POLITICIANS have gone “awol” on the environment despite four in five voters expressing concern about the climate and the natural world, conservationists warned today.
New polling for conservation charity WWF shows that while 80 per cent say they care about issues relating to climate, nature and the environment, only 45 per cent believe that politicians share their level of concern.
They face increasing pressure to do more on the environment after tens of thousands of people marched through London at the weekend.
WWF warned today that the next five years will be “absolutely vital” for conservation efforts in Britain and abroad, with native wildlife from puffins to bluebells and mountain hares at risk from climate change, pollution and habitat loss.
Chief executive Tanya Steele said: “Our polling shows the environment is clearly a key issue for the public and they deserve to hear what the next government plans to do to restore nature and meet our climate targets.
“Unfortunately, politicians have largely gone awol on the environment during this campaign, but the next five years will be absolutely vital in bringing nature back from the brink, both at home and around the world.
“As the campaign enters the final straight, we’re calling on all parties to commit to action on nature and climate that’s hugely popular with the public.”
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds chief Beccy Speight added that none of the major political parties has a comprehensive plan showing how they will keep their commitments to hit legally binding targets to reverse the decline in nature by 2030.
Elliot Chapman-Jones, head of public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, said Britain is a nation of nature lovers but “all we have right now is a string of broken promises – our next government must respond to the public’s call to do better.”
The poll of 2,369 people, conducted by More in Common, also found that 82 per cent of people are worried about pollution and damage to the countryside and nature, nearly as many as the 84 per cent who are concerned about conflict and war.
About four in five also backed proposals to make big businesses that pollute the environment pay into a nature restoration fund and to tackle high energy bills through investment in renewables.
Two-thirds wanted new laws to end Britain’s contribution to global deforestation and land degradation.
More than seven in 10 were in favour of supporting farmers to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions and restore nature.
A total of 350 environmental groups came together last Saturday to press the government to act more robustly and decisively on the biodiversity crisis, with some 60,000 people marching through central London before rallying in Parliament Square.
