Boris Johnson ‘should prioritise a green recovery’

Boris Johnson ‘should prioritise a green recovery’ - Freshwater Habitats Trust

Along with dozens of environmental and business organisations, Freshwater Habitats Trust is calling on the Prime Minister to prioritise a green recovery as ‘the new normal’.

We are urging the government to put nature and climate at the heart of decisions for the recovery effort, for healthy communities and a resilient economy, in an open letter to the Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson unveiled the government’s roadmap to exit COVID-19 lockdown and restart the economy on Sunday, 10 May. Ahead of this announcement, over 60 signatories of major charities, businesses and youth leaders called on the Prime Minister to adopt four principles to enable a sustainable economic recovery for people and planet:

Create a more resilient economy by investing in the infrastructure, technology and skills to generate thousands of new jobs that directly contribute to a climate-safe future – and exclude polluting industries from help without a proper climate plan.
Increase access to wild spaces for everyone through restoring nature and oceans, incentivising walking and cycling, and supporting sustainable food, farming and fishing.
Strengthen nature’s protections by ensuring the swift passage of environmental legislation – and introduce targets in law across the UK for the restoration of nature on a massive scale.
Lead the world in building back better for people, climate and nature by bringing global leaders together to plan for a green and sustainable recovery in the run-up to the vital United Nations climate conference and biodiversity conferences next year.

The call to the government is made by the Chief Executives of a broad cross-section of environmental NGOs, businesses and youth groups.