Henry Smith MP has co-sponsored a bill in Parliament that calls for biodiversity targets and would require local councils to maintain local ecological network strategies.

The Nature Bill was put forward in the House of Commons on Tuesday 24th February by Sir John Randall, Member of Parliament for Uxbridge & South Ruislip.

Henry said;

“I value what nature does for us and that we should ensure that we work with nature to achieve significant improvements in the health and wellbeing of people, society and the economy.

“I have been pleased to work with organisations such as the Sussex Wildlife Trust during my time as Member of Parliament for Crawley. Additionally, I am grateful to Sir John Randall MP for putting this bill before the House of Commons – I was delighted to co-sponsor it in Parliament.”

The Bill would place nature at the heart of how decisions are made about health, housing and other development, education, economic growth, flood resilience and social cohesion. The protection and creation of healthy woods, rivers, meadows, parks and wild land around us in local, regional and national networks would help achieve objectives in all these areas.

Decisions by Government at all levels would place a greater value on nature, using a framework and targets similar to those of the Climate Change Act (which has enabled action to reduce CO2 emissions).

Ian Hepburn, Head of Conservation at the Sussex Wildlife Trust, said;

“Too often, nature's needs are neglected in the cut and thrust of political debate. But all parties should recognise that we need nature for our economy, for our communities and our health and wellbeing. And nature needs us to commit to protect our wildlife for the next generation.

“The Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB and a growing movement is calling for a Nature and Wellbeing Act. We welcome the Private Member’s Bill by John Randall and Henry Smith as an important step forward for nature.”

External links:
Nature Bill 2014-15 (UK Parliament)
Sussex Wildlife Trust