Campaign reply - Will you speak up for nature in Parliament?

Thank you for contacting me about speaking up for nature in Parliament.

Just last month, I attended the Standing Up for a Nature Positive World reception hosted by the Environment APPG.The reception focused on achieving a nature positive world by 2030 at the upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) summit, COP15.

It is vital that global leaders come together at COP15 to conserve and promote the sustainable use of biological diversity across the world. I will continue to work with the Government to ensure nature is embedded in climate solutions and that the UK uses its international influence to drive the goal of halting and reversing nature's decline by 2030.

I know that my ministerial colleagues seized the opportunities of our G7 and COP26 Presidencies to drive international action on the environment. The UK negotiated a historic 2030 Nature Compact committing to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, agreed by leaders at the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay. G7 Climate and Environment Ministers also agreed an ambitious policy statement with over 120 commitments.

In 2020, the Prime Minister committed to protecting 30 per cent of the UK’s land by 2030, coinciding with the Leaders' Pledge for Nature which will put nature and biodiversity on a road to recovery by the same year. The Prime Minister warned that other countries must also act now to reverse devastating biodiversity loss and prevent more species from being lost forever. I am aware that 89 world leaders signed the Leaders' Pledge.

I know that the UK committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework at COP15 of the Convention of Biological Diversity, to deliver the ambition committed to in the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature. The UK is advocating for ambitious global targets to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030. This includes targets to ensure at least 30 per cent of the land and of the ocean is protected, ecosystems are restored, species population sizes are recovering, and extinctions are halted by 2050. I know that at COP15, Foreign Office Minister Vicky Ford met with ministers around the world to discuss sustainable solutions to the interconnected issues of land degradation and climate change.

Further, I understand that 80 countries support an international target to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean by 2030 through membership of the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance or the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.

Finally, the Environment Act responds to a clear scientific case for action to address environmental challenges. The law includes a new, historic legally-binding target to halt species decline by 2030, solidifying the Government’s commitment to leave a richer, more biodiverse environment for future generations. The UK government is taking a wholly joined up approach to delivering world-leading climate and ecological commitments through these various strategies.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.