Climate Change Bill – Let’s Get it Right

15th November, 2007

The Wildlife Trusts welcome the Government’s increasing recognition of the urgency for the country to adapt to climate change – through the Climate Change Bill, published today. And urge that this must go hand in hand with our efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

John Everitt, The Wildlife Trusts’ head of rebuilding biodiversity, said:

“It is good news that the Department for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) is now placing more emphasis on adaptation, as it has been the Cinderella of the climate change debate. However successful we are at reducing carbon emissions, climate change impacts are already being felt. The Stern Report acknowledged that there are strong social and economic arguments for helping our natural world cope with the challenges of climate change. We must now plan how wildlife and people will adapt.

“We need a cross-government initiative to promote the ‘Living Landscapes’ of the future where wildlife and people can thrive. Adaptation will allow us to plan and manage our land and marine environment to cope with extreme weather events and rising temperatures. This includes functional flood plains to help absorb flood waters, well-managed uplands to slow down water flows and as well as healthy peat bogs and seas to store enormous amounts of carbon”.

For further information please contact:

Adam Cormack, campaigns & communications officer
Tel: 01636 670063 / Email: acormack@wildlifetrusts.org

Story by RSWT

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