A Bill to require the Secretary of State to achieve climate and nature targets for the United Kingdom; to give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets; to establish a Climate and Nature Assembly to advise the Secretary of State in creating that strategy; to give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to require the Secretary of State to achieve climate and nature targets for the United Kingdom; to give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets; to establish a Climate and Nature Assembly to advise the Secretary of State in creating that strategy; to give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets; and for connected purposes.
establishes a temporary climate and nature (citizens') assembly to recommend measures for inclusion in an all-of-government strategy.
Over the 2019-24 Parliament, the bill was presented twice by (the former Green MP for Brighton Pavilion) Caroline Lucas. In the 2019-21 session, the first reading of the CE Bill (Bill 172, 2019-20) took place on 2 September 2020.
In the 2021-22 session, the CE Bill (Bill 61, 2021-22) had its first reading on 21 June 2021. A second reading debate was scheduled for 6 May 2022—but the bill was not allocated time to proceed.
In the 2022-23 session, the CE Bill (HL Bill 13) was introduced in the House of Lords by (Liberal Democrat peer and former energy spokesperson) Lord Redesdale. Its first reading took place on 21 May 2022, second reading was 15 July 2022, committee stage was 18 November 2022, report stage was 25 January 2023, and third reading was 21 April. Liberal Democrat MP, Wera Hobhouse, 'carried over' the bill to the House of Commons.
In the same 2022-23 session, the CE Bill (No.2) (Bill 304, 2022-23) was reintroduced in the House of Commons by Olivia Blake (Labour, Sheffield Hallam) on 10 May 2023. At that moment, the Labour Party offered its support for the "ambition and objectives" of the bill.[1]
In the 2023-24 session, the CAN Bill (Bill 192, 2023-24) was reintroduced in the House of Commons by Alex Sobel MP (Labour/Co-op, Leeds North West) on 21 March 2024.
In the new 2024-29 Parliament, the Liberal Democrat MP for the South Cotswolds, Roz Savage, tabled the CAN Bill (Bill 14, 2024-25) on 16 October. Dr Savage was drawn third in the 2024 private members' bill ballot and, unlike earlier presentations of the bill, was allocated parliamentary to progress in the 2024-25 session. Its second reading took place on 24 January 2025, but was adjourned until 11 July 2025.
Objectives
The bill would "require the Secretary of State to achieve climate and nature targets for the UK; to give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets; to establish a climate and nature assembly to advise the Secretary of State in creating that strategy; [and] to give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets."[2][3][4][5]
The bill is a neat means of doing two things. It highlights how much our politicians are defying the urgency of the moment and—by presenting clear and precise proposals to drastically reduce carbon emissions and restore biodiversity in the same typefaces and official vocabulary as the laws that define whole swathes of our lives—it makes the prospect of radical action eminently imaginable.[6]
It’s time for a new generation to carry us forward. A Climate and Nature Act can deliver the bold, new, science-led framework Britain needs; and begin to restore the UK’s position as a leader on climate and nature action. As the Climate Change Act did in 2008, this is the moment to offer hope. Hope that—yes—this generation of political leaders can turn the tide.
For the 2022-23 session, the CE Bill was entered in the House of Lords new session private members' bill ballot by (Liberal Democrat peer) Lord Redesdale. It was drawn 8 of 25 private member's bills. Its first reading took place on 21 May 2022 and its second reading on 15 July 2022. At its second reading, a cross-party group of peers spoke in favour, including Baroness Hooper (Conservative), Baroness Boycott (Crossbench), the Bishop of St Albans, (Liberal Democrat peers) Lord Teverson and Lord Oates, and (Green peer) Baroness Bennett. At committee stage, Lord Redesdale amended the bill to focus on its nature target in light of the agreement reached at COP15 for nations to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. The amended bill—the Ecology Bill—passed through its House of Lords stages successfully, and was handed over to Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat MP for Bath) on 25 April 2023.
In the new 2024-29 Parliament, record-breaking ocean rower and Liberal Democrat MP for the South Cotswolds, Roz Savage, tabled the CAN Bill on 16 October. Dr Savage was drawn third in the 2024 private members' bill ballot and, unlike earlier presentations of the bill, will be allocated parliamentary time for the bill to progress in the 2024-25 session. Co-sponsors include Clive Lewis MP, Simon Opher and 9 other MPs.[10][11]
Zero Hour campaign
Zero Hour (formerly, the CEE Bill Alliance) is a 70,000 person-strong grassroots organisation working to build support for the bill by persuading MPs, peers, mayors, councillors, local authorities, electoral candidates and political parties—as well as businesses, unions, community groups, NGOs, charities, cooperatives, and media organisations—to endorse the proposed legislation.
At the time of Roz Savage's announcement that she will reintroduce the CAN Bill on 10 October 2024, 182 MPs (from 11 political parties), 64 peers, 371 local authorities, and the London Assembly were backing the bill.
In the 2019-24 Parliament, Conservative supporters in the House of Commons included Peter Bottomley, Roger Gale and Derek Thomas. Former Conservative MP, Laurence Robertson, stated that he "supports the aims and principles of the bill" on 15 June 2022.[14] The former Scottish Conservatives' leader, Douglas Ross, said he would have considered "signing the bill when it comes to the Commons for a vote".
Roger Gale and Simon Hoare are currently the only Conservative MPs backing the CAN Bill; however, Mark Garnier, the MP for Wyre Forest, has met CAN Bill supporters to discuss the bill; as have many other Conservative MPs, peers and councillors.
On 2 December 2021, the London Assembly passed a cross-party motion to back the bill—proposed by Zack Polanski AM (Green) and Leonie Cooper AM (Labour/Co-op).[15] The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, subsequently confirmed his support on 15 July 2022 [16] and the former chair of London Councils—now MP and Cabinet Office minister—Georgia Gould confirmed her support on 18 April 2023. Metro-mayors Tracy Brabin and Andy Burnham also support the CAN Bill, as do other directly elected and ceremonial mayors.
Nature & Climate Declaration
Over 2022, Zero Hour organised a UK-wide, all-party initiative—a Nature & Climate Declaration—to attract the support of councillors, mayors, and devolved legislators to the key principles of the CE Bill. It was supported by 2,000 politicians[17] when the Declaration was launched and debated in the Commons in November 2022, including:
Angus Robertson MSP (SNP; Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, Scottish Government), Lorna Slater MSP (Scottish Green; former Minister for Biodiversity, Scottish Government), Sandesh Gulhane MSP (Scottish Conservative; Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care), Cllr Norman Hampshire (Scottish Labour; Leader, East Lothian Council) and Cllr Steve Delaney (Scottish Liberal Democrat; Depute Provost, Aberdeen City Council)
Siân Gwenllian MS (Deputy Leader, Plaid Cymru), Jenny Rathbone MS (Welsh Labour; Climate Change & Environment Committee, Senedd Cymru), Cllr Terry Mendies (Welsh Conservative; Denbighshire County Council), Cllr Gareth Morgan (Welsh Liberal Democrat; Powys County Council) and Cllr Ros Griffiths-Williams (Welsh Green; Conwy County Borough Council)
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