General Election 2024
The election results are in but what's next for nature?
Here are five asks we think the new government should prioritise in their first 100 days.
The UK is already classified as one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, and with less than six years until the legally-binding 2030 deadline to secure nature's recovery, the incoming Government will be responsible for turning this around. The Wildlife Trusts called upon all political parties to commit to a plan to finally halt and reverse the decline in wildlife.
Our five priorities for the next UK Government:
1. Bring back the UK's lost wildlife
Immense pressure from decades of pollution and habitat loss has driven our wildlife into catastrophic decline - but we can still put nature into recovery. The next UK Government should launch an Olympic-style cross-government delivery project to protect and restore at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
2. End river pollution and water scarcity
The state of our rivers is a national disgrace. The UK is ranked as one of the worst countries in Europe for water quality, with pollution beyond legal limits caused by a toxic cocktail of sewage and agricultural pollution. Our rivers are no longer suitable homes for wildlife, they are not fit for people to swim in, and thanks to climate change and growing demand, we are seeing water availability decrease before our eyes. This is a crisis, which the public wants to see urgently resolved.
3. Fund wildlife-friendly farming
By supporting farmers to shift towards regenerative, nature-friendly methods, farming has huge potential to deliver a green rural renewal. Farming is too often unsustainable, but with management of over 70% of UK land, farmers should be a significant part of the solution.
4. Enable healthy communities
More than 1/3 of the population - nearly 9.5 million households in England - are unable to access green places near their home. Improving access to natural, wildlife-rich places where we live, learn and work will transform people’s lives, improving health, happiness, and hope across communities.
5. Tackle the climate emergency
We are in a climate and nature emergency, and the two are inextricably linked. Climate change is driving nature’s decline, and the loss of wildlife and wild places leaves us ill-equipped to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to these changes. One crisis cannot be solved without the other. The UK has a legal target of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Nature can make a massive contribution to achieving this, or an even more ambitious target — but only if our damaged ecosystems are restored.
In this section

The election results are in, so what’s next for nature?
Here are five asks we think the new government should prioritise in their first 100 days.
60,000 people say: Restore Nature Now!
Our message couldn’t be clearer - but will politicians listen?
Our message couldn’t be clearer - but will politicians listen?

Nature, who cares?
We’ve set up a simple email action to help you contact all your local candidates and send them a personal message about why nature matters to you.
We’ve set up a simple email action to help you contact all your local candidates and send them a personal message about why nature matters to you.

Get nature on the agenda
With the General Election set for 4 July, we have just six short weeks to make sure nature and climate change are at the heart of the next Government’s agenda.
With the General Election set for 4 July, we have just six short weeks to make sure nature and climate change are at the heart of the next Government’s agenda.

Vote for nature
The next General Election could be make or break for nature. We need your help to keep nature on the political agenda.
The next General Election could be make or break for nature. We need your help to keep nature on the political agenda.
