Climate emergency

Climate emergency

Our natural world is in a critical condition. Whilst we have secured some laws for protection in the UK and the EU, these are rarely well enforced and do not provide for nature’s recovery. The recent protests by Extinction Rebellion highlight the urgency of the situation. People across the country are standing up for nature’s recovery and a #WilderFuture, calling on Government to take urgent action before it’s too late.
We are seeing signs that parliament is listening, with the passing of a motion yesterday to declare an environment and climate emergency. But it is not enough, we now need to see action.
The Wildlife Trusts welcome the recent protests by Extinction Rebellion because they have triggered much more debate about these issues. It is now time for Westminster’s politicians to support an ambitious Environment Act to kickstart nature’s recovery at home, and show leadership to the world.
It is time to stop damaging our wild places and pumping out carbon by building new roads. It is time to start capturing carbon and let wildlife thrive through major investment in our natural world, urgently through peatland restoration. It is time to pass new laws for nature’s recovery and accelerate action on climate change.
Plans for the relief road in Shrewsbury, a continuing increase in planning approvals for chicken farms and an increase in development across Shropshire are all factors that will contribute further to climate change. Work is taking place to restore peat bogs in the north of the county- these fragile habitats store more carbon than forests. But more needs to be done to ensure that greenhouse emissions are dramatically reduced if we are to avoid a climate disaster.