Dear Prime Minister
It is now clearer than ever before that the health of humanity is inextricably bound to the health of our planet. Your government has the opportunity to show global leadership, forging a path out of this crisis by putting a resilient economy, healthy communities, and a thriving natural world at the heart of the relief and recovery effort. We call on you to:
Create A More Resilient Economy - Invest in infrastructure, technology and skills to generate thousands of new jobs that directly contribute to a climate-safe future. Exclude high-carbon infrastructure, such as road-building and airport expansion, from being prioritised in public and private finance by putting every measure in the economic recovery package through a “net-zero test”.
Increase Space for Wildlife and People: Place the health and well-being of people and nature at the heart of the recovery by increasing access to nature-rich green space for everyone, as well as restoring and protecting our wild places on land and sea. Invest in nature-based projects, incentivise walking and cycling, and support sustainable food, farming and fishing.
Strengthen Nature’s Protections: Tighten the laws that ensure the natural world is protected not exploited, by ensuring the swift passage of environmental legislation, especially that needed as we leave the EU Transition phase. Rapidly scale up the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of our environmental protections (including on animal welfare) - and introduce targets in law across the UK for the restoration of nature on a massive scale.
Build Global Ambition: Lead the world in tackling the climate crisis and restoring nature by bringing global leaders together to plan for a green and sustainable recovery in the run-up to the United Nations COP26 event in Glasgow next year - making the most of the UK’s Presidency of the G7 in 2021, as well as cooperation with China in the run-up to the equally-important CBD COP15. Reducing our collective global footprint on nature is of the utmost importance.
This crisis has shown us the power of the collective human spirit - the value of community, friendship, and hope. There will be difficult choices in the weeks and months ahead as your government leads us out of this crisis. In doing so, we ask you to create something better and lead our countries to a new normal: a climate-safe, nature-rich, healthy world for all.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet you to discuss these principles - alongside relevant cabinet colleagues and heads of agencies - and would be happy to host such a meeting. In the meantime, we wish you all the best with the relief and recovery efforts over the coming weeks and months.
Butterfly Conservation urges the Prime Minister to seize this opportunity to restore nature and reverse the climate crisis. A resilient recovery will secure people’s incomes, improve the health and well-being of our communities and save butterflies and moths for future generations to enjoy and marvel at.
Yours,
Julie Williams
Chief Executive
List of Signatories:
Business:
Iceland Foods - Richard Walker, Managing Director
Barratt Developments plc - David Thomas, Group Chief Executive
The Body Shop - David P. Boynton, Chief Executive
Ben and Jerry’s - Anuradha Chugh, Managing Director
Social Enterprise UK - Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive Officer
Triodos Bank UK - Bevis Watts, Chief Executive Officer
KeepCup - Abigail Forsyth, Executive Director
Bates Wells - Martin Bunch, Managing Partner
Good Energy - Juliet Davenport, Co-founder and CEO
Bioregional - Sue Riddlestone, CEO
Natracare - Susie Hewson, Founder and CEO
Toast Ale - Louisa Ziane, Chief Operating Officer
Olio - Ben Cullen, Managing Director
SunFresh Produce - Matt Godfroy, Founder and CEO
Too Good To Go - Jamie Crummie, Co-founder
LEAP - Matt Hocking FRSA, Co-founder
Circular Economy Club - Dr. David Greenfield, Director
Nature Friendly Farming Network - Martin Lines, Chair
Charities:
RSPB - Beccy Speight, Chief Executive
National Trust - Hilary McGrady, Director General
Wildlife Trusts - Craig Bennett, Chief Executive
Woodland Trust - Darren Moorcroft, Chief Executive
Greenpeace UK - John Sauven, Executive Director
Green Alliance - Shaun Spiers, Executive Director
Surfers Against Sewage - Hugo Tagholm, Chief Executive
Wildlife and Countryside Link - Richard Benwell, Director
Ramblers UK - Tanya Curry, Director
Keep Britain Tidy - Richard McIlwain, Deputy Chief Executive
Slow Food UK - Shane Holland, Chief Executive Officer
Marine Conservation Society - Chris Tuckett, Director of Programmes
Plantlife - Ian Dunn, Chief Executive
Buglife - Matt Shardlow, Chief Executive Officer
Institute of Fisheries Management - David Bunt, Chairman
Campaign for National Parks - Corinne Pluchino, Chief Executive
Wildfowl and Wetland Trust - Dr. James Robinson, Director
Sustrans - Xavier Brice, Chief Executive
Butterfly Conservation Trust - Julie Williams, CEO
Faith for the Climate - Canon Giles Goddard, Co-founder
CPRE The countryside charity - Crispin Truman OBE, Chief Executive
Open Spaces Society - Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary
Women’s Environmental Network - Kate Metcalf, Co-Director
The Badger Trust - Dominic Dyer, Chief Executive Officer
Rewilding Britain - Prof. Alastair Driver FCIEEM, CEO
Whale and Dolphin Conservation - Chris Butler-Stroud, CEO
Earth Watch - Steve Andrews, CEO
Bat Conservation Trust - Kit Stoner, Chief Executive
CHEM Trust - Dr. Michael Warhurt, Executive Director
Freshwater Habitats Trust - Jeremy Biggs, Co-founder and Director
Humane Society International - Claire Bass, Executive Director
Salmon and Trout Conservation - Paul Knight, Chief Executive
Shark Trust - Paul Cox, MD
Angling Trust - Jamie Cook, Chief Executive
Operation Noah - Nicky Bull, Chair
People’s Trust for Endangered Species - Jill Nelson, Chief Executive
Peterborough Environment City Trust - Stuart Dawks, CEO
One World Voice - Jaqueline Bourne, Chair
Climate Friendly Bradford and Avon - Rachel Burger, Chair
Sheffield Climate Alliance - Roscoe Blevins
Youth networks and individuals:
UK Youth 4 Nature
Bella Lack (nature writer and campaigner)
Dara McAnulty (nature writer and campaigner)
Holly Gillibrand (climate campaigner and writer)
Individuals:
Chris Packham (BBC wildlife presenter)
Deborah Meaden (business leader)
Kevin McCloud MBE (journalist and presenter)
Jerome Flynn (actor and campaigner)