The time is now to meet targets for nature

At CPRE, we’re supporting a report which launches today at the Wild Summit. It’s calling for urgent action for 30% of land and sea to be well managed for nature, which the UK committed to at an international biodiversity summit in 2022.

But the report launched today shows that we are a long way off in England, with less than 3% of land meeting the 30by30 criteria. This means there needs to be action from government now, if we have any hope of achieving the target.

What is the 30by30 target?

So what is the 30by30 target? The UK agreed to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 – known as 30by30 – to support the global 30by30 target. The target is included in a government Environment Plan, and we hope that it’ll be a key part of the upcoming Land Use Framework.

Why does this matter? Land in good management for nature will help create a healthier environment which is better for people and wildlife. For us, better habitats such as more hedgerows, will help reduce flooding and improve water quality. For wildlife, well managed habitats mean more homes for animals, insects and plants.

What we’re calling for

There are some key things that we want government to do right now. Firstly, it’s time for creative thinking if we’re going to meet the 30by30 target. Could land around our towns and cities do more for nature?

To help achieve the aim for 30% of land delivering for nature by 2030, a spatial designation like the Green Belt could play a vital role to find places with potential for nature recovery. Not only is Green Belt the countryside on the doorstep of around 30 million people and covers almost 13% of England – three times the size of Norfolk – just imagine your nearest Green Belt buzzing with more nature!

My local Green Belt is around London which has very diverse land use and habitats. Many of the places I was taken as a child were in Green Belt – I didn’t know what it was at the time, it was somewhere to feel free, paddling in streams, avoiding cow pats in fields – what fun! Now one of those places is a golf course, and it’s a more manicured landscape, to me it has damaged what I felt was so special about that patch of Green Belt. I’d love to think that in the future, that place and other Green Belt’s around England, could do much more towards the 30by30 target.

We’re also expecting an overdue plan to manage land more effectively. This is the government’s Land Use Framework, which we hope is due out in the autumn. And we hope that one part of it will be about how important it is that land use delivers improvements for nature – not at odds with it in the rush for development.

How we can reach the 30by30 target together

Another critical way that the 30by30 target can be achieved is by investing in farming that enhances nature. This must be planned for the long term through environment farming schemes that will be managed for nature over many years. A great example of what can be achieved, is CPRE’s Hedgerow Heroes project which works with many farmers, landowners and partners to deliver more and improved hedgerows. It shows that working together can achieve even more for nature.

We’ve only got five years left to get this right, and that’s why CPRE has supported the Environment Link report on progress towards 30by30. Action is needed now if we have any hope of having a thriving natural environment, so we can all benefit now and for years to come.