In the King’s Speech, King Charles, a champion of green issues, said that his government "will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss." Encouraging words, but the speech failed to commit to the scale and urgency of action needed to tackle the crisis facing our natural world - despite what the public has repeatedly made clear that it wants.
Read our reaction to the latest King’s Speech, on 17 July 2024 here.
The recent landmark State of Nature report set out the horrifying extent of the challenge facing our natural world. There has been no let-up in the loss of nature over the last few decades and the UK is already one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. And a few days after the King’s Speech, the UK Government’s own statistics showed the UK’s wild bird populations nosediving faster than a peregrine falcon.
Whoever it is, the next government will need an ambitious plan to deliver on our legal commitments to halt species declines and deliver 30% of land and sea protected and well managed for nature by 2030. But we can all see that time is simply running out and nature can’t wait until a General Election for the actions needed to reverse its fortunes. With one parliamentary session left, Rishi Sunak’s government needs to deliver on its promises and show voters it is serious about tackling the nature crisis.
The most pressing action that can be taken right now to help our most threatened seabirds, already under the cosh from the speed of climate change and avian influenza, is closing UK waters to industrial Sandeel fishing, a vital food source for so many. Despite a Defra consultation showing an overwhelming 95.5% of respondents back the UK Government’s preferred option of a closure, Ministers have still not made a decision on whether this fishery will be stopped. Urgent action is needed right now to ensure a ban can be put in place before the next fishing season starts in April 2024.
On land, the UK Government committed to ban the sale of peat compost to “protect England’s precious peatlands”, vital for both climate and nature, by 2024. This commitment was reiterated in the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan and would be straightforward to deliver. Yet with just 7seven weeks left until the New Year, there is no legislation in place and no legislative vehicle identified. This is an easy win for the current administration – what is taking so long?
Easing the transition to more sustainable farming practices will help with longer term food security but farmers need reassurance after a prolonged period of uncertainty. Getting the new Environmental Land Management scheme in England fit for purpose, to reward farmers fairly for delivering on their potential for nature recovery and a meaningful contribution to national environmental targets, is necessary for the change we need at scale, with 70% of UK land farmed. This will also overwhelmingly benefit smaller family and upland farmers who will need the most support and who hold the greatest opportunity for helping to turn around the loss of nature across our farmed landscapes. But instead, confusion and a lack of ambition continue to reign.
The Prime Minister has said that he will make an announcement on his ambition for the environment ahead of his attendance at the global climate conference COP28, which starts later this month. It is essential for credibility that the action set out in that speech matches the UK Government’s own rhetoric and action to deliver on promises to voters ahead of a General Election.
Wake up! Our politicians need to move far faster, actively guiding society towards nature-friendly land and sea use, otherwise the UK’s environment will continue to decline and degrade rapidly, with huge implications for our own way of life, sooner than many realise. Nature can’t wait and nor can we.
