The United Kingdom is preparing for stricter air pollution controls as part of the updated Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), unveiled by the Labour government on Monday, December 1, 2025. According to new targets aimed at elevating air quality standards to match the European Union's requirements, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces in England could be subject to tighter restrictions, potentially leading to a partial ban. The updated plan also includes ambitious nature recovery goals designed to alleviate public concerns regarding the impact of intensive housebuilding, reports The WP Times with reference to The Guardian.
The primary focus of the EIP is a fortified campaign against PM2.5 fine particulate matter, exposure to which is linked to serious health conditions including asthma, lung disease, and heart disease. The new plan outlines a consultation on possible measures to reduce emissions, particularly from fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, as domestic combustion accounted for 20% of PM2.5 emissions in 2023, surpassing levels produced by road traffic. Specifically, pollution limits may be tightened in smoke control areas, potentially leading to an effective ban on older appliances or a complete prohibition on the use of wood-burning stoves in certain locations. The new annual PM2.5 concentration target is being lowered to align with EU requirements (10 µg/m³ by 2030), with the ultimate goal of meeting the level recommended by the WHO (5 µg/m³).
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds noted that nature recovery efforts will now be implemented at a “strategic level,” rather than through the previous piecemeal approach. This is intended to ensure that even with the government’s push for housing and infrastructure construction, a net gain in habitats will be achieved. As part of the EIP, £500 million of existing departmental funds has been allocated to large-scale landscape recovery projects. The specific goal is to restore or create 250,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats by 2030.
The EIP, which is required under the Environment Act, will for the first time include detailed target delivery plans, allowing progress to be accurately measured. Emma Reynolds stressed that the previous EIP, adopted under the Conservative administration, was “not credible,” because it lacked such implementation strategies. Other commitments within the plan include ensuring every household is within a 15-minute walk of green space or a waterway, introducing a new plan to reduce “forever chemicals” (PFAS) in the environment, and cracking down on illegal waste dumping. Ruth Chambers from the Green Alliance thinktank called the new EIP an “important milestone” requiring swift and sustained action.
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