Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust urges prospective parliamentary candidates to recognise the electorate wants to see greater commitment from all parties to tackling the climate and nature emergency.

A nationwide poll commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts reveals how badly people think all main parties are faring on the devastating issues facing our natural world. The poll, which was conducted by Savanta and saw 2,221 UK adults interviewed between 31 May and 2 June, this year, reveals that a majority of the public think the main parties are doing poorly on a number of matters, including:

• River pollution (78%);
• Nature loss (71%);
• Climate change (69%);
• Ensuring communities can benefit from nature (65%); and,
• Supporting sustainable food production (63%).

And yet the poll shows environmental issues are a key concern for voters:

• 79% think that nature is important for our well-being and economic prosperity
• Most people (59%) consider environmental issues to be at least as important as other issues facing the country
• 39% will vote based on environmental policies offered by candidates

The General Election is incredibly important for wildlife and wild spaces across the UK, and beyond. The UK is already classified as one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, with one in six species under threat of extinction. The incoming Government will be responsible for turning this around and meeting legally binding environmental targets.

Chloë Edwards, Director of Nature Recovery at Herts and Middlesex Trust says,

“This decade, we are at a pivotal point in how our future plays out – we know that our natural world is in crisis and that needs to be addressed immediately. We all want a world where we can breathe, which is rich in colour and wildlife, and where we can all thrive side-by-side. Unfortunately, the current picture is very different to that – it’s bleak, with nature in freefall and the hottest, wettest months turning into the hottest, wettest years. That has devastating consequences for us - for our health, our ability to produce food, and our capacity to withstand floods, drought and heat. The Government has a legal obligation to meet environment and climate targets and, at this critical time, we must hold those who intend to lead us to account.

“Here in Hertfordshire, we are custodians of 10% of only 260 chalk rivers in the entire world. These precious ecosystems are our local equivalent of rainforests, yet not a single one of them is deemed to be in good condition. That is scandalous, so collectively we need to demand better protection for these natural treasures, and for other important wildlife sites too.

“Our poll saw that 4 in 10 people are planning to vote based on environmental policies offered by candidates, and a majority of people consider environmental issues to be at least as important as other issues facing the country.”

The Trust is recognised as the leading voice for conservation in Hertfordshire and Middlesex with over 23,500 members. As part of The Wildlife Trusts federation, it advocates for political change and is asking its community to stand up for nature as the election approaches by:

• Contacting their constituency candidates in the run up to the election and helping to get nature on the agenda, as part of The Wildlife Trusts’ Nature, Who Cares campaign. For more details click here.  
• Attending the Restore Nature Now rally, being held on Saturday 22 June, in central London, to call on UK politicians to show strong domestic and global nature and climate leadership in the run up to 4 July’s General Election. For more details click here.