Late yesterday afternoon, I was walking with a colleague, Matt Williams, very quickly along the banks of the Thames. I had just left the RSPB's Parliamentary Reception and was due to talk to our Central London Members' Group but it had been suggested that I visit a new sculpture on the Thames. I was a bit worried about the time, late as I always was for the evening talk, so we walked a bit quicker. As we approached Vauxhall Bridge, we heard the distinctive call of a peregrine. We looked up and there was the peregrine having an altercation with a kestrel with a small flock of starling escaping the scene.
Most people were oblivious, either on their way home or heading for the sculpture. But for Matt and me, it was a great moment - one of those pleasant surprises that London offers.
Just like the sculpture.
The Horsemen of the Ecological Apocalypse have featured in my blog before. Habitat destruction, over-exploitation, pollution (including GHG emissions) and non-native species are the main threats to our natural world. The amazing work of Jason deCaires Taylor, focuses on one of those challenges — climate change.
His amazing horsemen, rising from (or being covered by) the Thames, portray politicians riding blithely by on as the world heads toward destruction. If in London and if the tide is low, I'd encourage you to pay a visit.
And I’m pleased to report that the many MPs who came to our event were far from blind to the difficulties we face, and very aware of the opportunities that come with saving nature.
With one of the horsemen of the ecological apocalypse (Matt Adam Williams)
Our host, Kate Parminter (Lib Dem spokesperson for the environment in the Lords), spoke of the urgent need to save nature. Our keynote speaker, Rory Stewart (DEFRA minister) said he hoped the UK could lead the world in nature conservation. It was a bold and welcome ambition. He’s leading for DEFRA on delivery of the Conservative manifesto commitment to a 25 year plan to restore nature, so I hope we can all get behind him in delivering a really effective plan.
Minister Rory Stewart in full flow( (Matt Adam Williams)
The politicians’ resolve was reinforced by the inspiring call to action of our other speakers. Fiona Wheatley put the business case for action on behalf of M&S and Findlay Wilde gave a thoroughly humbling speech on behalf of the next generation of conservationists. RSPB’s president, Miranda Krestovnikoff, reminded our politicians of the amazing track record of legislation for conservation in the UK. She used London’s peregrines as an example of the way nature can people can coexist so maybe my later encounter was inevitable.
Finally, my boss, Mike Clarke used the opportunity to remind everyone how valuable the EU Nature Directives are for UK conservation. We launched our new report, Defend Nature, which sets out how the Directives benefits wildlife, business and communities. A shortened version of the report’s recommendations for the UK, which focus on how the Directives can be implemented better, is shown at the bottom of this blog.
I was greatly encouraged to meet so many new MPs interested in wildlife, and delighted to see old friends and colleagues who have championed the natural environment in Parliament and in business for many years.
The RSPB is here to help inform their decisions with the latest science and policy thinking and we are here to convey some of the passion of our members for saving nature. I hope this Parliament will be a time of real progress and we can help the Minister achieve his ambition of being a model of environmental protection.
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Towards better implementation of the EU Nature Directives
1. Plan for nature
The Birds and Habitats Directives shouldn’t be amended. Instead, here in the UK, bringing the Directives to full implementation should be a priority. The first 5-year milestone in a 25-year plan for nature’s recovery for us should be full implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives in the UK.
2. Find out where we are: science and surveys
The research requirements of Article 10 of the Birds Directive should be transposed into UK law. Government should institute a rolling programme of monitoring for protected species and habitats, on land and at sea. This will improve conservation and save money through targeting conservation action more efficiently and making it easier for businesses to work in harmony with nature.
3. Set out where we’re going: Favourable Conservation Status
The Government should set, identify and publish definitions of Favourable Conservation Status for each protected species and habitat at a national and individual site level. This would inform the allocation of scarce resources for conservation, and help reduce planning conflicts.
4. Fill the gaps: complete the Natura 2000 network
The incompleteness of the offshore network has hampered industries like offshore renewables, which must plan on the basis of inadequate information. Completing the Natura 2000 network (a network of Europe-wide protected sites) should be a conservation and business imperative.
5. Join the dots: landscape-scale conservation
Alongside completion of the Natura 2000 network, the Government should plan for enriching the wider landscape, taking forward a strategic plan for the rollout of Nature Improvement Areas, based on ecological need.
6. Take out the roadblocks: smarter use of public money
The UK negotiating position for CAP and CFP reform should focus on environmental incentives. Government should announce now that this will be a focus for the next UK Presidency of the Council of the EU. Domestically, the Government has committed to two 25-year plans – one to restore biodiversity and one for the food and farming sector. They must be complementary and the objectives of the food and farming plan must contribute to the goal of restoring UK biodiversity.
7. Invest in nature: beat the natural deficit
Government should designate funding for Natural England as protected spending. Improved implementation of the Nature Directives should be financed with a levy charged on depletion of non-renewable natural resources paid into a Natural Wealth Fund, tasked with restoring UK biodiversity.
8. Crack down on crime: ending persecution of protected species
Illegal persecution of wildlife still persists in the UK. We should demonstrate international leadership by dealing with wildlife crime at home, before supporting enforcement of the Nature Directives in other countries.