Boris Johnson ‘should prioritise a green recovery’

Along with dozens of environmental and business organisations, Freshwater Habitats Trust is calling on the Prime Minister to prioritise a green recovery as ‘the new normal’.

We are urging the government to put nature and climate at the heart of decisions for the recovery effort, for healthy communities and a resilient economy, in an open letter to the Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson unveiled the government’s roadmap to exit COVID-19 lockdown and restart the economy on Sunday, 10 May. Ahead of this announcement, over 60 signatories of major charities, businesses and youth leaders called on the Prime Minister to adopt four principles to enable a sustainable economic recovery for people and planet:

• Create a more resilient economy by investing in the infrastructure, technology and skills to generate thousands of new jobs that directly contribute to a climate-safe future – and exclude polluting industries from help without a proper climate plan.
• Increase access to wild spaces for everyone through restoring nature and oceans, incentivising walking and cycling, and supporting sustainable food, farming and fishing.
• Strengthen nature’s protections by ensuring the swift passage of environmental legislation – and introduce targets in law across the UK for the restoration of nature on a massive scale.
• Lead the world in building back better for people, climate and nature by bringing global leaders together to plan for a green and sustainable recovery in the run-up to the vital United Nations climate conference and biodiversity conferences next year.

The call to the government is made by the Chief Executives of a broad cross-section of environmental NGOs, businesses and youth groups.

Craig Bennett – Chief Executive, The Wildlife Trusts
Hilary McGrady – Director General, National Trust
Bella Lack – Nature Writer and Campaigner
Richard Walker – Managing Director, Iceland Foods
Becky Speight – Chief Executive, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Anuradha Chugh – Managing Director, Ben & Jerry’s Europe
Kevin McCloud MBE – Journalist and Presenter
David Thomas – Group Chief Executive, Barratt Developments plc
Dara McNulty – Nature Writer and Campaigner
Richard Benwell – Director, Wildlife and Countryside Link
David P. Boynton – Chief Executive, The Body Shop
Shaun Spiers – Executive Director, Green Alliance
Deborah Meaden – Business Leader
Holly Gillibrand – Climate Campaigner and Writer
Hugo Tagholm – Chief Executive Office, Surfers Against Sewage
Bevis Watts – Chief Executive Officer, Triodos Bank UK
John Sauven – Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
Louisa Ziane – Chief Operating Office, Toast Ale
Chris Packham – BBC Wildlife Presenter
Canon Giles Goddard – Co-founder, Faith for the Climate
Darren Moorcroft – Chief Executive, The Woodland Trust
Peter Holbrook CBE – Chief Executive Officer, Social Enterprise UK
Tanya Curry – Director, Ramblers UK
Martin Bunch – Managing Partner, Bates Wells
Juliet Davenport – Executive Director, Good Energy
Jerome Flynn – Actor and Campaigner
Martin Lines – Chair, Nature Friendly Farming Network
Ben Cullen – Managing Director, Olio
Richard McIlwain – Deputy Chief Executive, Keep Britain Tidy
Shane Holland – Chief Executive Officer, Slow Food UK
Abigail Forsyth – Executive Director, KeepCup
Chris Tuckett – Director of Programmes, Marine Conservation Society
Ian Dunn – Chief Executive, Plantlife
Dominic Dyer – Chief Executive Officer, the Badger Trust
Matt Shardlow – Chief Executive Officer, Buglife
David Bunt – Chairman, Institute of Fisheries Management
Corinne Pluchino – Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
Dr. James Robinson – Director, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Julie Williams – CEO, Butterfly Conservation Trust
Susie Hewson, CEO of Natracare
Crispin Truman OBE – Chief Executive, CPRE The countryside charity
Kate Ashbrook – General Secretary, Open Spaces Society
Kate Metcalf – Co-Director, Women’s Environmental Network
Prof. Alastair Driver FCIEEM – CEO, Rewilding Britain
Chris Butler-Stroud – CEO, Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Steve Andrews – CEO, EarthWatch
Kit Stoner – Chief Executive, Bat Conservation Trust
Dr. Michael Warhurt – Executive Director, CHEM Trust
Jeremy Biggs – Co-founder and Director, Freshwater Habitats Trust
Paul Knight – Chief Executive, Salmon and Trout Conservation
Paul Cox – Managing Director, Shark Trust
David Greenfield – Director, Circular Economy Club
Jamie Cook – Chief Executive, Angling Trust
Nicky Bull – Chair, Operation Noah
Jill Nelson, Chief Executive – People’s Trust for Endangered Species
Stuart Dawks – CEO, Peterborough Environment City Trust
Jaqueline Bourne, Chair – One World Voice
Sue Riddlestone – Director, Bioregional
Matt Godfroy – MD, SunFresh Produce UK Youth for Nature