Environmental Council points are fast approaching in UK, office for Environmental Protection Agency (OEP) said.
Potential tips points – where gradual decline suddenly becomes catastrophic – include the loss of wildlife, fisheries are crumbling and dead, polluted rivers, said the watchdog. OEP is new official body set up after Brexit to spend government on account. His first report published on Thursday, says the ministers have shown ambition, but this action is too slow.
government launched 25-year environment plan in 2018 but OEP says a constant and alarming decline continues and minister should take advantage of the opportunities provided new Law on the Environment for the implementation of urgent and consistent measures.
“We ask government admit that tip points are fast approaching in some areas. Because if it doesn’t, it will be much more difficult,” said Dame Glenys Stacey, chair of the OEP. “When you get to a very limited number [of wildlife species]expended effort in changing that is huge and takes an awfully long time.”
She highlighted the ongoing damage to marine wildlife. “Progress has been majestic in best. But government can, in most of, arrest these unfavorable tendencies, if he has the will.”
Stacey added: “Sustainable environment is not just nice to have but necessary for human welfare, progress and prosperity. Turning the tide to achieve this is exceptionally difficult, but urgently needed. for our wealth, health and well-being, and absolutely necessary for in generations to come.
” first 25-year environment the plan was an ambitious attempt to counter challenges facing in the environment progress on the way to the realization of these ambitions is too slow. “We continue to see worrying and persistent trends of environmental decline. But with environmental law, government has a precious opportunity.”
Simon Brockington, Chief OEP Specialist, said: “A tipping point occurs when very slow and persistent decline suddenly becomes catastrophic. We see longterm bows down in biodiversity, and we encourage on in government to solve those serial setting of catch quotas are higher catch limits over time may lead to fish crash and we have seen many examples of that.”
He also singled out the trawling of the seabed, of which he said: “destroys integrity of ecosystem” and pollution of agricultural land and rivers with fertilizer and livestock manure. “For tip points, I would single them out,” he said.
Natalie Prosser, chief executive of the watchdog, said the UK one of the poorest in biodiversity countries in in the world air pollution caused dozens of thousands of deaths year. “Changes in climate affect environment and biodiversity. We are approaching a tipping point.”
She said government missed many environmental targets, and funding for monitoring environment fell in in last 10 years.
The OEP report indicates six “building blocks” needed to save environment in UK including comprehensive inventory of state of nature commitment to action by all government departments, long-term legally binding goals and accountability for achieving these goals.
” building blocks need to be firmer, clearer and more weighty and pursue with true determination and intent,” Stacey said. “Lot of environmental trends have been manifesting for decades, and always more immediate pressure for government. So if we’re not careful environment can always be second violin We will regret the day when we do not take stock and solve this problem.
Richard Benwell head of Link to wilderness and countryside, a coalition of 65 nature and environmental charities, said: “It has been 10 years since government promised pass on in environment in in the best condition – 10 years in what biodiversity continues decline. OEP is a simple challenge: these all-encompassing ambitions must now be rooted in ambitious goals and urgent implementation strategy”.
Joan Edwards, of Wildlife Trusts, said: “For all initial promises of 25-year environment plan, government severely tightened his legs. Goals for reversible naturex decline so unambitious that in In 20 years, we may even have fewer wild animals than we do now. steps outlined OEPs provide framework for government deliver on his promises, but we need much greater political will.
Environment minister Rebecca Pou said: “We welcome this report, which recognizes that our Environment Act provides us new tools do real difference from our environment put it in the heart of government and transition us towards sustainable future with nature on road to recovery during this decade. We currently counseling on legally binding environmental targets, which include world-leading the goal is to stop the species decline by 2030″.