Environment Agency

The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Established in 1995, the Agency is responsible for the protection and enhancement of the environment in England. As a result, the Environment Agency is responsible for a number of the schemes and legislation that impacts on the energy sector and how an organisation engages with their energy management.

The Environment Agency are responsible for the administration of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), a mandatory energy assessment requirement of all large businesses in the UK. They do not, however, administer SECR legislation, which is handled by BEIS. The Environment Agency is also responsible for the issue of Environmental Permits, that cover activity that risks impacting on air, water or land pollution, flood risk or land drainage. Many industrial sites or manufacturers that operate in sectors such as chemicals may require an Environmental Permit.

While the Environment Agency are responsible for the administration of ESOS and their various other environmental protections in England, separate bodies exist for the rest of the UK. Natural Resources Wales, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency administer their respective countries, while activities that are considered mainly or wholly offshore are administered directly by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).