A healthy, biodiverse environment is critical for our future, yet, as the UN has warned, the decline in the natural environment is acute and an ecological crisis is unfolding. It is not just rainforests but nature closer to home too. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. More than one in seven native species faces extinction and more than 40% are now in decline.  Nature must be restored while biodiversity can be enhanced in every community. As pandemic highlighted too, access to nature brings wider benefits such as to mental health and wellbeing. As local champions, councillors have a strong voice to encourage more biodiversity and rewilding in their wards and to work with councils and other organisations to make it happen. Next month local elections take place in many areas across the country. SERA: Labour’s Environment Campaign, is supporting and highlighting Labour councillors and candidates are backing nature restoration, biodiversity and rewilding in their wards. SERA has worked with Panny Antoniou, a Labour candidate in Highgate, Camden to draw up this pledge. Labour rewilding and biodiversity pledge If elected I pledge to encourage greater biodiversity and support rewilding in my ward which could include the following: Seek to protect and preserve existing areas of nature Encourage the planting of more trees and plants Seek to create more nature supporting green and blue spaces and enhance the biodiversity of existing nature spaces Increase the number of carbon sinks through new planting Support the introduction of nature recovery networks which improve the environment for living creatures with a focus on pollinators and keystone species Look into the feasibility of the reintroduction of species into areas where they were once present including local extinct bee species and beavers and pine martins where suitable End the use of pesticides and peat in municipal planting Improve access to nature for all residents and address inequality of access To back the pledge, a candidate or councillor can do a social media post giving support and with a photo, for example in a local green or blue space in their ward which is an example of rewilding or a space that could benefit. Use the hashtag: #LabRewild and include the SERA Twitter handle @serauk Here's a sample text: I'm supporting the Labour biodiversity and re wilding pledge in insert ward and council election.  You can read more about the pledge here: https://www.sera.org.uk/labour_rewilding_pledge  @LGA_Labour @serauk #LabRewild

Last week (4 February 2021) Oxford City Council announced that Oxford can become zero carbon by 2040. Cllr Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford (and long-standing SERA member) explains: Continue reading

Max Smith is a campaigner formerly working with the UK Student Climate Network and Teach the Future. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground.   Continue reading

Jonny Crawshaw is the Labour Councillor for Micklegate Ward, York. Jonny tweets @JonnyPolitics. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Continue reading

Liam Robinson is the Labour Councillor for Kensington & Fairfield, Chair of Merseytravel Transport Committee and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Transport Portfolio Holder. Liam tweets at @liamrobinson24. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Photo: Beverley Goodwin Continue reading

Clyde Loakes is the Labour Councillor for Leytonstone Ward and Deputy Leader and Environment portfolio holder for Waltham Forest Council. He tweets @Labourstone. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Photo credit: Clyde Loakes Continue reading

Ruth Chambers leads the Greener UK unit’s parliamentary work on environmental legislation at Green Alliance. Ruth tweets at @ruthmchambers. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Click here for photo source Continue reading

Labour Councillor Tom Hayes is Oxford City Council’s Deputy Leader and Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford Cabinet Member. He tweets @CllrTomHayes. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Continue reading

Laurie Laybourn-Langton is a researcher and co-author of a forthcoming book about environmental breakdown, published by Verso. He tweets @Laurie_L_L. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Click here for photo source Continue reading

Mick Holder CMIOSH, is an occupational and environmental health and safety journalist and campaigner. This article was originally published in the Autumn 2020 edition of SERA's flagship magazine, New Ground. Photo credit: Mick Holder Continue reading

Regular contributor and SERA member, Victor Anderson, here dives into the Environment Bill's complicated journey through Parliament and sets out ways in which it must be strengthened to protect our environment. Image by David Mark. Continue reading

Leanne Werner is a Labour Councillor in Southwark and a SERA member. Over the last 16 months, Leanne has chaired a scrutiny commission looking at ways to improve air quality in Southwark and meet overall climate targets. In honour of Clean Air Day 2020, Leanne writes for SERA on what a clean air strategy should look like at the local level. Continue reading