Born Free’s Budget response: The UK must invest in nature and wildlife without delay
As Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers her first full budget, wildlife charity Born Free calls on the UK government to invest in the protection and recovery of nature and wildlife, and the welfare of wild animals.
The world’s wildlife is in crisis, and the UK is widely recognised as being one of the most nature-depleted countries. At the same time as the Chancellor reveals the details of her budget in Westminster, the Convention on Biological Diversity is meeting in Cali, Colombia, in an effort to address the crisis facing wildlife and biodiversity.
The UK is committed to meeting the goals and targets agreed by the global community two years ago in Montreal and must invest to ensure its actions at home more than match these international ambitions and obligations.
Thriving nature and wildlife is critical to the health of the wider environment, and ultimately to our own long-term health and well-being.
Nature provides key ecosystem services on which we all rely, such as clean air, clean water and healthy food. Wildlife also acts as a natural buffer to global warming, through its ability to absorb and store carbon, thus mitigating the impact of climate change.
The benefits of access to green spaces for our mental well-being should also not be underestimated, particularly given the increasing recognition of the mental health crisis facing our society and the demands this places on our health and social services.
During the election campaign, the Labour Party committed to protect our landscapes and wildlife, promote nature’s recovery, meet the targets in the Environment Act, and improve access to nature. On the campaign trail, Steve Reed, now Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said that “For too long, too many animals, including the world’s most endangered species, have been left to suffer in silence… the next Labour government will introduce the biggest boost to animal welfare in a generation.”
However, in spite of these fine words, specific legislative commitments on nature, wildlife and the welfare of wild animals were lacking in the King’s Speech and the associated legislative agenda for the new government’s first parliamentary session.
Born Free’s Head of Policy Dr Mark Jones said: “While the Chancellor focuses her budget on addressing the national financial deficit and finding additional resources for long-neglected public services, it is vital that the government recognises the urgent need to invest in nature’s recovery and improving the welfare of animals.
“The investment needed to enable the government to achieve its nature-related ambitions represents a small proportion of the UK’s GDP, yet it is critical to our economic recovery and personal well-being. Without it, the pressures on our health, social and environmental services will only increase.”
Born Free has published its priorities for the Labour government aimed at transforming wildlife protection in the UK. These priorities cannot wait for our economy to recover – the investment needed to fulfil them must be put in place as a matter of urgency.
Find out more in Born Free’s report, Transforming Wildlife Protection in the UK: