This week, 198 countries are coming together for #COP29 to discuss efforts  to tackle climate change. The world is still far from where it needs to be on climate action, so what do The Wildlife Trusts want to see? 🧵👇 For the first time, June 2024 marked the 12th consecutive month of global temperature reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This is a wake-up call - swift action to cut emissions is more urgent than ever ⏰. (2/4)

HS2 Ltd 🚄 claims that our findings are based “on unreliable data” yet we have carefully analysed all data that has been made available, including their own survey data – only amending it where clear mistakes had been made to improve accuracy. (1/4)🧵 HS2 Ltd says that “independent experts from Natural England have consulted on their methodology”, which is true. In 2016 Natural England raised serious concerns about the methodology and advised HS2 Ltd to update its methods. But HS2 has still not addressed all the issues.🌳(2/4)

Today @CEN_HQ have called for a change of course on our rivers, recognising that sewage, farm pollution and excess abstraction are ‘red lines’ for the public; 40 MPs & peers are backing the calls in the manifesto that will improve our rivers, lakes and seas. These include: 🧵 💧 Use Water Company fines to restore rivers: Of course we’d prefer they didn’t pollute in the first place! But we agree that where the environment is damaged, it must be made good.💧 Label unflushables: To help householders avoid blockages that can cause sewers to overspill

Today we've written to the potential candidates running to be our next Prime Minister with one clear question:
 
Will you end the #AttackOnNature?
 
@RishiSunak @PennyMordaunt @BorisJohnson
 
wcl.org.uk/docs/Dear%20Ca… This means:
 
1/ Scrap the Retained EU Law Bill
 
This Bill threatens to revoke hundreds of laws that protect wild places and ensures standards for water quality, air pollution and the use of pesticides. This #AttackOnNature must be stopped NOW. 💦🌍🌱
 
wildlifetrusts.org/blog/sue-young…

We face an urgent nature and climate crisis. But instead of a plan for nature's recovery on land and at sea, the UK Government is pursuing a dangerous agenda of deregulation that puts the very laws protecting wildlife at risk. But what does this mean exactly? (1/12) Deregulation means removing rules and protections, often characterised as “cutting red tape”. In reality, it means polluters can get away with poisoning our rivers and countryside. (2/12)

By lifting the ban on #fracking in England, the Conservative Government has gone against its manifesto commitments. Here’s why 👇🧵 (1/6) The Conservative Government committed to only explore fracking if science shows categorically that it can be done safely. And the @BritGeoSurvey review does not conclude that fracking is safe. (2/6)

We do not support #fracking in the UK because of
a) the potential for negative environmental impacts
b) it does not reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and
c) it does not help to reduce household bills (1/4) The Government’s own advisers stated just yesterday that fracking will do nothing to reduce household energy bills. New development of fracking sites will also lock in expensive fossil fuel-dependent infrastructure for decades (2/4)
theccc.org.uk/publication/cc…
@theCCCuk @NatInfraCom

By 2024 more peat will be in bogs not bags! 💚
Today, the UK Government has announced that there will be a TOTAL BAN on the sale of bagged peat compost. We’ve been fighting for this since 1990 and recognise it is an important step in the protection of our peatlands. (1/5) Your voices have made a difference! In addition to our wonderful supporters (over 63,000 of you!) 95% of the 5,000 respondents, to the UK Government’s consultation, also supported a full retail ban.
This included retailers, growers, extractors and manufacturers. (2/5)

The worldwide pandemic of avian flu is having a devastating effect on UK birds – we need to see the Government take a new approach to producing food that farms in harmony with nature instead of harming it. (1/5)

wildlifetrusts.org/news/more-acti… Bird flu is killing huge numbers of wild birds that are already threatened by a range of other problems – from climate change and habitat loss, to overfishing and pollution. (2/5)

Today we were incredibly proud to take the voices of over 60,000 of our supporters to Downing Street, to demand a better future for wildlife 🙌💚🧵(1/4) Proposed targets in the Environment Act would mean less nature in England in 20 years' time. That's not good enough. Over 60,000 of you agreed with us and today our youth ambassadors, including the wonderful @BirdgirlUK, took your comments to Downing Street. (2/4)

