Summary:
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Campaigners claim that the targets weaken the UK’s position as a worldwide leader.
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The United Kingdom has the fewest natural resources, ranking in the bottom 10% globally and last among the G7 countries.
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“No river in England or Wales is exempt from the contamination brought on by raw sewage, microplastics, and slurry.
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Campaigners claim that the targets weaken the UK’s position as a worldwide leader.
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At the COP15 summit in Montreal, Canada, representatives from almost 200 nations are gathering to discuss how to stop the loss of biodiversity and wildlife worldwide.
CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link Richard Benwell says that long-term goals to improve the overall quality of water are essential because they allow the public to hold the government accountable for polluting rivers and other waterways.
He said, “The public has no way of knowing that their river is in better shape, and there is no avenue to justice.”
No river in England or Wales is exempt from the contamination brought on by raw sewage, microplastics, and slurry.
Numerous alerts were sent this summer when water companies dumped wastewater and untreated sewage into the ocean.
Charities warn that this will keep happening if the government doesn’t clarify its goals for improving water quality.
They also say that biodiversity would keep worsening because plant and animal species wouldn’t have the right conditions to do well in protected natural areas.
Campaigners claim that the targets weaken the UK’s position as a worldwide leader.
At the COP15 summit in Montreal, Canada, representatives from almost 200 nations are gathering to discuss how to stop the loss of biodiversity and wildlife worldwide.
According to charities, the government’s new environmental goals are “half-done” and won’t be able to stop the degradation of nature.
After a six-week wait, the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs released the targets on Friday.
The legally required goals are meant to deal with fundamental problems like air pollution and the loss of animals and plants.
But those who are against it say that there are no critical goals to protect natural areas and water quality.
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Even though it would be good to set a goal to stop biodiversity loss, groups like the RSPB, Greenpeace, and Wildlife and Countryside Link say that the dreams don’t come close to solving the urgent crisis facing UK wildlife.
The United Kingdom has the fewest natural resources, ranking in the bottom 10% globally and last among the G7 countries.
The Environment Act of 2021 said that the government had to set the goals by October 31, 2022, but a “strong public response” caused it to delay its plans.
Therese Coffey, who is in charge of the environment, and the Office for Environmental Protection, which keeps an eye on the environment, talked about the delays.
13 targets were finally released on Friday, one of which was to stop the loss in species abundance by 2030. Another guarantee is that biodiversity will be higher in 2042 than in 2022 and at least 10% higher than in 2030.
- The significant resurgence of the once-extinct butterfly in the UK
- Can we reserve a third of the planet for the natural world?
- Why the environmental crisis matters
Environmental organizations, however, claim that the goals are not challenging enough.
Craig Bennett, the head of The Wildlife Trusts, says that trying to have just a little bit more wildlife in 20 years than we have now is not world-leading and means we are not taking care of our responsibilities to future generations.
CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link Richard Benwell says that long-term goals to improve the overall quality of water are essential because they allow the public to hold the government accountable for polluting rivers and other waterways.
He said that “the public has no way of knowing that their river is in better shape, and there is no avenue to justice.”
No river in England or Wales is exempt from the contamination brought on by raw sewage, microplastics, and slurry.
Numerous alerts were sent this summer when water companies dumped wastewater and untreated sewage into the ocean.
Charities warn that this will keep happening if the government doesn’t clarify its goals for improving water quality.
They also say that biodiversity would keep getting worse because plant and animal species wouldn’t have the right conditions to do well in protected natural areas.
Campaigners claim that the targets weaken the UK’s position as a worldwide leader.
At the COP15 summit in Montreal, Canada, representatives from almost 200 nations are gathering to discuss how to stop the loss of biodiversity and wildlife worldwide.
