Natural capital is defined as the elements of the environment which provide valuable goods and services to people such as clean air, clean water, food, and recreation. A natural capital approach is advocated as it accounts for all the different ways the environment benefits society and so can inform better decision making. A natural capital framework sets out the need to:

• reduce pressures on natural capital (for example, pollution or plant disease)
• improve the state of natural assets (including air, water, land and seas)
• increase the benefits that we get from those assets

The Biodiversity Indicators can be considered as either a measure of (a) the extent or condition (i.e. state) of natural capital assets, (b) pressures on natural capital assets, or (c) the benefits associated with natural capital assets. This classification is not always straightforward since the condition of one natural capital asset (for example, water quality) may place a pressure on another (for example, wildlife habitat).

3.1 Assessment of change in extent or condition (state) of natural capital assets

The England Biodiversity Indicators contain 13 indicators made up of 26 measures which relate to the extent or condition of biodiversity related natural assets. Of these, 26 measures have sufficient data for an assessment of change in either the long or short term.

Table 1 shows the assessment results for all those indicators which relate to the extent or condition of biodiversity related natural assets, Figure 3 summarises these results visually.

In 2024, of those 26 measures which relate to the state of natural capital assets, 11 are deteriorating in the long term, whilst only 9 are improving in the long term.

There are some signs of positive change across these indicators. Of those 11 indicators which have been deteriorating in the long term, 3 have stabilised in the short term, suggesting a halting of the historical decline in the state of the assets these indicators measure. These measures are:

• Relative abundance of farmland specialist butterflies
• Change in relative abundance of all species
• Change in relative abundance of priority species

There are also some less positive trends in the indicators this year. Of those 9 indicators which have been improving in the long term, 5 have deteriorated or shown no change in the short term, suggesting that previous improvements in the assets these indicators measure may be lost. These measures are:

• Breeding wetland birds
• Wintering waterbirds
• Local sites under positive conservation management
• Extent of protected areas on land
• Bat populations

Of those 11 indicators which have been deteriorating in the long term, 8 are also deteriorating in the short term, suggesting that we are yet to impact the state of the natural assets which these indicators measure. These indicators are:

• All breeding birds
• Breeding birds on farmland
• Breeding birds in woodland
• Habitat specialist butterflies
• Woodland specialist butterflies
• Distribution of priority species
• Percentage of habitats of European importance in favourable or improving conservation status
• Percentage of species of European importance in favourable or improving conservation status

There are no indicators which are improving in both the long and short term.

Figure 3. Long-term and short-term indicator assessments by direction of change, for indicators of extent or condition of natural capital assets, 2024

Notes about Figure 3

• Based on 26 measures, which make up 13 indicators.

3.2 Assessment of change in pressures on natural capital assets

The England Biodiversity Indicators contain 2 indicators made up of 3 measures which relate to the pressures on biodiversity related natural assets. Of these, 2 have sufficient data for an assessment of change in either the long or short term.

Table 2 shows the assessment results for all those indicators which relate to the pressures on biodiversity related natural assets, Figure 4 summarises these results visually.

In 2024, of those 2 measures which relate to the state of natural capital assets, 1 is improving, 1 is showing little change and none are deteriorating in the long term.

There are some signs of positive change across these indicators. The 1 indicator which has been improving in the long term is also improving in the short term, suggesting that we have maintained positive progress for:

• Air pollution area affected by acidity

The 1 indicator which has been showing no change in the long term is also showing no change in the short term, suggesting that we are yet to reduce the pressure this indicator measures:

• Air pollution area affected by nutrient nitrogen deposition

Figure 4. Long-term and short-term indicator assessments by direction of change, for indicators of pressures on natural capital assets, 2024

Notes about Figure 4

• Based on 3 measures, which make up 2 indicators.

3.3 Assessment of change in the benefits associated with natural capital assets

The England Biodiversity Indicators contain 4 indicators made up of 4 measures which relate to the benefits associated with natural capital assets. Of these, 2 have sufficient data for an assessment of change in either the long or short term.

Table 3 shows the assessment results for all those indicators which relate to the benefits associated with biodiversity related natural assets, Figure 5 summarises these results visually.

In 2024, of those 2 measures which relate to the benefits associated with natural capital assets, 2 are improving in the long term. These indicators remain improving in the short term, suggesting we have maintained positive progress in the areas of:

• Cumulative net removal of greenhouse gases by forests
• Taking action for the environment: volunteer time spent in conservation

Figure 5. Long-term and short-term indicator assessments by direction of change, for indicators of the benefits associated with natural capital assets, 2024

Notes about Figure 5

• Based on 4 measures, which make up 4 indicators.

4. Assessment results tables

Table 1. Assessment of change in extent or condition (state) of natural capital assets

Indicator	Measure	Long term period	Long term	Short term period	Short term
Area of forestry land under certified sustainable management schemes	Percentage of woodland certified as sustainably managed	2001 to 2024	Little or no overall change	2019 to 2024	Deteriorating
Area of land in agri-environment schemes	Area of land under higher-level or targeted agri-environment schemes	1987 to 2022	Improving	2017 to 2022	Improving
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	All breeding birds	1970 to 2023	Deteriorating	2018 to 2023	Deteriorating
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Breeding birds on farmland	1970 to 2023	Deteriorating	2018 to 2023	Deteriorating
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Breeding birds in woodland	1970 to 2023	Deteriorating	2018 to 2023	Deteriorating
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Breeding wetland birds	1975 to 2023	Improving	2018 to 2023	Deteriorating
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Breeding seabirds	1986 to 2023	Little or no overall change	2018 to 2023	Little or no overall change
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Wintering waterbirds	1975/1976 to 2022/2023	Improving	2017/2018 to 2022/2023	Deteriorating
Birds of the wider countryside and at sea	Breeding upland birds	1994 to 2023	Little or no overall change	2018 to 2023	Little or no overall change
Extent and condition of protected areas	Extent of protected areas on land	2005 to 2024	Improving	2019 to 2024	Little or no overall change
Extent and condition of protected areas	Extent of protected areas at sea	2005 to 2024	Improving	2019 to 2024	Improving
Extent and condition of protected areas	Condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest		Insufficient data	2019 to 2024	Deteriorating
Funding for biodiversity	Public sector expenditure on biodiversity	2000/2001 to 2022/2023	Improving	2017/2018 to 2022/2023	Improving
Funding for biodiversity	Non-governmental organisation expenditure on biodiversity in the UK	2010/2011 to 2022/2023	Improving	2017/2018 to 2022/2023	Improving
Insects of the wider countryside butterflies	All-species of butterfly	1976 to 2023	Little or no overall change	2013 to 2023	Little or no overall change
Insects of the wider countryside butterflies	Habitat specialist butterflies	1990 to 2023	Deteriorating	2013 to 2023	Deteriorating
Insects of the wider countryside butterflies	Generalist butterflies	1990 to 2023	Little or no overall change	2013 to 2023	Little or no overall change
Insects of the wider countryside butterflies	Farmland specialist butterflies	1990 to 2023	Deteriorating	2013 to 2023	Little or no overall change
Insects of the wider countryside butterflies	Woodland specialist butterflies	1990 to 2023	Deteriorating	2013 to 2023	Deteriorating
Integrating biodiversity considerations into local decision making	Local sites under positive conservation management	2008/9 to 2022/23	Improving	2017/18 to 2022/23	Deteriorating
Mammals of the wider countryside (bats)	Bat populations	1999 to 2022	Improving	2017 to 2022	Little or no overall change
Status of all species: relative abundance	Relative abundance of all-species	1970 to 2022	Deteriorating	2017 to 2022	Little or no overall change
Status of priority species: distribution	Distribution of priority species	1970 to 2016	Deteriorating	2011 to 2016	Deteriorating
Status of priority species: relative abundance	Relative abundance of priority species	1970 to 2022	Deteriorating	2017 to 2022	Little or no overall change
Status of threatened habitats: habitats of European importance	Percentage of habitats of European importance in favourable or improving conservation status	2007 to 2019	Deteriorating	2013 to 2019	Deteriorating
Status of threatened species: species of European importance	Percentage of species of European importance in favourable or improving conservation status	2007 to 2019	Deteriorating	2013 to 2019	Deteriorating

Table 2. Assessment of change in pressures on natural capital assets

Indicator	Measure	Long term period	Long term	Short term period	Short term
Pressures on biodiversity: air pollution	Air pollution: area affected by acidity	2003 to 2021	Improving	2016 to 2021	Improving
Pressures on biodiversity: air pollution	Air pollution: area affected by nutrient nitrogen deposition	2004 to 2021	Little or no overall change	2017 to 2021	Little or no overall change
Spring index	Timing of biological events: Spring Index		Not assessed		Not assessed

Table 3. Assessment of change in the benefits associated with natural capital assets

Indicator	Measure	Long term period	Long term	Short term period	Short term
Biodiversity and ecosystem services: greenhouse gas removal by forests	Cumulative net removal of greenhouse gases by forests	1990 to 2022	Improving	2017 to 2022	Improving
Public awareness, understanding and support for conservation	Proportion of people highly engaged with the issue of biodiversity loss		Insufficient data		Insufficient data
Taking action for the environment: households encouraging wildlife in their garden	Wildlife gardening		Insufficient data		Insufficient data
Taking action for the environment: volunteer time spent in conservation	Conservation volunteering	2000 to 2022	Improving	2017 to 2022	Improving