Today’s @theCCCuk progress report on reducing greenhouse emissions highlights critical gaps around the future of farming and land use in meeting net zero, with red and amber scores for almost every metric 👇🧵(1/4)
theccc.org.uk/publication/20… This comes after last year’s climate adaptation report found that farmland habitats and agricultural productivity are least prepared for the impacts of a changing climate, such as drought, wildfires, and flooding (2/4)

Currently the UK Government is consulting on plans for legally-binding targets in the Environment Act. Now, that might sound really dry – but here’s why it’s important, plus a really easy way that you can have your say! Settle down for a 🧵👇 (1/7) In 2021 the Environment Act was passed into law. This was an incredible moment and makes it a legal requirement for current and future governments to protect and improve nature in England – hurray! (2/7)

In the year the UK is hosting #COP26, it is unthinkable that the Government is weakening the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The JNCC review could see protections for key species stripped away. This is unacceptable. (1/4) This review means that endangered species, like water voles, could be removed from the protected list, and places a burden on NGOs to prove that species need to remain on the list. (2/4)

Today we're celebrating the arrival of the long fought-for sea sanctuaries where all damaging activities will be banned - Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) - the first of their kind in English seas! #WorldOceansDay 🌊 🐬 🦀 👇
wildlifetrusts.org/news/governmen… We have called for #HPMAs for the last 3 years and our petition urging their speedy implementation was signed by over 10,000 people. HPMAs will give our degraded seas the best chance of recovery. 🐟🦞🐬

Wow! 100,000+ voices against #neonicotinoids! Thanks for demonstrating such strength of feeling against plans to allow a banned pesticide on crops this spring (1/4) This week we’ve written to the Prime Minister, urging him to listen to those voices. A ‘pesticides-first’ approach is not science-led policymaking (2/4)
👇📝
wildlifetrusts.org/sites/default/…

Why does the ban on burning peatlands only apply to some of our designated peatlands, when it should apply to all peatlands? 👇(1/5) gov.uk/government/new… Our peatlands are one of our most valuable habitats, and they're a critically important carbon store, often referred to as the UK's rainforests. (2/5) wildlifetrusts.org/what-we-do/nat…

We are exploring a legal challenge to the Government's decision to allow the emergency use of the banned neonicotinoid Thiamethoxam for sugar beet 👇 🐝
wildlifetrusts.org/news/wildlife-… (1/4) Today our lawyers have contacted the Environment Secretary, George Eustice, questioning his decision. We believe the action taken may have been unlawful (2/4)

Bad news for bees: The Government has bowed to pressure from the National Farmers Union to agree the use of a highly damaging pesticide - neonicotinoid thiamethoxam - for the treatment of sugar beet seed in response to beet yellows virus @DefraGovUK (1/7) gov.uk/government/pub… The Government know the clear harm that neonicotinoid pesticides cause to bees and other pollinators and just 3 years ago supported restrictions on them across the European Union (2/7)

We are thrilled to announce that @lizbonnin has today been elected as president of The Wildlife Trusts. Liz spends her time shining a light on environmental issues, and we’re delighted that she’s joining us at this critical time for the natural world 👇 wildlifetrusts.org/news/wildlife-… We also have the pleasure of announcing that @gillians_voice, biologist, @BBCSpringwatch presenter and life-long nature fan, is joining us as vice president. Her enthusiasm, experience and knowledge of UK wildlife will be invaluable in helping more people act for a #WilderFuture.

We have big concerns about the new #PlanningWhitePaper reforms. They could threaten England’s wildlife, restrict nature into unprotected silos and make it harder for communities to have their say (1/8) #WilderFuture #PlanningWhitePaper We’re responding to the consultation, and have put forward the following principles we want to see incorporated into the reforms (2/8) #WilderFuture #PlanningWhitePaper

We need a successful planning system for nature to recover, and to create green spaces at the heart of communities. Wildlife is still declining; the current system isn’t working. But we believe the proposed reforms will make a bad situation much worse. Here’s why 👇 1⃣ They’re highly likely to increase the decline of nature. The proposed approach offers less protection for nature than we already have, and there is little detail on how planning will help nature to recover⚠️