MPs have criticised the “worrying” lack of detail in the government’s long-term plans for the environment and called for legally binding targets to ensure ministers make good on their promises.

Air quality, water and wildlife must be all be protected by a “world-leading watchdog” that ensures standards do not drastically slip when the country leaves the EU.

Brexit poses a major threat to the current measures in place to protect the UK’s environment, especially if no deal is reached by ministers.

The proposed new independent body, modelled after the National Audit Office, will be required to ensure enforcement and rules that are currently the responsibility of the EU are not lost.

It would also mean the government and public bodies could be taken to court when standards are breached.

Mary Creagh, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee – which produced the report in response to the government’s 25 Year Plan for the Environment – said “if we want a world-leading environment we need a world-leading environmental watchdog”.

Despite the ambitious goals set out in the plan, launched by Theresa May in January, Ms Creagh said based on the government’s record there was a need to tighten these targets.

People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Mandatory Credit: Photo by Guy Bell/REX (9725259aq) Marching down Whitehall - People's March for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal. Timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum it is organised by anti Brexit, pro EU campaigners. People's March for a People's Vote, London, UK - 23 Jun 2018 Guy Bell/REX Rex People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators carry banners and flags as they participate in the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday calling for a second vote on Britain's departure from the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A woman holds a placard as she joins EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participating in the 'People's Vote' march in central London, Britain June 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls HENRY NICHOLLS Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833888 Pro-EU demonstrators take part in a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833892 A pro-EU demonstrator waves a European Flag during a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators carry banners and flags as they participate in the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. 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Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday calling for a second vote on Britain's departure from the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833964 A young pro-EU demonstrator takes part in a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06834044 Tens of thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti-Brexit demonstration, in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833264 Thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti Brexit demonstration in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833265 Thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti Brexit demonstration in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds taking part in the People's Vote march for a second EU referendum at Trafalgar Square in central London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 23, 2018. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. 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PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 23, 2018. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire John Stillwell PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march in central London, Britain June 23, 2018. 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“In recent months the government has been referred to the EU’s highest court for failing to tackle illegal levels of air pollution in the UK. We are facing a biodiversity crisis and risk losing iconic species like the hedgehog,” she said.

“The government’s 25 Year Plan is high on ambitions, but low on milestones. The government has more experience of getting rid of environmental watchdogs than of setting them up.”

New legislation has already been promised to cover areas like air, waste, water and chemicals that cannot simply be transferred into UK law following Brexit.

However, to ensure these pledges are carried out the committee said there was a need to introduce five-yearly plans to ensure ministers are on track to meet their environmental targets.

A similar system is already in place to monitor greenhouse gas emissions in the form of the “carbon budgets” set by the Climate Change Act – a system widely regarded as effective and world-leading.

“We want an Environmental Governance and Principles Act that sets legally-binding targets and creates a new Environmental Enforcement and Audit Office to measure progress and enforce this new law,” said Ms Creagh.

“The government needs to set out detailed delivery and funding proposals for the Plan and departments across Whitehall need to commit to its ambitions, rather than trying to water them down behind the scenes.”

Environmental campaigners, who have welcomed the government’s recent announcement that a new environment act is imminent, agreed that current proposals are not strong enough.

“No one would argue that we shouldn’t be striving for cleaner air or water along with a vibrant countryside rich in wildlife,” said RSPB conservation director Martin Harper.

“But to achieve this we need a more transformative piece of legislation – one that delivers ambitious targets for nature, soil, water and air and holds the government to account when standards aren’t met.”

Over 100,000 people have signed a Greenpeace petition calling on Michael Gove and Philip Hammond to keep their promise of a "world-leading watchdog".

"MPs are right to call on the government to create an environmental watchdog with powers to require ministers and public bodies to comply with environmental laws,” said Greenpeace’s senior political adviser Rebecca Newsom.

“People only need to look at the government's utter failure to deal with our roadside air pollution crisis to see why this matters. If Michael Gove wants to deliver the "world-leading watchdog" he has promised, he should take the committee's recommendations to heart."

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “Our 25 Year Environment Plan sets out in detail how we will improve our environment for the next generation, and we have already taken significant steps to deliver this pledge.