The right balance

Why the environment matters

WHAT LEADING Brexiteers like George Eustice invariably overlook is that the European Union has been intrinsic to the raising of environmental standards – the cleanliness of beaches, and their constant monitoring, being a case in point.

Yet, while Mr Eustice, the Environment Secretary, suggests, on the one hand, that Britain needs to “redouble” its efforts globally when the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, he then hints at the streamlining of regulations so nature can play a fuller part in the UK’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

And while Cabinet Ministers have been rightly focused on measures to halt the spread of coronavirus, and Mr Eustice does deserve credit for Defra’s role in maintaining the supply of food, Brexit is now less than six months away and farmers, plus other stakeholders, are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of clarity.

As such, the Minister’s policy speech today needs to explain how he expects the agricultural community to benefit from Brexit while, at the same time, setting out the benchmarks that Defra intends to use to ensure that the natural environment is protected for future generations.

Coming in the wake of a Covid-19 lockdown that was noteworthy for the public’s new-found awareness of local walks, and natural habitats, close to their home, it is important, therefore, that Mr Eustice strikes the right balance between the economy and environment rather than offering a knee-jerk reaction to Boris Johnson’s recent complaints about the extent to which “newt-counting” by conservationists can hold up new developments.