Long- term decline in biodiversity
Campaigners say the next 10 years is critical for recovery
THE UK is failing on several biodiversity targets. An annual government report has shown that despite improvement in many areas, more than a dozen measures of biodiversity continue to show serious long-term deterioration. These include UK habitats, species of European importance, and the abundance and distribution of priority species - those that were identified as being the most threatened and requiring conservation action.
The UK is also experiencing increasing pressure from invasive species, while fish size in the North Sea and the status of pollinating insects have deteriorated.
In total, 14 out of 42 measures that are used to indicate trends in UK biodiversity in the long term have deteriorated, while 23 have improved, three have seen little or no overall change, and two have insufficient data.
Some areas that have improved include sustainable fisheries, reduction of air and marine pollution, the extent of protected areas both on land and at sea, and the removal of greenhouse gasses by UK forests.
A Defra spokesperson said: “Today’s statistics highlight some positive signs for our environment and wildlife, such as the contribution of UK forests to mitigating climate change and the increase in many of our bat populations.
“However, there remain huge ongoing pressures on the country’s biodiversity and many of our native species are in decline, which is why we must continue to act to restore and enhance nature.
“The government has created over 350 marine protected areas; pledged new funding, including our £640m Nature for Climate Fund; and is bringing forward the landmark Environment Bill which sets the framework for introducing legally binding targets for biodiversity.”
However, the report also shows that while people are volunteering more of their time to conservation and spending from charities is on the rise, government spending on biodiversity has fallen over the last few years.
Between 2000 and 2018, the amount of time volunteers contributed to conservation activities in the UK increased by 53%.
Meanwhile, spending on biodiversity by non-governmental organisations stood at £258 million in 2018/19 - up by 5% in real terms compared to 2017/18, and 28% over the last five years.
In 2018/19, £473 million of UK public sector funding was allocated to biodiversity in the UK - up by 2% from 2017/18, but a real-term decrease of 33% over the last five years.
Spending on biodiversity represented just 0.02% of UK GDP in 2018/19.
Joan Edwards, director of public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts says: “The biodiversity indicators are the latest in a number of recent reports that show we are failing nature and failing people too. “Recently the Prime Minister committed to protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030. But these new Government statistics show that we are not reversing the fortunes of threatened species and habitats and the situation is getting even worse.
“There’s a loss of woodland and farmland birds, long-term decline of pollinators, and the condition of important habitats is deteriorating. “We need investment and action on the ground to put nature into recovery and we need it now. The Wildlife Trusts recently called on the Government to introduce a new designation for England – Wildbelt – for the purpose of putting land into recovery for nature.
“The next ten years are absolutely critical: they must be a time for a green recovery and for putting nature back into our lives.”