The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proposes major reforms to local government, including creating new Strategic Authorities and shifting powers from Westminster to local areas across England. Ahead of Report Stage in the Lords next week, Peers for the Planet’s @Alasdair Johnston highlights where Peers are focusing their efforts to strengthen the Bill . Climate and nature duty Firstly, there is a cross-party proposal to place a climate and nature duty

Often referred to as “forever chemicals”, PFAS are a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer products and industrial processes around the world. They are highly persistent, resisting breakdown and accumulating in the environment, wildlife and our bodies over time. A growing body of research points to increasing concerns about their impacts on human health, particularly for children. In recent weeks, Peers have been raising the profile of PFAS in th

By Baroness Boycott, Vice-Chair of Peers for the Planet Published by ParliamentNews on the 20 January 2026 There are moments in public policy when warning signs are visible long before action is taken. Asbestos was once hailed as a miracle material, widely used in homes, schools and workplaces, it was only decades later that its deadly consequences became undeniable - by which point the harm was done and the legal reckoning inevitable. Today, we risk repeating that mistake