The most important global summit for nature in decades – the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, also known as COP15 – starts in Canada on Wednesday 7th December. What happens there will directly affect wildlife in the South West of England.
The conference comes at a time when the latest study suggests the Earth’s wildlife has plummeted by almost 70% in the last 50 years. The state of nature in the South West is not much better and recent Government actions threaten to make a bad situation even worse. This will mean red faces on the world stage at COP15 and diminish the UK’s power to negotiate.
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – and in Devon wildlife has suffered over recent decades from factors including river pollution, over-exploitation of the seas, poorly planned building development and intensive agriculture. Unfortunately, the Government’s Retained EU Law Bill threatens to remove vital wildlife protections and the targets they propose to set for nature’s recovery are not ambitious enough.
Harry Barton, Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive, said:
“Bold action is needed to tackle the twin nature and climate crises at COP15. The next eight years need be ones of dramatic improvement for nature in order to fulfil the proposal to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 – something that the UK has already promised to do.
It’s a truly shocking thought that in my own lifetime 70% of the Earth’s wildlife has disappeared. Just this week I have been lucky enough to see flocks of gannet, golden plover, black-tailed godwit and avocets gracing South Devon’s shores. But in the coming years these magnificent birds and many other species could be gone forever unless action is taken to protect the World’s forests, wetlands and oceans.
Our biodiversity can only be saved by countries acting together, setting challenging targets and sticking to promises. COP 15 is a crucial opportunity for the UK government to show some leadership and set an example. The time for talking and platitudes is over. We need to see bold, decisive action, and we need it now.”
Devon Wildlife Trust wants to see the UK Government take the following action:
- Set ambitious targets to restore the abundance of nature at home. The Government is due to publish their Environment Act targets – but current proposals will mean even less wildlife in 20 years’ time than there is now. The Wildlife Trusts want to see a target to increase species abundance by at least 20% by 2042, compared to 2022 levels.
- Help set ambitious global targets to halt and reverse catastrophic declines in habitat and wildlife by 2030 at COP15.
- Scrap the Retained EU Law Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, because it threatens the laws which protect wild places and species across the UK from the Scottish Highlands to the Isles of Scilly.
COP15 runs from 7th to 19th December.
ENDS.
Contact:
Devon Wildlife Trust’s Steve Hussey on 07771 304077 or email shussey@devonwildlifetrust.org
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