Pied flycatcher by Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
Demand better for wildlife
Do you want to see a better future for nature?
This is a 2023 campaign which demanded more for nature. We showed the UK Government that we wanted to build a wilder future by supporting a call for ambitious species abundance targets in the Environment Act by signing our petition.
For the past 50 years, habitat loss has led to a drastic decline in nature. Wildlife populations are the lowest they have ever been, and once common species could be lost forever. By helping nature’s recovery, we can halt the decline in nature, and create a wilder future.
We asked you to help us to demand more for nature - and were thrilled when over 60,000 of you added your name. Even better, over 10,000 of you left personal comments, explaining why nature's recovery is so important to you.
The public consultation closed on 27th June, and on Wednesday 29th June we headed to Downing Street to hand in the petition, and share all of your thoughts with the Prime Minister!
We cannot allow the nature crisis to continue.
Water vole © Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography
Puffins on Skomer Island by Lynne Newton
© Amy Lewis
Want to know more about why this is important? We've got you covered
What are the targets within the Environment Act?
The Environment Act was passed into law in November 2019, making it a legal requirement for the current and future Governments to protect and improve our natural world.
Now the UK Government is creating targets covering biodiversity, water quality, air quality and waste to help them achieve that commitment. They are consulting on these targets, and this consultation currently closes on 11th May.
Why are these targets important?
Legally binding targets for recovery are important as these drive action and can lead to more conservation interventions, for example beaver reintroductions and peatland restoration. It should also ensure greater enforcement of regulations designed to protect nature.
Why aren’t the Government’s targets ambitious enough?
The UK Government wants to ‘halt the decline in our wildlife populations through a legally binding target for species abundance by 2030 with a requirement to increase species populations by 10% by 2042’. This means wildlife populations would continue to decline until 2030, before improving by 10%. Essentially, this will mean that nature will be in the same state it is now, in 20 years time. We are already in a nature crisis, and this is not good enough.
What difference can I make?
The UK Government promised to "leave nature better than it found it". But by setting such a low target for nature's recovery by 2042, when overall decline isn't expected to halt until 2030, we'll end up in a worse situation than today.
Increasing wildlife populations is key to improving the air quality, water quality and the overall environment– making the UK Government’s targets so important.
By signing our petition, above, and calling for a Wilder Future, you will be showing the Government that their targets need to be more ambitious.