Two-thirds of Britons want stronger laws to protect the environment

A new YouGov survey has revealed that 63 per cent of Britons want tougher legislation to safeguard the environment. The survey, conducted by the RSPB, also found that seven out of 10 British people would like to see an independent body set up to enforce environmental laws, and nine out of ten (88 per cent) felt we have a shared responsibility to protect the planet.

The survey comes following more than a year of closed-door meetings between environment ministers – including one this week – and the RSPB is now calling on the UK Government to provide more information on environmental policies post-Brexit. Next year is a crucial time as laws, protections and targets will be written and set by the governments of the UK, as well as an overhaul of the agriculture system, so that it farmers, consumers, rural communities and farmland species are catered for.

Farmland species, such as Corn Bunting, have suffered drastic declines, with increased pesticides, loss of mixed farming and changes in crops grown some of the key factors behind the falling numbers (Chris Mayne).

The strength of the new legislation will depend on environmental watchdogs covering England, Northern Ireand, Scotland and Wales that have the power to uphold said laws, as well as ensuring binding targets are achieved. The survey found that 68 per cent of people supported the creation of a national body – independent from government – that would be responsible for implementing and maintaing the laws. As a result, the RSPB have called for a world-leading independent environmental watchdog to hold government to account.

Martin Harper, RSPB conservation director, said: "The public clearly cares about our natural world and we are all looking to politicians to put in place all the protections it requires. Despite some encouraging words about creating world leading environmental legislation, there have been no firm details about how this will be achieved. It is concerning that – as decision-makers and scientists from around the world meet in Egypt for the last Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity before world leaders gather in Beijing in 2020 –  the UK is not taking the opportunity to lead the discussions about how we can ensure more of our land is well-managed for nature. 

"Over the next 12 months we have an historic opportunity to shape a future in which wildlife and our natural world can thrive. We need governments across the UK to step up their ambitions and establish world-leading new laws that will drive the recovery of the nature on our doorstep – and in doing so, inspire other countries to act."