Rishi Sunak’s government has delayed legally binding targets aimed at curbing pollution and restoring nature.
The government said its 31 October deadline for setting targets to improve water, air and wildlife would be missed.
MPs and green groups said failing to hit the deadline ahead of the COP27 climate summit was embarrassing for the UK.
The delay comes as the prime minister faces criticism for skipping COP27.
Political opponents and environmental campaigners have accused Mr Sunak of a “failure of leadership” for deciding not to attend the conference in Egypt next month.
But Mr Sunak has defended his decision, insisting that while tackling climate change was “important” to him, he was focused on domestic challenges.
The government had planned for the targets to be ready before the COP27 summit, where the UK’s delegation would have been able to present them to other nations.
Passed in November last year, the Environment Act requires that at least one target is set in each of four priority areas: air, water, biodiversity, and waste reduction.
Ms Coffey cited the “significant public response” to a government consultation on the targets as the reason for the delay.