We must seize the day
THE Government has missed an opportunity for a ‘Green New Deal’, say leading organisations such as the National Trust. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a £5 billion stimulus package to restart the economy last week, vowing to ‘build, build, build’, and to ‘build back greener’, but this promise has been met with dismay by environmentalists and other organisations. Mr Johnson’s statement on the ‘newt-counting delays in our [planning] system’ drew particular ire.
Leading rural organisations, such as CPRE, the Countryside Charity and The Wildlife Trusts, have been calling for a greener recovery plan. Craig Bennett, The Wildlife Trusts CEO, says: ‘An economic recovery that puts investment in Nature first would reap big dividends in tackling the climate crisis… as well as tackling health inequalities and providing more jobs, skills and opportunities to support the next generation.’ These calls are echoed by CPRE, which launched its ‘regeneration manifesto’ last week, calling on the Government to invest in ‘the countryside next door’.
Ed Matthew of the Climate Commission says Mr Johnson ‘has to back up his rhetoric on a green recovery
An economic recovery that puts investment in Nature first would reap big dividends
with action to prioritise green investment’ and that future generations will ‘not forgive a government that fails to use this opportunity to build a safer climate for us all’. His concerns were echoed by Tanya Steele, chief executive of WWF, who described the plans as ‘lukewarm’ and ‘out of touch’.
Interestingly, the National Trust was also critical, saying the ‘New Deal’ suggests ‘the Government has yet to fully embrace a clear vision for a green recovery’. Ingrid Samuel, historic environment director, says: ‘We have a chance to build back better, to create neighbourhoods that are fit for the future, with access to green spaces, a sense of local heritage and identity and greener streets for walking and cycling.’ She adds: ‘This will only happen if the Government takes this opportunity to think differently, embrace a genuinely holistic approach to recovery and back it up with the major investment needed to deliver it.’ The majority of the spending announcements will focus on areas that have been in the public focus since the pandemic, such as the NHS, education and making town centres greener. £100 million has been earmarked for roads and £900 million on local growth projects in England—currently unspecified. Tree planting will also receive a boost, as Mr Johnson confirmed plans to plant more than 75,000 acres each year by 2025 and promising £40 million for local conservation projects that will create 3,000 jobs.