The Wildlife Trusts are part of Greener UK – a group of 13 major environmental organisations with a combined public membership of 7.9 million – which is hosting the only hustings to be focused on the environment. Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party spokespeople will be at the hustings and will have the chance to set out their ambitions on the natural environment, climate change, international environmental leadership and what leaving the EU will mean for the environment.

Please see details further below if you would like to attend or follow the hustings which will take place on Tuesday 30th May 2017 from 6.30pm – 8pm.

The Wildlife Trusts and the general election
The UK General Election is happening at a crucial time for our wildlife. The Wildlife Trusts believe that next Government will have some big decisions to make as soon as they are elected. The majority of our environmental laws are currently wrapped up with our membership of the European Union and so are key policies that have a big impact on wildlife - including agriculture and fisheries.

For the 2017 General Election The Wildlife Trusts would like to see all parties commit to:

1. Nature's recovery in a generation. To achieve this will require us to transfer all current EU environmental laws into statute in the UK and ensure they are policed, and in England, to enact an Environment Act that restores the ecology of our rivers, farmland, soils and cities.

2. Protection of our marine wildlife through a well enforced and complete network of marine protected areas in UK seas and sustainable fisheries policies.

3. New sustainable policies for our farmland to allow wildlife to thrive alongside food production. Taxpayer’s money should be invested in creating abundant wildlife, healthy soils, clean water, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and beautiful landscapes for the benefit of everyone.

Find out how you can take action and help give nature a better future in the run up to the 2017 General Election! More details from The Wildlife Trusts here.

Greener UK Hustings
Join the Greener UK Hustings on Tuesday 30th May 2017 from 6.30pm – 8pm to hear and question the major parties’ environment plans ahead of the general election.

Speakers:

• Dr Thérèse Coffey, Parliamentary under secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Suffolk Coastal
• Baroness Parminter, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for environment, food, and rural affairs
• Barry Gardiner, Shadow secretary of state for international trade and shadow minister for climate change and Labour parliamentary candidate for Brent North
• Caroline Russell, Green London Assembly member, spokesperson on transport and parliamentary candidate for Islington North
• Chaired by Clive Anderson, TV and radio presenter and president of The Woodland Trust

Members of the public can register here. Registration from 6:00pm for 6:30pm. Followed by a drinks reception 8:00-9:00pm. If you cannot attend you can watch this event via livestream or follow it on twitter at #GreenerUK. This event is organised by Greener UK in association with CAFOD and Christian Aid

Greener UK is a group of thirteen major environmental organisations with a combined public membership of 7.9 million.

The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) wildlifetrusts.org

There are 47 individual Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK. All are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. We have more than 800,000 members including 150,000 members of our junior branch Wildlife Watch. Our vision is to create A Living Landscape and secure Living Seas. We manage around 2,300 nature reserves and every year we advise thousands of landowners and organisations on how to manage their land for wildlife. We also run marine conservation projects around the UK, collecting vital data on the state of our seas and celebrating our amazing marine wildlife. Every year we work with thousands of schools and our nature reserves and visitor centres receive millions of visitors. Each Wildlife Trust is working within its local communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their own Living Landscapes and Living Seas.