The British public want more than 60% of Britain’s land protected for nature, according to new polling being taken to the Labour Conference this weekend by The Wildlife Trusts. The figure is more than double the UK Government’s commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.

The polling, commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts, with National Trust, RSPB, Woodland Trust and WWF and carried out by More in Common, asked people how much land in Britain should be protected for nature. The average response was 61%. The polling also reveals a significant gap between public perception and reality - on average, respondents thought 31% of Britain’s land was currently protected for nature, when no more than 11% is legally protected.

Despite the UK Government falling woefully short of its global commitments and the public’s ambition for nature, a growing body of evidence shows that protecting and restoring the environment delivers significant and wide-ranging benefits for society and the economy. 

To coincide with the Labour Conference, The Wildlife Trusts are today publishing an evidence compendium titled Fix nature, fix so much more: The evidence that nature is necessary. Drawing upon over 200 academic studies, it sets out how more nature would improve public health, boost food security, increase community cohesion, protect people from dangerous weather and lead to a more prosperous, happier country.

Acting on this evidence and the clear public mandate The Wildlife Trusts argue that nature recovery at scale should be at the heart of the Prime Minister’s devolution programme, not least because nature-rich local spaces are a significant source of public pride.

In the More in Common polling, almost half (46%) of Britons say that nature and wildlife is their favourite thing about where they live, above all other local attributes including heritage and pubs. Also drawing on focus groups in three English parliamentary constituencies, More in Common’s Strong Roots report identifies nature as a ‘sleeping giant of an electoral issue [which] remains consistent across regions in the UK, all voter groups and segments of the population.’ The report continues ‘Britons may seem increasingly polarised on the big issues facing the country and world but are united by their shared love of and value they place on nature.’

Joan Edwards, director of policy & public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, says:

‘‘It is striking that the Government’s wildest ambition for nature recovery is less than half that of what the British public actually want to see. Whilst politicians continue to see nature as a nice-to-have, away from Westminster people are clear that nature's recovery is necessary for a better country. 

“The evidence shows that the public are right; improving and creating more nature-rich spaces mean healthier, happier lives. How much longer can the Government stay behind the curve on nature while the British public so clearly demand that nature’s recovery is a key component of our national recovery?’’

The Wildlife Trusts also argue that plans to weaken nature protections through the Nuclear Regulation and Regulating for Growth Bills, announced by Keir Starmer in May, must be stopped if nature is to recover. At present, these hangover’s from Starmer’s failed war on nature risk unravelling progress towards the Government’s legally binding nature commitments. 

At the Labour Conference: 

Craig Bennett OBE, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, will be speaking alongside other nature CEOs at a panel presenting the More in Common polling on Sunday (27^th Sept) evening. The full list of events involving The Wildlife Trusts is as follows:

• Sunday 27^th September, 6.30pm: Can nature help Labour rebuild its coalition?

  Arena Room Derwent, Secure Zone, ACC Liverpool

  Craig Bennett will speak with other nature CEOs, More in Common and Labour MPs on the ‘Strong Roots’ report.

   

• Tuesday 29^th September, 12.30pm: Good growth in rural communities: Nature as a catalyst for food security and local prosperity

  Liverpool Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool 

  Vicki Hird, strategic lead for agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts, will speak at this SERA event with Labour MPs on nature-friendly farming. 

   

• Tuesday 29th September 3.30pm: Labour’s Winning Edge: restoring nature, delivering for people

  Liverpool Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool 

  Craig Bennett will speak at this SERA event with Labour MPs on the electoral importance of nature.

The full compendium of evidence is here: Fix nature, fix so much more: The evidence that nature is necessary