Nature is in crisis and time is running out. The State of Nature Report 2023 – the most accurate and comprehensive study of UK nature we have - makes this very clear. But we know the solutions and we know they work. What we now need is politicians of all parties across the UK to take action to protect and restore our wildlife and wild places, before it’s too late.
This week the landmark State of Nature 2023 report came out, giving us the most accurate and up to date picture we have of the devastating decline of wildlife throughout the UK. The report says 1,500 species are now threatened with extinction across England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, 281 are facing a similar fate. Much of the most important habitats for wildlife are in poor condition and species are vanishing from places where they used to be seen.
The report backs up what we already knew – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are some of the most nature depleted countries on Earth. The pressure on our wildlife and wild spaces is immense, with habitat loss, development, the modernisation of farming, persecution, unsustainable fishing and climate change all having a major impact. Despite commitments from governments across the UK, things are getting worse. We can’t wait any longer to ramp up our efforts to protect and restore nature.
We don’t want our local wildlife to disappear, our favourite wild places to be threatened, or our rivers to die. We want nature to be restored and protected, for us, and for future generations.
The good news is we know the solutions and we know they work. What we need now is politicians to act. That’s all it takes. They have it within their power to help us breathe clean air, drink clean water, swim in clean rivers, and hear the sound of birdsong in the morning. They can choose a healthy natural environment which in turn means healthy people, a healthy economy and healthy everything.
Nature can’t wait. We must see action now. And when we join together, we have the power to persuade our politicians do the right thing.
The majority of the laws and policies which impact on nature are different in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We've set out what we believe are the priorities for each country and the action we need politicians to commit to.
If enough of us speak up, and politicians act, we can protect and restore nature.
