We’re pleased the UK Government has avoided doing the worst thing, but this is still a long way from doing what nature needs to recover.
5 min read
Towards the end of last year, the UK Government received a report from the Fingleton Nuclear Regulatory Review, which it commissioned to propose reforms that would speed up the delivery of new nuclear power stations.
Several of the report’s recommendations concerned changing how the Habitats Regulations and other environmental safeguards apply, making it easier for developments to impact areas which are protected for nature.
The Prime Minister backed the report and tasked the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) with turning its recommendations into official UK Government policy.
On Friday 13 March, this policy was announced and the UK Government stepped back from the most damaging recommendations.
But at a time when nature is in crisis it needs more action, not less.
Despite being over 50 pages long, there is still not enough detail for us to know precisely how the Government’s plans will play out for nature. The details that emerge when they implement these changes and issue the new guidance will be key. But to be clear, the changes that have been proposed still pose risks to our wildlife, redefining the laws that have helped protect this country’s most important wildlife sites for decades.
A healthy and protected environment is the foundation of a healthy economy. Environmental decline has been shown to be economically damaging; we risk a reduction in UK GDP of up to 12% if nature continues to deteriorate.
A recent National Security Assessment by the Joint Intelligence Committee warned that global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse pose direct risks to UK national security. The latest Government Habitats Regulations report underscores this threat at home, showing that only around 3% of England’s most important habitats are in good condition, with nearly half in an unfavourable and deteriorating state.
The Office for Environmental Protection’s latest progress report shows the Government is largely off track in meeting its legally binding targets, especially to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; as well as its Environmental Improvement Plan commitments – which include improving protected sites, and achieving the UK’s goal to have 30% of the UK protected for nature by 2030. Weakening environmental rules now would move those targets even further out of reach.
This decision, and the actions that follow it, will have a huge impact on whether the UK Government gets back on track to meet its legally binding targets or falls even further behind. Ultimately that means flood defence, food resilience, Curlews on our coasts, butterflies on our heaths, and Puffins on our cliffs, for decades to come.
We call on them to follow the evidence and ensure nature, growth, and national security succeed together.
