Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

World Species Congress

14 May 2024 · 7 other contributors · 8,790 words

Opened by Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham

Responding minister: Chris Grayling

ClimateEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Sarah Champion raised concerns about world species congress in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The UK faces a biodiversity crisis with over 1 million species at risk due to human disruption and habitat destruction.
  • Only 3% of land and 8% of seas in the UK are adequately protected, making it one of the worst countries for nature loss.
  • The Minister acknowledges progress in addressing global deforestation but stresses the need for accelerated action to meet biodiversity targets.

Key requests to Government

I call on the Government to set more ambitious nature restoration and species recovery targets. The Minister should confirm that the UK's plan will exceed expectations and not just rehash old promises. Additionally, the publication of the NBSAP must be announced with new plans to fill gaps in existing strategies.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham

The UK faces a biodiversity crisis where over 1 million species are at risk due to human disruption and habitat destruction. The country is one of the worst in terms of nature loss, with only 3% of land and 8% of seas protected adequately. The 2023 State of Nature report highlights an average decline of 19% since 1970, affecting over half of plant species and pollinators like bees and butterflies by 18%. Despite joining the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework in 2022, the UK is lagging behind its commitments.

Other contributors (7)
  • Alex Sobel Lab Co-op Leeds Central and Headingley

    The right hon. Member, alongside myself, does a great job of co-chairing the APPG on global deforestation, and he is absolutely right about the legislation. He agrees that the Government also need to be mindful of the issue when undertaking trade deal negotiations. Mr. Sobel expressed deep concern about the decrease of 42% in public funding for UK biodiversity since its peak in 2008-09, highlighting that the upcoming World Species Congress is an opportunity to adopt a robust national biodiversity strategy and action plan. He criticised the rumours that the UK's NBSAP will merely be a reworking of the environmental improvement plan without meaningful legislative or financial measures.

  • Bill Wiggin Con North Herefordshire

    Questioned why the National Trust, being the country's largest landowner, is not doing more to protect species on its reserves despite long-standing complaints from organisations like the RSPB. Leptodactylus fallax, the mountain chicken frog, is dying due to a fungus called chytridiomycosis. Mr. Wiggin criticises conservation organisations for species loss despite owning half a million hectares of land and having an income of £871 million. He highlights the decimation of pesticide varieties over 23 years but notes more corvids, with curlew populations suffering from predation. Mr. Wiggin advocates for habitat management and predator control to protect endangered species. He suggested that simple changes in legislation could help save species like bats. Specifically, he proposed ensuring automatic mitigating changes to building regulations for bat conservation rather than requiring a separate survey during the planning process.

  • James Davies Con Montgomeryshire

    Chester zoo and partners have rescued the critically endangered Cotoneaster cambricus, increasing its population from six to thirty plants.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Stressed the importance of protecting native species in the UK and highlighted local efforts such as red squirrel programmes and bee conservation projects.

  • Rebecca Pow Con St Ives

    The Minister highlighted the importance of the World Species Congress, stating that it provides a platform for experts and volunteers to share knowledge. She emphasized the government's commitment to biodiversity by mentioning the Environment Act and its targets to halt species decline by 2030 and reverse it by 2040. The minister also discussed progress in peatland restoration, the nature for climate fund, and legislation on forest risk, aiming to make large regulated businesses accountable for using products that contravene laws in their source countries.

  • Steven Bonnar SNP Glasgow South

    Bonnar stressed the importance of biodiversity and its link to the climate emergency, citing a decline in wild mammals by 83% and plants by 50%. He highlighted Scotland's ambitious plans to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and reverse it through large-scale restoration by 2045. Bonnar also mentioned that 30% of Scotland's seas are now designated marine protected areas, including the reintroduction of the Scottish wildcat.

  • Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield

    Congratulated the hon. Lady for securing the debate but expressed concern that the Government are not making progress towards their set targets, urging them to develop a clear plan before setting new ones. He welcomed the Reverse the Red coalition's initiative and praised COP15's ambitious targets. However, he criticised the UK government for failing to meet previous goals set in 2011-20 Aichi biodiversity targets, with a recent report indicating that they are off track on all climate and environmental goals. Perkins highlighted the significant decline of curlew populations, dropping by 64% between 1970 and 2014, which is now at risk of extinction.

Government Response

Chris Grayling

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Charles. I congratulate the hon. Member for Rotherham on securing this debate and agree with much of what she said. The Government have done more than their predecessors to address global deforestation issues, though there is still significant work to be done. Recent academic research shows that efforts are beginning to turn the tide against deforestation globally, but this progress needs to accelerate. I highlight the new support structure for farming in the countryside and the introduction of biodiversity net gain as important steps forward. The Government have also taken important steps on marine protected areas by banning bottom trawling within them. However, European Union nations are now trying to stop such protections for sand eels on Dogger Bank, which is causing outrage. I urge these countries to back off and allow the UK to protect nature as it sees fit. I nudge the Minister to push forward with secondary legislation needed to extend the good work done in the Environment Act 2021 to tackle illegal deforestation and forest risk products coming to the UK, and ask for due diligence principles to be applied to the financial services sector. While a lot has been achieved, more needs to happen after the election. The Minister praised the work of the World Species Congress and highlighted the government's commitment to biodiversity, citing the Environment Act and its targets to halt species decline by 2030 and reverse it by 2040. She discussed achievements such as peatland restoration (35,000 hectares target set for 2030 with 28,000 already restored), the nature for climate fund funding many projects, and strengthening national parks legislation. The Minister mentioned plans to introduce forest risk legislation to prevent businesses from using products that contravene laws in their source countries. She also highlighted work on marine protected areas, fisheries policies, sustainable farming incentives, international conventions like the Convention on Biological Diversity, UK overseas territories, and international climate finance commitments (£3 billion from 2025 to 2026, £11.6 billion overall).

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