The National Trust has brought together some of England’s largest landowners and managers together to sign up to a range of commitments to help the government meet its net zero ambitions and reverse environmental damage. Among those who have signed up include the RSPB, the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Church Commissioners for England, the Duchy of Cornwall, National Parks England, Soil Association, The Wildlife Trusts and Woodland Trust.

The organisations have vowed to work together to ensure that our natural resources like peat bogs, woodlands and rivers are used as effectively as possible to tackle the climate crisis. The deal was agreed following a one-day summit at the National Trust’s Wimpole Estate in October, which was attended by Defra Climate Adaptation minister Jo Churchill. Some of the ways land can be used responsibly to tackle climate change include a focus on creating more woodland, restoring and protecting peatlands to capture carbon, reconnecting rivers and preventing flooding as well as the management of coastal erosion.

Participants have also sent a letter to Environment Secretary George Eustice which states their own practical commitments as responsible stewards on how they plan to tackle climate change.  The six climate and nature-based solutions that organisations have signed up to include:

1. Take meaningful action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change to ensure a net gain in carbon sequestration.
2. Create or restore homes for wildlife that support nature’s recovery and provide long term biodiversity increases
3. Be designed, implemented and managed in consultation with local communities, taking into account past, present and future landscape character
4. Facilitate opportunities to deliver benefits for people at a local and a national level, such as access to nature and green job generation
5. Consider the location, ecology and surrounding landscape to ensure multiple benefits, such as carbon sequestration and flood management.
6. Be future-proofed and adaptively managed so they are climate resilient for generations to come.

National Trust Director General Hilary McGrady said: “While by no means perfect, we saw recently at COP26 what can be achieved when parties work together. Healing climate harm is something we are all united in and only by pulling together, sharing our expertise and experience will we have any chance at tackling all its effects.

Click here to read more