In praise of Defra

I know it is not necessarily fashionable to heap praise on a government department, let alone Defra.  But as I listened to a debate yesterday at the Policy Exchange at which both the Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman MP, and Biodiversity Minister, Richard Benyon MP, spoke, I felt optimistic.  Despite the cuts and occasional needless distractions, it is clear that some of the foundations for nature's recovery are now in place.  And so, for one day only (perhaps), I thought I'd dedicate this blog exclusively to the good things that Defra does. 

Two significant legacies of the previous administration (Professor Sir John Lawton's review, Making Space for Nature and the UK National Ecosystem Assessment - both initiated by Hilary Benn) have been followed up by a Natural Environment White Paper with laudable ambition.  We now also have a Natural Capital Committee whose job it will be to ensure that we take better account of the value of nature in decisions we make.  I'm a fan of this Committee and I shall explain why tomorrow. 

Yesterday, we heard a few announcements of new money for international biodiversity (for the Darwin fund) and for English conservation projects (money for local nature partnerships and for the eight unsuccessful finalists in the Nature Improvement Area competition).  These new funds may be small steps, but steps in the right direction all the same.

Another decision that Defra has recently made, and which has not been aired publicly, could have lasting consequences for saving nature around the world. 

Poisoning of wildlife is a widespread and diverse problem, which affects a huge range of species across the globe. From red kites taking poisoned baits in Scotland, to California condors dying of lead poisoning in the USA to waders and other wildlife in Africa suffering from poisons in their wetland habitats, there are few species who can avoid it.

That is why, back in December, I was pleased to report on the good news that the Convention on Migratory Species had launched a resolution to tackle this problem.

Well now, I’m even happier to report that the Defra has stepped up and offered to provide £20,000 to financially back this vital work. Certainly more funding will be required, but we should thank the UK for being the first country in the world to back this. Hopefully others will now follow suit.

There have been many initiatives across the world to try to tackle the various forms of poisoning, but that experience has never before been brought together in one place. Hopefully this initiative will make this possible and shed light on how to tackle the problem of poisoning of wildlife in all its forms – deliberate or accidental, widespread or localised.

The RSPB and our Birdlife International partners will be at the forefront of bringing this information together and ensuring it makes the biggest possible contribution to tackling this ongoing and significant problem.  Its reassuring to know Defra also see this is a priority and are prepared to back this financially.

I have a longstanding wish that Defra was not near the bottom of the league table of Whitehall spending departments, that Defra felt confident to consistently exercise its role as 'Nature's Guardian' in all public policy debates, that other government departments took greater responsibility for taking nature seriously and that the best brains were being given the task of coming up with solutions to how to decuople growth from unsustainable exploitation of the natural world.   I know that NGOs like the RSPB have a part to play in making this wish come true, but for now, despite the difficult operating environment it faces, I just wanted to acknowledge the good work done by the Defra and its officials.

Thank you Defra!