Working towards a sustainable environment



With the ongoing Brexit negotiations continuing to cause confusion and uncertainty, edie has pieced together a new ‘Matrix’ which clearly explains the impacts that the UK’s various exit scenarios would have on environmental policy.




The free-to-download Brexit Matrix provides a much-needed overview of how the UK's different exit scenarios would impact green policy

The free-to-download Brexit Matrix provides a much-needed overview of how the UK’s different exit scenarios would impact green policy

The UK is currently set to crash out of the European Union at 11pm on Friday (12 April). So far, MPs have rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement on numerous occasions, making the possibility of a no-deal Brexit much more severe.

Against this confusing, uncertain and somewhat tumultuous backdrop, the edie editorial team (with support from a few green policy experts) has mapped out the potential ramifications of Brexit for the green economy, whatever the outcome.


edie’s Green Brexit Matrix is a free-to-download pdf which gives a snapshot of current green policies that derive from the EU, such as chemical use and renewable energy targets, and explains what will happen to those areas of the green economy if the current withdrawal agreement sneaks through Parliament, or the UK crashes out in a no-deal scenario.

Latest updates…

The free-to-download Matrix should prove useful to any energy and sustainability professionals who are unsure of which scenario to back. But, as with all things Brexit, the information within this Matrix could be subject to change.

Even today (9 April), it is believed that Environment Secretary Michael Gove is outlining environment protections and policies as part of a talk between the Government and Labour, but it is believed that a lot of environmental policies will be transposed into Brexit law as part of any withdrawal agreement, existing or otherwise.

Yesterday evening (8 April), Parliament also passed a bill introduced by Labour MP Yvette Cooper which has since received Royal Assent and become law. That bill aims to force Prime Minister May to ask the EU for a further extension and ensure that no-deal is struck from the possible outcomes. However, the final decision on granting an extension remains with the EU.

There is also a Government motion taking place this week to approve May’s request to move the Brexit date to 30 June 2019, although an early withdrawal date can still be agreed.

Even will all these quick-fire changes, edie’s Brexit Matrix provides some much-needed clarity on the potential outcomes of the withdrawal process, with many areas of the green economy already having transitional plans or new and existing UK policies in place to ensure the UK continues to deliver its green commitments.

Click here to ‘enter the Matrix’…

edie staff