In an open letter sent to the MPs and councillors, the Greens have described the plans as a “three-pronged assault on nature”.
Last Friday’s ‘mini-budget’ included plans for ‘investment zones’, which would make it easier to get planning permission, even when the proposed developments will destroy nature. The government has also published plans to abolish environmental protections introduced when the UK was in the EU – but has no plans to replace these protections with equally strong regulations.
In addition, reports have suggested that the planned Environmental Land Management Scheme is to be scrapped. This would mean landowners being paid just for owning land, rather than for growing food while enhancing nature.
Cllr Catherine Braun, Leader of Stroud District Council and of the council’s Green group, said: “Our local Conservative councillors represent many rural voters who will be up in arms about the government proposals. They should not feel duty-bound to back the government, because these plans are almost the direct opposite of manifesto promises and have never been put to the British people.
“We need all our local politicians, whichever party they come from, to stand up for nature, and to make plain that we can have robust local economies whilst also helping nature to recover. Local Conservatives have a special responsibility to say NO to their new leaders, on behalf of our community”.
She added: “We know how important nature is to Conservative councillors and we welcome their support for the Stroud District 2030 climate and nature strategy. So the recent concern from the RSPB, National Trust and Wildlife Trusts must be painful for many local Conservative councillors. We call on them to publicly distance themselves from these horrifying plans for environmental deregulation and rollback of support for nature recovery measures, for which the government has no mandate.”
Cllr Chloe Turner, chair of SDC’s environment committee, said she was “appalled and disgusted” by the government’s plans.
“Ripping up environmental protections introduced by the EU, without plans for replacement, would include scrapping the Habitat Regulations we are right now putting in place in our district to protect our precious Special Areas of Conservation (Rodborough Common, Cotswolds Beechwoods and the Severn Estuary),” she said.
“In the face of rampant development, and with these protections stripped away, these internationally important nature reserves will be irreparably damaged. We call on our Tory colleagues to put a stop to this grossly irresponsible attack on nature.”
The letter to the Conservatives – from Cllr Catherine Braun on behalf of the council’s Green group (pictured) – reads as follows:
“This Government has today launched an attack on nature” ~ RSPB England
There is widespread anger in response to government plans to remove fundamental legal protections for our environment. Opposition has come from many organisations, ranging from the RSPB and National Trust through to the Wildlife Trusts and Friends of the Earth.
Alongside the reckless approach to the nation’s finances, the government seems intent on tearing up protection for nature. In a three-pronged assault on nature Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng plan to;
- Scrap planning rules that protect nature in new ‘investment zones’ covering huge areas of the country.[1] [2]
- Rip up environmental protections introduced by the EU, without plans for replacement.[3]
- Withdraw plans to help farmers to protect nature [4], with reports suggesting the ‘Environmental Land Management Scheme’ (ELMS) has been ‘put on hold’ whilst a return to a Common Agricultural Policy type per acre payment is expected, which will break a specific manifesto pledge [5].
Of course, just before these announcements we also saw Jacob Rees-Mogg open the door to environmentally damaging fracking, a policy that is widely opposed, will do nothing to reduce energy bills and which the founder of Cuadrilla himself says is unviable [6].
The responses from those who care for nature have been overwhelming. Joan Edwards, director of policy for The Wildlife Trusts, says these policies will mean “polluters can get away with poisoning our rivers and countryside – even more than they are doing already.” [7] Hilary McGrady of the National Trust says “environmental protections are dismissed as ‘burdens’, while investment and growth are pitted against nature and climate action.”
These proposals come as part of a ‘dash for growth’ package which is also spooking markets and ruining government finances. There is no mandate for these measures: they actually reverse the direction of travel on the environment in your 2019 manifesto and have never been put to the British people.
Yet we know people’s livelihoods and local economies can be put on a sound footing with a three-pronged approach to investment: in nature recovery, in renewable energy and in home insulation to reduce energy bills. Research has shown that “Protection and use of environmental assets is key to evening out economic imbalances between metropolitan and rural areas” [8]. In other words, the recovery of nature and the revival of local living standards should and can go hand-in hand.
We ask for a public statement from you on your views about these policies.
There is no case for staying silent, and every reason to stand up for your communities and for your local environment by making it plain that you will not support the tearing up of environmental protection and the reversal of attempts to help nature thrive.
With best wishes
Catherine
On behalf of the SDC Green Group
[2] Map of investment zones: https://twitter.com/RSPBEngland/status/1573366828222808064
[5] ““in return for funding, [farmers] must farm in a way that protects and enhances our natural environment” https://www.conservatives.com/our-plan/conservative-party-manifesto-2019
[7] https://www.birdguides.com/news/uk-government-launches-all-out-assault-on-environment/
[8] https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_918714_en.html