Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Environment definition

What does Environment mean? In legal practice, environment refers to the natural media and the living systems potentially affected by a project, operation or emission. UK environmental legislation commonly defines it as including air, water and land, and any living organisms (including humans) and ecosystems supported by those media. Similar formulations are used across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and in Irish environmental legislation; exact wording varies by statute and context, but usage is broadly consistent. Where a regime provides a definition, courts apply that text; where it does not, the term carries its ordinary meaning. The concept sets the scope of regulatory...

Environmental Information under the EIR 2004: definition, FOIA boundary, key categories, and case law on planning, land disposal, tolling and financial viability

Published by a LexisNexis Environment expert

Practice notes

Grasping what counts as environmental information is central to environmental regulation, as it dictates whether an information request is handled under the Freedom of Information act 2000 (FOI 2000) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, SI 2004/3391 (EIR 2004). Where the material sought fits the definition of environmental information, the request must be dealt with under the EIR 2004. This Practice Note explores the statutory meaning of environmental information and draws on published guidance and case law to illustrate when material has been deemed environmental, including disputed categories such as:

financial viability assessments
road tolling information
information regarding a public authority's decision to dispose of land

The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued a Guide to the EIR for staff in public authorities or those with day-to-day responsibility for environmental information.

Regulatory definition of environmental information

Environmental information is defined in regulation 2(1)(a)-(f) of the EIR 2004 as having the same meaning as in the Access to Environmental Information Directive 2003/4/EC. The EIR 2004 transposed the requirements of the Access to Environmental Information Directive...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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