An adjustment by the UK government to the biodiversity net gain (BNG) legislation, meaning local authorities need to justify increasing their minimum net biodiversity improvement level, undermines nature restoration efforts, a consultant has said.

The unexpected change weakens the ability of local authorities to deliver positive outcomes for biodiversity, said Samuel Sinclair, director of consultancy Biodiversify.

Local authorities have the potential to be a “powerful force for good” by representing nature in the planning system, but they do not have enough support from the government, he told Carbon Pulse.