The Environment Agency (EA) is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It was established in 1996 to protect and improve the environment and has around 10,600 employees.

Their principal aims are to protect and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development. The EA play a central role in delivering the environmental priorities of central government through their functions and roles. Within England they responsible for:
- regulating major industry and waste
- treatment of contaminated land
- water quality and resources
- fisheries
- inland river, estuary and harbour navigations
- conservation and ecology
They are also responsible for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea. Their priorities are to:
- work with businesses and other organisations to manage the use of resources
- increase the resilience of people, property and businesses to the risks of flooding and coastal erosion
- protect and improving water, land and biodiversity
- improve the way they work as a regulator to protect people and the environment and support sustainable growth
The EA has worked with SWM for many years and is a long-standing member and supporter of our organisation. We have helped them with their stakeholder engagement activities on topics such as climate adaptation and flood risk and we worked with them on several national projects, such as Fit for the Future I and the Climate Resilient Communities Conference.
Our primary contact at the EA is Sue Brothwood, Environment Programme Manager.