Green Councillor Kevin Pressland is a passionate campaigner for nature and the natural environment. His understanding of the threats faced by the natural world is based on expertise gained from a 40-year career in horticulture, garden design and sustainable land management:
The Ecologist magazine chief reporter Catherine Early highlighted the UK government’s significant shortfall in meeting its 2030 target to protect 30% of nature despite endorsing its objective internationally in Montreal.
At that UN Biodiversity Conference, the UK made a commitment to protect and conserve a minimum of 30% of land and sea for biodiversity by 2030, known as 30×30.
Natural England Target 3, colloquially known as “30×30”, specifically calls for the effective protection and management of 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by the year 2030.
This commitment seems illusory, Thanet being a prime example with Minster Marshes and the adjoining SSSI being compromised.
A recent report on UK conservation efforts reveals minimal growth in protected land under Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s), particularly in England, with worsening conditions noted. The report underlines inadequate monitoring of sites beyond the network, hindering progress evaluation.
Again, Minster Marshes is a prime example of blindly ignoring the plight of this area with fine words in reports which are clearly not enacted in reality to protect the plants, animals, birds and beauty of this area, which is valued by the local human populace too.
Urgently the government must articulate a detailed plan to fulfil its 30 x 30 commitment the report concluded.
Additionally, a December 2023 report by nature experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessed contributions toward the UK’s target, painting a grim picture of progress since their last report in 2014.
If Conservatives are not in power by the end of 2024, then whoever is, should be committed to safeguarding ever decreasing native flora and fauna and truly enhancing nature recovery to the 30 x 30 UN Biodiversity commitment practically on the ground, no fine words, action is required.
An economic growth agenda by any political party should define what they perceive growth is. It has to be more than increasing GDP, treasury finances and economic growth no matter what the consequences – Minster Marshes demise being an example. Full Systems Thinking should be the default position within all policy making.
Quality of life, including shelter, happiness, care, love, health (not just curing but preventing illness) respect for each other and the Earth should be truly respected for all benefit, human and those other than human. The obsession with material values trumping everything else has to end.
Will the current dominant political parties wake up to this reality for all our sakes? It is very questionable. Politicians have to be honest about the seriousness of ecological decline. They are not being so at present, fine words but little action.
Bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy will not change things, action will.
