On 21st November, the EA published its second annual Chief Regulator’s Report. Composed by the EA’s Chief Regulator Jo Nettleton, the report provides an overview of the performance of regulated sectors and activities as well as the EA’s own progress and priorities.

The report is formed of three parts – Part 1 focuses on the performance of the water, agriculture, and waste sectors in 2024 and the EA’s regulatory focus; Part 2 covers how the EA is working to achieve EA2030, its corporate strategy for 2030 and beyond; and Part 3 looks ahead at key drivers, challenges, and changes the EA anticipates I the coming year(s). The report’s findings (particularly from Part 1) are underpinned by a supporting evidence pack, which contains key data and information, categorised by regulated industries and activities.

Key highlights:

• 97% of permits remained in the top compliance bands (A–C).
• 98% of permitted farms achieved high compliance (A-B).
• 6,500+ improvement actions completed following record farm inspections.
• 79,713 tonnes of illegal waste exports stopped, saving the UK economy £8.4 million.
• 743 illegal waste sites stopped.
• 98% compliance achieved by UK ETS, cutting 11.1 million tonnes of CO₂.
• New online permitting and application systems are expected to save over £20 million in efficiency benefits. Additional staffing has halved the applications backlog, with 79% of applications now on time.
• However, serious pollution incidents have risen, with a 9% increase between 2023 and 2024 from 569 to 622 – the highest number since 2013 and primarily in the water, waste, and farming sectors.

The EA’s expect these findings will help to enable the Agency to deliver a ‘smarter, more risk-based regulatory system’ by 2030.

 You can read the report and supporting evidence in full here.