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The Government has announced that development of an Environmental Markets Governance Scheme for the UK is underway, with Defra funding Broadway Initiative to take the work forward through the Nature Markets Dialogue. 

Today Defra has published Growing Places: Mobilising private finance for local nature recovery.  

Addressing Government plans for Market Oversight, the report says:

"We are working with industry and devolved governments to explore an independent oversight mechanism for UK nature markets. This Environmental Market Governance Scheme would be a voluntary, industry-led mechanism, with registration conditional on compliance with the scheme rules."

"Defra has provided funding to support initial work on the scoping and design of the Scheme, and will provide further support to establish the Scheme subject to approval of the final design. This aims to test whether independent oversight provides enough practical, reputational and market value for participants, buyers and other stakeholders." 

Over the next six months, current and potential environmental market participants and market stakeholders will have an opportunity to shape the Scheme through a programme of consultation and engagement ahead of an expected launch of the Scheme in mid-2027. 

The Scheme will be independently administered by the not-for-profit Environmental Markets Board Limited under arrangements agreed with Broadway. 

The Development Programme will be launched at a webinar on 6th November, where a panel of stakeholders will explain the genesis of the scheme, discuss the governance gaps it aims to fill, and explain how the Scheme aims to increase confidence and reduce complexity and cost of environmental market participation in the UK.

Register to attend the webinar, and if you are unable to join us on 6th November you can still sign up to the Nature Markets Dialogue, to make sure you are kept up to date with all future opportunities to have your say.

Formal incorporation of Environmental Markets Board Limited

On 27th February 2026 the Environmental Markets Board was formally established as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee to enable it to promote and provide oversight of environmental markets in the UK.

Board Statement on the potential acquisition of EnTrade

The Environmental Markets Board (Board) notes the announcement by EnTrade Ltd (EnTrade) on 20th January 2026, that EnTrade and its parent group YTL UK are in discussions with Arup, an existing shareholder in EnTrade, to take forward the ongoing operation of the EnTrade business.

In line with the Market Operator Agreement in place between the Board and EnTrade, the Board will continue working with EnTrade to demonstrate to the Board’s reasonable satisfaction that EnTrade’s:

• Contracts with existing Buyers and Suppliers, and any other obligations and liabilities to third parties will be honoured; and
• Funding held for Compliance and Performance Monitoring will continue to be held separately and used solely for that purpose.

The Board is looking forward to working with EnTrade and Arup as it enters its next phase.

Additionally, and following a legal review of the Board’s role and operation undertaken last year, the Board is currently establishing itself as a separate legal entity.