National Trust Policy & Advocacy blog

The challenge ahead of us to reverse the effects of climate change and to tackle the current decline of biodiversity is substantial. We know that nature is under greater pressure than ever before, and that climate change is only going to bring more challenges for the places that the National Trust looks after on behalf of the nation.

On Tuesday Defra Secretary of State George Eustice made one of his most significant speeches for nature policy since the introduction of the Environment Bill. This speech comes at an important moment. Not only is the UK hosting the forthcoming G7 and COP26 meetings, which will be vital in setting the global ambition for climate change, but the value of nature to people has never been clearer.

Optimism has been in short supply for the last year. Covid-19 has disrupted and undermined so much of what we love and find familiar. But as the vaccines roll out there is a sense of the country unlocking and feeling safer to be itself again. And for those of us who care passionately about the need to address the accelerating crisis in our natural world, and at the same time confront the ...

New research by the Environment Agency supports our approach to tackling climate change. The Agency's research again shows that a degree of change is inevitable. That's why, as well as reducing our emissions and capturing more carbon in our land, we're adapting the way we look after places to better protect and heal them from the impacts of climate change.

A 600-page report on ‘The Economics of Biodiversity’ was launched today (2 February) by Partha Dasgupta at the Royal Society. Partha has been working with an expert team in treasury to tackle the gnarly issue of how to include nature in the economic balance sheets that so often determine decisions.

The Environment Bill returned to Parliament yesterday. But that return was shortlived. The Government is postponing the rest of the process by several more months – citing concerns about the Bill not completing its passage in the Lords before the end of the Session.

After over 200 days of absence, today the Environment Bill finally returns to Parliament. Getting the detail right over the coming months will be vital in ensuring this cornerstone of the Government’s environmental agenda really delivers the step change nature needs. Here we share some views on what needs to happen next.

Today we’ve made a joint call to Defra Secretary of State George Eustice urging him to take action to unleash the potential of designated landscapes for people, climate and nature.

We’ve responded to the Government’s consultation on the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. In this blog we share six key areas we believe the UK Government needs to invest in to get the best outcomes for people and places, nature and heritage and the economy alike.

Yesterdays's announcement from the Prime Minister that the UK will aim to protect 30 per cent of land for nature by 2030, including 4,000 km2 of new land for nature in England, is a welcome pick-me-up for those who care about nature, especially after recent reports on the UK missing most of its biodiversity targets and the state of its waterways.