Green Standards Report

Wildlife watchpoint at Lizard Point

I recently spent a lovely afternoon at the most southerly point, looking after the wildlife watchpoint and talking to visitors about the place, the seals or seabirds we were looking at and the work that the National Trust and other conservation partners in Linking the Lizard are doing to protect this special place and the wildlife that live here.  

As we leave a glorious summer and head towards another autumn and winter I wonder what the future holds for us? Last winter’s storms changed the shape of our coastline irreversibly, as cliffs slumped and beaches changed. A recent report by the National Trust has identified extreme weather as the dominant threat to the seabird populations that I had been admiring in the summer sunshine at Lizard Point.  Storm surges, and extreme winds combined with high tides has forced birds to change their patterns of behaviour and suffered as a result.

Mullion harbour in winter storms

The challenge for the future is how we make Britain greener and how as a nation we can influence others to reduce the impact of global warming and the extreme weather it will bring in the future and to protect nature and to reverse the decline in British wildlife. We know that the public’s love of nature is growing stronger with millions of members of conservation organisations, but our political leaders are hesitant in the wake of recession and the progress towards a greener Britain has been slow.

Conservation organisations from the environment sector have recently published the 5^th Green Standards report which identifies the priorities and practical proposals to have a positive impact on the way we live. It challenges the political parties to strengthen their environmental elements in their manifestos for next year’s elections.

The report suggests that a greener Britain would support the natural word to recover, have stronger communities and a more resilient economy and stronger environmental benefits, as well as making Britain more influential internationally.

The full report can be read here http://www.greenalliance.org.uk/resources/Greener%20Britain.pdf

Alastair