Tag Archives: policy

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Green farming budget freeze ‘will hit nature work’

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The BBC reports environmental groups have warned that work to boost biodiversity across the UK countryside will be put at risk by the government’s decision to freeze the level of payments to farms in England.

Farmers – already angry at changes to inheritance tax rules announced in the Budget – have been told payments from the public purse will be frozen next year.

The Wildlife Trusts say the decision leaves a “monumental gap” between current environmental land management scheme (Elms) funding and what is needed to help farmers protect and boost wildlife and its habitats, while still producing food.

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Just 7% of England’s land protected for nature, Government assessment shows

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The Evening Standard reports the Environment Department published criteria for what can count towards a global target to protect 30% of land by 2030.

Just 7% of England is currently protected for nature, the Government has said, as it set out rules to help meet a global goal to protect 30% of land by 2030.

Officials said protected landscapes such as national parks, will deliver the “backbone” of areas conserved for nature, though they currently do not count towards the total, and the target could also include areas of nature-friendly farming.

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Urgent Call to Save England’s Wildlife as Protected Land Shrinks to 2.93%

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88com reports the amount of land in England effectively protected for nature has plummeted to just 2.93%, according to newly released data, raising alarm among environmental experts. This stark figure casts doubt on the UK government’s commitment to conserve 30% of the country’s land for nature by 2030, a pledge made four years ago under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Environmental campaigners are urgently calling for a “rapid rescue package” to restore nature, as government officials prepare to attend CoP16, the international summit on biodiversity. The event, set to take place in Colombia later this month, will see UK delegates urging global counterparts to stick to ambitious nature conservation targets. However, domestic progress on this front is faltering.

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UK to appoint nature envoy for first time

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The Guardian reports the UK government is planning to appoint a special envoy for nature for the first time, as the foreign secretary, David Lammy, seeks to put the UK at the centre of global efforts to tackle the world’s ecological crises, the Guardian has learned.

Labour will also appoint a new climate envoy, after the Tories abolished the post over a year ago, a move that dismayed foreign governments and climate campaigners.

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Builders to buy ‘biodiversity credits’ from farmers

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The Daily Telegraph reports example given of Alscot Estate which has been approved by Warwickshire County Council to sell biodiversity ‘units’ to developers wanting to make up for the loss of wildlife at nearby projects.

Housebuilder Crest Nicholson is one customer which has bought credits to mitigate the effect of new homes in Warwick.  Under the Environment Bill, developments in England are required to deliver net improvements to biodiversity with developers needing to do this on the site itself or by investing in projects offsite such as the Alscot Estate.

As a last resort, they will be able to buy “biodiversity credits” from the Government which will invest the funds in habitat projects. 

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Nature belts aim to bring lost life back to edge of towns

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Roadside verge photo by Natural England under creative commons

The Times reports bees, butterflies and birds could return to the outskirts of towns and cities under plans being considered by ministers to create a “wild belt” to restore depleted natural habitats. Robert Jenrick, housing secretary, is understood to be keen on the idea of wildlife corridors as a way to encourage greater biodiversity across the country.

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UK must lead the way by making ‘ecocide’ a criminal offence, Green Party peer urges

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The Independent reports ministers must lead the way by making “ecocide” a crime in the UK, a leading green figure has urged. Ecocide – which literally means “killing the environment” – refers to acts of serious and intentional harm against the natural world that cause either widespread or long-lasting damage.

A growing movement calling for ecocide to be treated as an international offence akin to genocide or crimes against humanity has been backed by senior figures ranging from Greta Thunberg to the Pope.

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UK’s climate targets will cost less than battling Covid, says OBR

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The Guardian reports the UK’s climate targets will cost the government less over the next 30 years than the price of battling the Covid-19 pandemic if it acts quickly, according to the UK’s fiscal watchdog.

Forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) show that ending the UK’s contribution to the global climate crisis would add 21% of GDP to the national debt by 2050, or £469bn in today’s terms. But those costs could climb twice as high if the government delays action to cut emissions.

The independent spending forecasts found that taking early action to decarbonise the economy would have a smaller net impact on the UK’s finances than Covid or the 2008 financial crisis.