Debate on protecting and restoring river habitats

A debate has been scheduled for Westminster Hall on 29 January 2026, on protecting and restoring river habitats. The subject for the debate has been chosen by the Backbench Business Committee, and the debate will be opened by Lloyd Hatton MP.

River habitats include the natural environments surrounding rivers or other watercourses.

Challenges and threats for river habitats

Rivers are important natural habitats that have a range of important functions. They are ecologically important with a high biodiversity value that also provide a wide range of ecosystem services. For example, they are a source of freshwater for drinking and agriculture and have an important role in flood management. However, they suffer from a range human impacts that affect their ecological statues and their ability to deliver these services. These include:

• pollution from various sources
• physical modifications of rivers for development or flood prevention purposes, which affect flows downstream and impact species and habitats
• development and urbanisation of surrounding areas
• pressures from climate change

All of the above have can have a detrimental impact on the ability of river habitats to carry out their natural functions, and can impact their resilience to change.

Current state of river habitats in England

The government published an updated Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) in 2025. The EIP is the strategic framework to achieve the government targets set out in the Environment Act 2021 and improving natural environment up to 2043, and includes specific targets that relate to water quality and river environments.

The government reports on progress through Defra’s Environmental Indicator Framework, which consists of 66 indicators that describe environmental change in relation to the main goals of the EIP. The framework supports the statutory cycle of monitoring, planning and reporting on progress in improving the environment as established by the Environment Act 2021.

Under this framework, the Environment Agency is responsible for reporting on specific water indicators. Reporting on indicator B3: State of the water environment, last updated in 2025 based on 2019 data, shows that 17% of rivers achieved good ecological status (defined as a slight change from natural state as a result of human impact) and 1% achieved a high ecological status (a natural or almost natural state with no, or only minor evidence of distortion).

Government policy

Rivers and their surrounding environments fall under the policy direction of Defra. However, the governance of rivers is complex, and in practice other regulators are also responsible for setting targets and enforcing regulations relating to rivers. Several different plans and strategies set out targets for improving water quality, reducing sources of pollution (for example, from sewage, agriculture and surface water run-off), and reducing biodiversity loss.

In addition to targets, the government also provides support for restoring river habitats. For example, funding for farmers and land managers can deliver habitat restoration or nature-based solutions to flood prevention, while developer contributions from new housing can support biodiversity net gain.

More information about government policies is set out in the debate pack.

Stakeholder views

Several environmental groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have campaigned to preserve or restore river habitats, as well as to tackle the sources of river pollution.

For example, the Riverscapes Partnership is a coalition of environmental and heritage charities and non-governmental organisations, including the Rivers Trust, National Trust, Woodland Trust and Beaver Trust. It launched a campaign in October 2025, Making Space for Water, calling on MPs and the government to “support farmers and landowners to maintain a network of nature-rich river corridors”.