I have written a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to raise my concerns about the state of our nature.
I called on the Secretary of State to address the following priorities:
- Restore nature now – The Government must honour the UK’s commitment to manage 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. This requires both the designation of additional space for nature recovery and ensuring that farmers and land managers are fairly compensated to deliver these outcomes. Will you outline how your Department intends to meet this target in full and on time?
- Defend nature and wildlife – It is vital that we do not weaken legal protections that safeguard our natural heritage. I urge you to reconsider any proposals that would weaken existing protections and encourage you to take action to tackle pollution in our rivers, streams and seas.
- Build places to be proud of – Everyone should have access to nature-rich environments where they live. This means creating neighbourhoods with abundant green space and addressing inequalities in access. I ask that the Government commits to publishing an action plan to improve access to green space by the end of this year.