Is biodiversity addressed effectively at local and regional levels?
3.2.1 There is an improving and strengthening policy framework to protect biodiversity at local and regional levels in England. The NERC biodiversity duty should be a real catalyst for increased consideration of biodiversity conservation. There is also clear and explicit policy with regard spatial planning in new planning legislation[12] and associated policy statements[13] (e.g. PPS 1, 9 & 11). 3.2.2 Regional and local biodiversity partnerships have played a significant role in influencing the development of policy, identifying priorities, and directing local conservation action. To facilitate this, Natural England employs regional biodiversity coordinators and has increased its funding for LBAPs to 800,000 per year for the next three years. 3.2.3 There is, however, inadequate implementation and monitoring of the effectiveness of regional and local policies and too little positive action for conservation on the ground. 3.3 How successful has the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) be
