I am delighted that nearly
half of our Sussex MPs have signed up to the Greener UK Coalition’s Pledge for the Environment, and I hope
that many others will follow suit. In
total some 194 UK MPs now support the pledge.
The Greener UK coalition,
consisting of 13 major environmental
organisations, including The Wildlife Trusts, WWF, the National Trust, and the RSPB
has launched its manifesto calling on the UK government to restore
and enhance the environment as part of its plans for leaving the European
Union.
They say, “We are depleting
our soils and water supplies, generating mountains of food and plastic waste,
changing our climate and making the air in our cities dangerous to breathe. Our
wild places are dwindling, and we face the sadness of once familiar animals and
plants fading away from our gardens and countryside.”
The Greener UK manifesto
launch follows a House of Lords report last week, which identified the risk of
a vacuum in the the oversight and enforcement of environment legislation, and
the challenge of effectively maintaining the extensive existing environmental
protections through the Repeal Bill.[4]
As well as sharing these concerns, the coalition wants to emphasize that
Brexit offers the chance to make
a greener UK a reality, by:
- Securing the benefits of existing environmental laws and principles through the Repeal Bill, as the UK leaves the EU.
- Ensuring the UK continues to co-operate with the EU on energy and climate change, and affirming ongoing investment in, and deployment of, clean energy infrastructure.
- Introducing new policies and investment that create thriving farming and fishing industries, working with the grain of nature to return our land, seas, lakes and rivers to good health.
- Passing an ambitious new Environment Act for England, building on the upcoming 25 year plan with measurable milestones for environmental restoration and high standards for pollution and resource efficiency. (New, separate Acts may also be required in the devolved nations.)
Miranda Krestovnikoff, TV
presenter and wildlife expert on BBC 1’s The One Show, said:
“With so many of our environmental laws coming from the EU, Brexit
has potentially huge impacts for nature across the UK. The government must
urgently set out its plans to make sure our wonderful, wild spaces are not put
at risk, and that opportunities are taken to improve protections for our
natural world.”
Stephanie
Hilborne, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said:
“We’ve been heartened by the government’s
commitment to transfer EU environmental law into domestic law, though there
remain significant unanswered questions about how the UK will replace the enforcement
functions currently carried out by EU bodies. But if we are to allow for
nature's recovery, we must set our sights higher. Now is the time to raise
ambition, establishing bold nature goals, better management of land and seas,
and innovative environmental policy that can underpin the UK’s new place in the
world. Being a truly global Britain means building a thriving economy in
harmony with solutions to the critical environmental challenges that will
define the twenty-first century.”
Tony Juniper, leading environmental campaigner and writer, said:
"If we are to seize Brexit as an opportunity to improve
conditions for people in this UK then signalling a commitment to create a
better environment is one critical touchstone. Looking after wildlife and environment
is a vital prerequisite in promoting our health, wealth and security. A
degraded environment is bad for our economy and bad for people and as we embark
on the process of leaving the EU we need urgently to put in place the kind of
framework and ambition that is fit for purpose.”
“At this pivotal moment in our nation’s history, we have an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to sustainable farming and land use policies. In the long term, a resilient and profitable agricultural sector will depend on this. The CLA looks forward to working with all parties, including those in Greener UK, as we navigate through the Brexit process to ensure we develop world-leading UK food, farming and environmental policies that benefit everyone.”