Nature and Climate Declaration

We, the undersigned, note the stark warning contained in the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy of October 2021 that:

“If we fail to limit global warming to 1.5°C, floods and fires will get more frequent and more fierce, crops will be more likely to fail, and sea levels will rise driving mass migration as millions are forced from their homes. Above 1.5°C, we risk reaching climatic tipping points, meaning we could lose control of our climate for good.”

We welcome the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, signed by the UK Government, which states that—if we fail to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030—we increase the risk of further pandemics, rising global temperatures and loss of species.

We agree with statements made by Ministers that we must go further to address the interdependent crises of ecosystem degradation and climate change—and that the success in building a nature positive and zero carbon country—will depend on public engagement and support.

We therefore call on the UK Government to deal with these critical risks to our heritage, communities and future prosperity by:

1. Fulfilling our fair share of emissions reductions to ensure that the average global temperature increase will not exceed 1.5°C
2. Halting and reversing biodiversity decline by 2030, and
3. Delivering a more ambitious and integrated environmental protection and decarbonisation plan.

We urge the UK Government to consider these recommendations in advance of the negotiations at the UN climate change summit, COP27, in November 2022—and the UN biodiversity summit, COP15, in December 2022.

The undersigned