"The European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union have had a strong impact in ensuring the UK’s compliance with EU legislation that affects environmental protection… An effective and independent domestic enforcement mechanism will be necessary, in order to fill the vacuum left by the European Commission in ensuring the compliance of the Government and public authorities with environmental obligations," the report said.
According to the committee, transposing of the EU environmental legislation into Britain's law through the Great Repeal Bill would be "immensely complex," though it would ensure some stability regarding environmental legislation, while "returning the responsibility for regulatory and judicial oversight" to London.
However, the report stressed that there still remained a great number of questions regarding future UK environmental law.
"International agreements will continue to shape aspects of the UK’s environment and climate change policies post-Brexit. Given that such agreements are often less detailed than the EU legislation through which they are implemented, and lack the institutional enforcement mechanisms offered by the EU, the Government will need to consider carefully the means by which they are given effect in domestic law, so as to ensure that the UK’s adherence to its international commitments is not watered down post-Brexit," the report said.
The Great Repeal Bill was introduced by UK Prime Minister Theresa May in October 2016 to ensure smooth Brexit. The law envisages repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act, which makes EU laws part of Britain's legal system, and is aimed at easing the process of converting existing EU laws into domestic laws.
The United Kingdom is preparing to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, formally beginning its withdrawal process from the European Union, by the end of March.
