The Environment Bill

Will you speak up for me?
Campaigning

The Environment Bill

We need a commitment to nature's recovery

The announcement of an Environment Bill was a landmark move for nature, offering hope for our deteriorating wildlife, wild places and natural support systems. But the current wording of the Bill doesn't reflect the ambition or urgency we need to not only protect nature, but help it to recover.

We’re calling for a change to the Bill to strengthen the law. We need the UK Government to set a legally binding target to reverse the loss of nature in England by 2030.

By writing the recovery of nature into law, the Environment Bill will hold decision-makers to account and start to address the interlinked nature and climate crises. With legally-binding nature recovery targets, rather than empty promises, we could finally see species like turtle doves, hedgehogs, rare orchids and nightjars thriving across not just Lancashire, but the whole of the UK once again.

Sign the petition calling on the Prime Minister to put this vital wildlife protection into law.

Sign the petition

hedgehog

(c) Tom Marshall

What are we asking for?

Nature targets

Legal targets for nature's recovery that politicians must ultimately achieve and regularly report on progress towards, for example: safer air to breathe in our cities.

A Nature Recovery Network

A joined-up network of habitats on land and at sea that provide enough space for wildlife to recover and adapt to change, and for people to thrive both physically and mentally.

A Nature Watchdog

An independent body to help people challenge bad decisions made by Government and councils, which have a negative impact on wildlife and our natural environment.

Other ways you can help

As well as signing our petition, you could write to your MP, asking them to support the call for legally-binding nature recovery targets and clarify how they'll prioritise nature locally.

Find your MP

If you aren't sure where to start, here are some tips for writing to your MP.

Tips for writing to your MP

Share your story

MPs love personal stories. Share yours with them, choosing experiences that have taken place in your local area and meant a lot to you, or talking about how important wildlife and the natural world are to you and the people around you. This way you can show your MP how much the natural environment in your area matters. Perhaps there are some moments shared with your Wildlife Trust or events you’ve attended that stand out? 

Have a clear ask

To make your letter or email as successful as possible, make sure you have some clear things to ask your MP to do for you. For example, you could ask them to back strong environment laws in parliament, or write to their Party Leader (for example, Boris Johnson or Nicola Sturgeon), and their environment team to attend Bill readings important for wildlife (like the Environment Bill). You could even ask them what they think they can do to help make this happen.

Add your address

Don't forget to put your full postal address on anything you write to your MP so they know you live in their constituency.

Don't lose hope

MPs are very busy, so don't be offended if they don't get back to you straight away. And even if you don't receive the response you wanted, your voice is one more passionate shout for nature that won't go unnoticed. Many tiny tipples create a wave of change.

If you can't find your MP's constituency office address or email, write to their parliamentary office using their parliamentary email or House of Commons address.

Your MP’s House of Commons address will be:

[MP’s Name]
House of Commons,
London,
SW1A 0AA

Tweet your MP

Most MPs are on Twitter, so if you don't feel confident enough to write to your MP, try sending them a tweet instead. You only have a limited number of words, so make an impact with a striking image, too.

Pair a picture of yourself in your favourite local wild place with our #WilderFuture hashtag and an update like:

@InsertMPTwitterHandleHere [Insert place name here] is my favourite wild place. Are you going to help protect it by supporting laws for nature in the #EnvironmentBill? #WilderFuture

Sparrow_Ben Hall2020VISION

Sparrow_Ben Hall2020VISION

Why is the Environment Bill so important?

We need wildlife. Our natural world is valuable in its own right. As well as storing carbon and reducing flood risk, a healthy natural landscape is the foundation of our wellbeing – we depend on it and it depends on us. By creating more space for nature, we can create a better world for people and wildlife.

Wildlife is in trouble. From rivers and woodlands to birds and wildflowers, our natural world is struggling. More than half the species assessed in the latest State of Nature report have suffered since the 1970s, with many of our much-loved animals (including hedgehogs and great crested newts) struggling.

Wildlife needs us. We have a unique opportunity to make a difference, and it can be done. A legally-binding Environment Bill can help to reverse the trend of missing wildlife, setting out a plan for nature's recovery and creating a healthier natural world for us all.

Spider web in heathland by Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Why is an Environment Bill important to Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside?

A strong Environment Bill Will... 

  1. Improve people’s access to nature, especially in towns and cities.
  2. Create new wild areas and wildlife corridors across the three counties.
  3. Keep our existing wildlife sites safe from harm.
  4. Join up new sites with old ones to create a network of green spaces.
  5. Stop our soils washing away into rivers and the sea.
  6. Improve air quality, especially in our towns and cities.
  7. Stop poisoning our rivers and streams with chemicals.
  8. Reduce emissions that are contributing to climate change.
  9. Protect people’s rights to a healthy natural environment.
  10. Avoid the loss of environmental protection laws after Brexit.
Fox cubs play fighting in front of bushes

A pair of fox cubs (Vulpes vulpes) playfighting, Hertfordshire, UK - Luke Massey/2020VISION

Be part of nature's recovery

We want to see at least 30% of our land and seas recovering by 2030, and together, we can make it happen.

Please make a donation to help us save more peatlands from destruction, reintroduce more extinct wildlife and safeguard more precious wild space for everyone.

Donate today