This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament

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Petition Do not reduce environmental protections or protected species legislation

During a recent speech from PM he said "the newt-counting delays in our system are a massive drag on the productivity and prosperity of this country" This is worrying, it sounds like he wants to remove protected species legislation and this could lead to degrading of environmental protection laws.

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Great crested newts are a protected species, their numbers are declining. Currently they are protected through Annex II and IV of the EU habitats directive.

As the UK recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic we should lead the way for a green revolution for the environment and economy.

The Government should clarify whether it has any plans to remove protected species legislation for newts, which could lead to a further removal of environmental protections in this country and is the opposite of what is needed now.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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MPs investigate biodiversity and ecosystems

A group of MPs called the Environmental Audit Committee are investigating biodiversity and ecosystems.

On Thursday 22 October, they will question experts on biodiversity globally and in the UK.

Watch the Committee's session live from 2pm: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0efc09ae-ad24-45e3-aedd-04f66a1954bf

Find out more about the Committee's inquiry on its website: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/448/biodiversity-and-ecosystems/

Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates: @CommonsEAC

What is the Environmental Audit Committee?

The Environmental Audit Committee looks at and questions how the Government:
 
·         protects the environment
·         contributes to sustainable development
·         performs against sustainable development and environmental protection targets
 
It's a cross-party committee and is independent of the Government.
 
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

UK biodiversity report published by MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee

The Environmental Audit Committee has published its report on 'Biodiversity in the UK: bloom or bust', which calls for the Government to conserve and restore UK biodiversity and ecosystems.
 
The report is published amid grave concern that of the G7 countries, the UK has the lowest level of biodiversity remaining.
 
The MPs on the Committee found that existing Government policy and targets were inadequate to address plummeting biodiversity loss. This is made worse by nature policy not being joined up across Government, nor is nature protection consistently factored into policy making.
 
Some key recommendations made by the Committee include:
- The Government must establish a timetable to put management plans and monitoring in place for all Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), with different categories of destructive bottom trawling banned or restricted. More MPAs should be established as 'no-take' zones
- In the next Spending Review, greater funding must be given to Natural England which reflects its responsibilities and tasks.
- The Government should commission a review identifying and tracking public expenditure harmful to biodiversity. Once identified, Ministers must act to remove harmful subsidies and re-direct money to nature conservation and recovery.
- Tree planting should not occur on peat soils
- Education on biodiversity must increase: a Natural History GCSE should be introduced and investment in skills should be increased for chartered ecology and associated disciplines.
 
Read an interactive summary of the report:
https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/uk-biodiversity-bloom-or-bust/index.html
 

What happens next?

The Government now must respond to the Committee's report, which was published on 30 June 2021, within two months. The Committee will publish the Government’s response here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/62/environmental-audit-committee/
 

What is the Environmental Audit Committee?

The Environmental Audit Committee is a cross-party group of non-Government MPs who look into how Government policies and departments contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development.
  
Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on its work:
https://twitter.com/CommonsEAC
 
The Environmental Audit Committee is a select committee. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c