Corbyn’s green vision wins: leaked manifesto promises huge environmental gains

The Ecologist Blog  A huge raft of environmental reforms is promised in the Labour Party’s draft manifesto, writes Oliver Tickell. Among the highlights: a ban on fracking; a clean energy policy based on renewables and efficiency; no commitment to new nuclear power; to meet our Paris Agreement obligations on climate; to give companies a legal obligation to protect the environment; to retain all EU environment laws post-Brexit; and multilateral nuclear disarmament. Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters will be delighted to see that his inspiring environmental vision has won out – so far at any rate – against his detractors, matching previous promises made in The Ecologist. At first sight it looks too good to be true. Labour’s leaked manifesto could almost have been written by environmental campaigners and promises a far greener Britain than that we currently inhabit. And if you compare it to the Britain that the Conservative Party has planned for us if it wins the election, with EU environmental regulations and the twin nature directives stripped away, and even the Climate Change Act under threat, Labour’s vision of the UK’s future just looks all the brighter and greener. Of course it’s not quite that simple. Among the very positive green promises lurk several less welcome items such as a commitment to expanding aviation provision, controversial port expansion, and support for expensive, locally unpopular high speed rail projects including HS2. Click here to read more.

The Greener UK manifesto

Greener UK is a coalition of 13 major environmental organisations, with a combined public membership of 7.9 million. The coalition was launched in December 2016, united in the belief that leaving the EU is a pivotal moment to restore and enhance the UK’s environment. We believe that, to make the vision of a greener UK a reality, the following action is necessary: Secure the benefits of existing environmental laws as the UK leaves the European Union, and pass an ambitious new Environment Act.

Key points include:

1. Fully transpose and maintain existing EU environmental laws and principles through the Repeal Bill, and ensure we have the necessary governance arrangements in place for robust implementation and enforcement in future.

2. Lead the world by setting measurable milestones for environmental restoration and high standards for pollution and resource efficiency, as part of a strong 25 year plan, reinforced in law in an ambitious new Environment Act. Secure the UK’s global climate leadership.

3. Ensure the UK achieves its global and domestic climate ambitions by continuing to co-operate on energy and climate change with the EU, for example by avoiding disruption to the current EU 2030 climate and energy framework.

4. Affirm ongoing investment in, and deployment of, clean energy infrastructure and efficient vehicles, buildings and appliances; maintain high standards and financial support for greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency and air quality.

5. Create sustainable farming and land use policies that deliver real value, by investing taxpayers’ money in public benefits, including abundant nature, clean water, climate change mitigation and beautiful landscapes.

6. Lead the world with high environmental and animal welfare standards in agriculture, to establish a global reputation for quality food that people can trust.

7. Introduce new domestic laws that make the UK a world leader in innovative and sustainable fisheries management, providing the basis for precautionary and ecosystem-based approaches.

8. Continue to support sustainable fishing levels, introducing a domestic legal requirement to fish at a level that allows fish stocks to recover and to document fully all fish caught.

To read more click here.

Marine Conservation Society – Standing up for our seas – General Election 2017

The day of the UK General Election is approaching rapidly. June 8th also happens to be World Ocean’s Day, and we are making sure that the parties of all political flavours are fully aware of our demands for a better future for our seas.

MCS is wholly non-party political, and we remain so at all times. We would like to see every party commit to giving the marine environment the attention it needs, so that commitments can be honoured by those elected to a position of governance.

We have made our recommendations clear with this letter, sent to all major UK political parties shortly after the snap election was called in April.

We are calling for all parties to:

•    Complete an ecologically coherent network of well-managed marine protected areas in UK seas.

•    Ensure sustainable UK fisheries and aquaculture.

•    Introduce a deposit return system for single-use drinks containers and a comprehensive ban on microbeads to significantly reduce marine litter.

Together with the letter, we provided parties with details of the Greener UK manifesto, which we support alongside many partner charities. This adds the weight of a huge constituency of supporters who are as keen as we are to tackle today’s environmental threats and to keep laws to protect nature strong.