Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 July 2026
Letter from the Under Secretary of State for Nature relating to the National Security Assessment on global biodiversity loss, 14 July 2026
Summary
Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Nature responding to the Environmental Audit Committee's June enquiry about the National Security Assessment on global biodiversity loss published in January 2026. The minister defends the Government's transparency, outlines its cross-government coordination efforts including a new Taskforce on climate and nature security risks, and details £6 billion in international climate finance and £6.7 billion in additional climate and nature-positive public finance commitments.
Key findings
- Government rejects suggestion it briefed media on withheld information; states the published Assessment is its full public position
- Government launched first-ever Taskforce on National Security and Resilience Risks of a Changing Climate and Nature Loss in June 2026
- Three-year Nature Security R&D Programme commissioned and out to tender, focused on indicators, early warning systems, and understanding ecosystem degradation risks
- UK allocating £6 billion of International Climate Finance over three years with nature as priority; additional £6.7 billion of UK-backed climate and nature-positive public finance committed
- Assessment highlights biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation as threats to national resilience, global stability, and economic security
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Mary Creagh CBE MP, Toby Perkins MP, Environmental Audit Committee, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Taskforce on the National Security and Resilience Risks of a Changing Climate and Nature Loss
Notable line
“Nature underpins the UK's security, prosperity and resilience , and understanding the risks from biodiversity loss is an important part of effective national security planning.”
Key Quotes
“I do not accept the suggestion that the Government has briefed the media on information withheld from the Committee.”
“… the findings in the Assessment are stark enough. The focus should be on how we use the evidence published on 20 January to strengthen our resilience, support early action and work with partners to reduce future disruption.”
“Nature underpins the UK's security, prosperity and resilience , and understanding the risks from biodiversity loss is an important part of effective national security planning.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