28 May 2023
Derek, from our Bracknell branch, contacted local MP James Sunderland about the Climate and Ecology Bill (introduced in the House of Commons on 10 May):
As one of your constituents, I’m writing about a vitally important matter—the need to ensure that the UK has the strongest laws in place to reverse the destruction of nature, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5°C. Two key targets that are essential to the UK’s future.
Specifically, I’m writing to ask if you will support the Climate & Ecology Bill, introduced in the House of Commons on 10 May. It is a vital, new, cross-party proposal—drafted by world-leading scientists—to ensure that the UK plays its full role in tackling biodiversity loss and climate change.
Though the UK has a record of environmental legislation, from the Climate Change Act 2008 to the 2050 Target Amendment Order 2019, there is a gap between what is currently being delivered—and what the Government needs to do to act in line with the latest science.
The Climate and Ecology Bill, or CE Bill, would:
1) Provide a clear, joined-up plan—the crises in climate and nature are deeply intertwined, requiring a plan that considers both together.
Reduce UK emissions in line with the Paris Agreement—ensuring that UK emissions are reduced rapidly, for the best chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C.
2) Halt and reverse the decline in nature—setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030, as agreed at COP15.
3) Ensure that the UK takes responsibility for our overseas footprint—both emissions and ecological.
4) Involve the public—giving people a say in finding a fair way forward through a ‘climate and nature assembly’.
Thank you for considering your support for the CE Bill. I look forward to hearing from you, and if possible, please copy parliament@zerohour.uk in your reply.
This is a very critical time . The decisions you make now will effect the country and Bracknell in the future . Please don't be dismissive of this it's an important opportunity to save lives and that is not a wild statement.
I look forward to hearing from you
The office of James Sunderland, MP for Bracknell, responded as follows:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
I would like to assure you that tackling climate change is a top priority for the Government and Ministers are committed to leaving the environment in a better state than they found it.
While I have noted your comments about the Ecology Bill, and appreciate your strength of feeling about the Bill and the issues it covers, I am assured that the UK already has a world-leading emissions reduction framework in place. The Climate Change Act 2008 made the UK the first country to introduce a legally binding, long-term emissions reduction target.
In October 2021, the Government published the Net Zero Strategy, building on the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. To oversee progress on achieving net zero, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) provides expert advice to the Government on climate change mitigation and adaptation. I understand that the UK’s 2050 net-zero target was considered, in line with advice from the CCC, to be the earliest feasible date for achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
Further, through the Environment Act 2021, the Government has set four legally binding targets for biodiversity in England, including halting the decline in species abundance by 2030, as well as reversing species decline, reducing the risk of species extinction, and restoring or creating more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats by 2042. The Government set out its plan to deliver on these ambitious targets through the Environmental Improvement Plan, which includes short-term interim targets in addition to those long-term targets. This overall suite of targets will ensure that the policies, actions and commitments in the plan are collectively driving progress towards the goal of leaving the environment in a better place than we found it.
Finally, the UK played a leading role at the UN biodiversity summit, COP15, in December 2022. The agreement made includes a global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and also protect 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030. This builds on the actions agreed during the UK’s own COP and G7 presidencies, including securing the Leaders Pledge for Nature last year which commits world leaders to taking action to drive sustainable food production, end the illegal wildlife trade and tackle climate change.
The rising climate temperatures is an issue that will affect us all. I have been assured that the Government is aware of the severity of the situation and are acting accordingly. I will continue to ensure that the concerns of Bracknell are heard loudly within the walls of Westminster, especially in regards to climate change.
Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me.
