The 2nd Reading is scheduled for Wednesday 26th February and the charity, which represents around 11,000 members across the county, is keen to see more challenging targets, a tougher and more independent regulator and a stronger emphasis on Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
Speaking on behalf of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Head of Communications Erin McDaid said: “We are encouraging as many Nottinghamshire MPs as possible to attend the Second Reading and have called on them to speak up for nature.
This bill is pivotal to our collective ability to deliver an environment in which people, wildlife and our economy, can all thrive.”
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust recognizes that the bill contains many welcome measures but believes that some areas require significant amendment.
Mr McDaid added: Considered as a whole, the bill does not achieve what has been promised: gold standard legislation, global leadership in responding to the environmental crisis and a world-leading watchdog so we’ll be working hard to ensure it is strengthened.”
Two key measures which the Wildlife Trust welcomes are the creation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and the principle of Biodiversity Gain from development.
However, the charity believes that the local strategies will be ineffective unless part of a coherent national framework and backed by a stronger duty to use them in planning and spending decisions. Whilst the Trust has long campaigned for the principle of biodiversity gain to be built into the planning system it is calling on MPs to ensure that it cannot be used as a loop hole to enable inappropriate development and to ensure that any new habitats created as a result of development are protected in perpetuity.
