Campaign response - Environment Bill

I am very passionate about the environment and it will be at the forefront of my role in Truro and Falmouth and in Westminster. I am very pleased with the Government’s environmental bill which is making its way through Parliament and has received cross party support. I believe it to be one of the most ambitious environmental programmes of any country in the world.

It will see us wasting less and recycling more, breathing cleaner air, planting trees, supporting nature recovery and safeguarding forests. This is a significant step as we aim to be net zero by 2050.

It is also worth noting of the success of the Government prior to the election when Michael Gove was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). In 2018 UK emissions were 44% below 1990 levels and policies had been implemented for the net zero target which are business friendly. This will allow us to conserve our environment whilst still allowing for the UK economy to grow and generate money for vital public services such as the NHS, education and police.

The new Secretary of State for DEFRA is our neighbouring constituency Camborne and Redruth’s MP George Eustice. I will be working closely with him in promoting the environmental interests of our constituency and Cornwall as a whole.

Furthermore, in the Conservative manifesto we said that we will set up new international partnerships to tackle deforestation and protect vital landscapes and wildlife corridors. As I was elected on this platform, I will ensure that these interests are stood up for in Parliament.

I also work on the All-Party Parliamentary (APPG) Group on Ocean Conservation. In the group we examine and review water quality, plastic pollution, global pollution and marine protected areas.

Currently I am sitting on the Environment Bill committee and have been taking evidence form many stakeholders including environmental groups and industry on all points.

Locally I want to help our constituency accelerate the process of de-carbonising by supporting innovative local and national projects including improving the network of cycle paths and cycle lanes, promoting jobs that allow working from home, encouraging electric vehicle use and lobbying for investment into housing developments that are more energy efficient and environmentally conscious.

By doing our part locally in Truro and Falmouth and with the new environmental bill going through Parliament currently there are many reasons to be optimistic.