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Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust writes about how the Government could boost growth while restoring nature




Rather than ‘winner takes all’ solutions where development is allowed to trash the environment in the name of ‘growth’, we must seek out ‘win-win’ solutions that underpin the economy while supporting nature’s recovery.

Regardless of your political persuasion, I’m sure you’d agree that it’s been a torrid six months for the Government, writes Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Whether due to heightened levels of expectation, impacts of decisions taken by the previous Government, or tumultuous natural and political events at home and abroad, there doesn’t seem to have been the traditional ‘honeymoon’ period one might expect.

Restoring water quality is one of example of a win-win approach. Photo: Neil France
Restoring water quality is one of example of a win-win approach. Photo: Neil France
While tens of thousands marched on Parliament to demand more for nature - millions more share our concerns. Photo: Megan McKay
While tens of thousands marched on Parliament to demand more for nature - millions more share our concerns. Photo: Megan McKay
Thousands marched on Parliament demanding nature be restored. Photo: Megan McKay
Thousands marched on Parliament demanding nature be restored. Photo: Megan McKay

As a result, recent soundbites from the highest echelons of Government have been increasingly combative. While it has long been clear that the Government is keen to show swift progress on boosting housing numbers and speeding up infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, recent rhetoric relating to planning reforms is very disturbing.

The Prime Ministers determination to ‘clear a path’ for building risks demolishing the prospect of nature, people and the economy thriving simultaneously.

Economic growth at the expense of the environment is inherently unsustainable and, if you’ll allow me to persevere with the construction metaphors, threaten the very foundations of the economy.

Barn owl (Tyto alba) adult hunting over conservation margin on an arable farm in Hertfordshire. March 2011.
Barn owl (Tyto alba) adult hunting over conservation margin on an arable farm in Hertfordshire. March 2011.
A Great crested newt.
A Great crested newt.

While you’d expect a PM and their Chancellor of the Exchequer to be very much in step six months after an election win, Rachel Reeves’s demands that the regulators responsible for protecting nature ‘tear down the barriers to growth’ while not surprising, are equally worrying.

They also suggest that those of us who care about nature have our work cut out to ensure the Government fulfils its election promises and legal responsibilities relating to protecting the environment.

Just before the election, I joined tens of thousands of people who marched on Parliament to demand that whoever formed the new Government ‘Restore Nature Now’.

There are millions more who share the passion and concerns of those who headed to the capital to voice them. The previous Government’s attack on nature triggered a public backlash and I would urge the Prime Minster and his Cabinet to avoid heading down a similar path.

Nature and a healthy environment are not a barrier to growth, they underpin it, and nature must be at the heart of decision making.

Much of the frustration with the negative rhetoric is because it flies in the face of the constructive way the environmental sector has been working with government to deliver better outcomes in terms of planning and nature.

Nature protections are not a block on our nations’ success, far from it. They make us safer, and we believe that a concerted and properly funded focus on nature recovery would also solve a range of related problems.

The nature and climate crises are the biggest long-term threats to economic growth and Government must deliver more investment to restore nature – not sacrifice long-term renewal of the environment that sustains us all in search of short-term economic gains.

The Wildlife Trusts have identified five areas where we believe political action can have the most significant impact on nature recovery while helping solve a raft of other related problems.

These include restoring nature to underpin economic growth and protect the UK from climate chaos – and backing our farmers to restore nature.

These and other ‘win-win’ solutions could make us happier, healthier and more prosperous. You can read more in this blog by our UK public affairs officer, David Allwright.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust organises dozens of events each year to enable everyone to discover and connect with nature from Wellbeing Walks to Wildlife ID courses.

Next week, our Newark & Sherwood Local Group will be hosting a talk presented by Geoff Lee about the wonderful Wildlife on the Suffolk Coast - focussing on the amazing nature reserves to be found in the area.

The event will take place at Newark Library on Thursday February 6 between 7.30pm and 9pm.



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