Graham Wynne, RSPB

New Ground 68
Spring 2005

Challenges for the next government

No government has yet built the environment into its core philosophy. As a result, the deterioration of the global environment is quickening. Labour's record has, until recently, been better than most but there are signs of faltering just when, after two terms, the way forward ought to be clearer than ever. Here, from the RSPB's perspective, are some of the high and low points of Labour's record to date.

Highs:

· Agriculture policy - long-awaited but eminently sensible policy changes, championed by Mrs Beckett, mean the most environmentally damaging subsidies have been sent packing.

· Water pricing - substantial sums have been made available to water companies to improve the aquatic environment.

· Wildlife protection - the Countryside and Rights of Way Act is delivering better protection for wildlife.

· Countryside access - the right to roam means that more people can enjoy the countryside.

· Green energy - good investment in wind power but not enough in other renewable technologies or energy efficiency.

Lows:

· Greenhouse gases - since Labour came to power, UK carbon dioxide emissions have hardly changed. Currently, they are stable or rising, and set to rise further.

· Aviation - the fastest-growing source of UK carbon emissions, yet the 2003 aviation white paper placed no meaningful curbs on growth in air travel at all. None!

· Diffuse pollution - though the UK will struggle to meet obligations under the Water Framework Directive, Defra continues with its failing 'light touch' approach. An 'action plan' for catchment-sensitive farming was recently announced which falls short of taking any new actions.

· Fisheries - the report from the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit stated that our fisheries management is 'not presently meeting its primary aim of rational and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks.' All the more galling then that at the December Fisheries Council it was the UK who led the charge against the European Commission's plans to protect cod.

· Wildlife - targets for habitat re-creation remain unmet. Wildlife-rich green spaces will not only help wildlife to recover and adapt to changing climate, but also help attract tourists, generate jobs and improve our well-being.

The environment needs tenacious political champions with clarity of vision to take bold measures, a situation which is currently lacking in crucial quarters. Whatever they say, politicians are inevitably drawn to the short-term view, and while the costs of environmental renewal are incurred now, the delivery of environmental benefits often extends beyond electoral time-frames. But, we must hope that the recent run of weak environmental decisions reflects pre-election jitters rather than a denial of the scale of chronic environmental problems facing us. This government, if given a third term in office, must set out a radical environmental agenda for the first half of the 21st century which helps deliver sustainable development and a better quality of life for all.

Graham Wynne, Chief Executive, RSPB