6 priorities for the environment after Brexit
Well, it’s been quite a month. If you’re struggling to get your head around what’s happened, you’re not alone. Many people are wondering what the result of the EU referendum means and what is going to happen next. We don’t have the answers yet, but we can certainly ask the questions and demand that the new government comes clean about their plans for the future.
In terms of environmental protection, we know that much of the progress we’ve made is now at risk following the Leave result. Many of the laws and regulations that protect nature come from the EU. Some have been incorporated into UK law, but after Brexit they could be repealed by the new government. Other regulations only exist as EU directives and could cease to have force in the UK after Brexit.
If we are going to stand a fighting chance in guaranteeing environmental protection going forward, the new government MUST prioritise these areas:
1) Climate change: Will we continue to be a global leader on climate change? What this means is it’s really important to continue meeting our carbon targets as set out in the Climate Change Act, and also to prioritise signing the Paris Agreement…before Christmas.
2) Sustainable fishing – The Common Fisheries Policy may not apply in Britain anymore so we want to know – how will we keep our oceans filled with fish and ensure fair fishing rights for UK fishers? We need to make sure we get a good deal for fishermen, coastal communities and the environment – the government should confirm that it will continue to follow internationally respected scientific advice on fishing quota levels. And the allocation needs to be fair, so smaller boats can thrive.
3) Birds, habitat and water – We didn’t vote for our birds, beaches and beautiful countryside to be threatened. But many of the regulations that protect our environment come from the EU and will soon no longer apply in Britain even if we stay in the Single Market. We want to know, will the government make sure that UK environmental legislation remains as strong as – if not stronger – than it is now? As an immediate step, the Government should immediately transcribe into UK law the EU nature directives that we’re about to lose: the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive and the Bathing Waters Directive.
4) Air pollution – We didn’t vote for dirty air, but that’s what we could be stuck with if the government doesn’t act. Our air pollution regulations aren’t strong enough and not well enforced, but they come from the EU so Brexit puts even those meagre efforts at risk. Air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 premature deaths across the country every year, with children on the front line, and costs the UK an estimated £20 billion every year (that’s a little bit more than £350m a week). So, will the government quickly commit to a new Clean Air Act to strengthen action on air pollution, and also take immediate practical steps to get rid of dirty diesel?
5) Agriculture and the countryside – Going forward, the Common Agricultural Policy may also no longer apply here. That means the policy of giving billions in subsidies to farmers – in part to protect the countryside – is up in the air. Can we know for sure that the government will show leadership to enhance wildlife habitats, soil, waterways, landscapes and our countryside heritage, alongside a thriving farming sector? We want the government to safeguard funds for agriculture and wildlife, but to ensure that money is linked to environmental protection.
6) Oceans – We are still pushing for a UK ban on the production and sale of products containing microbeads to protect the marine environment. Before the referendum George Eustice, then-Defra minister and Brexit campaigner, made clear that the Government was considering a ban on microbeads due to their impact on the marine environment and potential impacts on human health. We need to know if the Government will push forward with this ban?
You might have some questions of your own – click here to send a message to the new government.
