The Wildlife Trusts are very grateful to the many thousands of members of the public who got involved, to every MP who listened and to every parliamentarian who spoke up for nature. 

Thanks to these collective efforts, and the Government amendments they secured along with verbal commitments from Ministers, the risk the Bill poses to wildlife has at least been reduced. 

We will hold Ministers to their commitments, to minimise these risks further as the Bill is implemented. 

Ultimately, despite these hard-fought for improvements to the Bill, this is a shameful moment. A Government elected on a stated promise to save nature has, within eighteen months, whipped its MPs and peers to nod through proposals that risk environmental regression, to reject compromises that work for development and nature and to throw out proposed protections for vulnerable chalk streams. 

There is a real threat that this shame could be compounded into catastrophe, through further weakening to nature protections, including Biodiversity Net Gain, in the Budget this week. 

We urge the Prime Minister, Chancellor and all members of the Government to reflect before continuing with this folly. Attacks on nature take only months to push through Parliament. Their impact, on our economic stability, on our sense of place and on everyone’s health and wellbeing, will be felt for generations.