England's government announced, in late January, plans to make it so all citizens to live within 15 minutes of green space or water. The plan outlines how ministers intend to clean up air and water, boost nature, and reduce waste over the next five years in England. Among the plans are the creation or restoration of at least 2,000 square miles of wildlife habitats; restoring 400 miles of England's rivers; and new targets for 2028 in reducing plastic, glass, metal, paper, and food waste. Access to green spaces varies considerably in the UK; in 2020, Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that black people in England are nearly four times less likely than white people to have access to outdoor space at home. The government promised in 2018 to leave the environment in a better state for future generations, yet in early February 2023, the Office for Environmental Protection said efforts were "far short" of what is needed. Between 1970-2018, figures show key animals and plants declined by 82%. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak remarked, "This plan provides the blueprint for how we deliver our commitment to leave our environment in a better state than we found it, making sure we drive forward progress with renewed ambition and achieve our target of not just halting, but reversing the decline of nature."
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