Protecting UK's wildlife; 1 year on
One year on from the Prime Minister’s pledge to become the greenest government ever, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs is pressing ahead with the vital changes necessary to protect Britain’s wildlife and natural environment, to support a strong food and farming industry, and to help build a strong green economy.
Speaking 12 months in to what she describes as a ‘challenging but crucial’ role, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has been reflecting on some of the green successes since taking office.
Mrs. Spelman said:
“This government has had to face up to the twin challenges of economic recovery and mitigating and adapting to climate change. Building a strong green economy is central to dealing with these problems.
“These challenges are long-term and can’t be solved just with eye-catching initiatives that generate a few good headlines but are quickly forgotten. We’ve been working with the experts in their field to identify areas where government can work with the private sector, NGOs, and local communities to make a real difference.
“For example, we’ve created 15 new Marine Protected Areas since last May to conserve marine biodiversity, in particular species and habitats of European and national importance. And we’re investing £110m to clean up England’s rivers, tackling problems that have been sitting in the too-hard basket for too long. We’ll be working with local groups to turn our waterways into healthy wildlife habitats, sort out problems regarding ownership, access, and upkeep, and address sources of pollution.
“There’s also the international aspect of what we’re doing. The UK isn’t alone in needing to protect the environment and wildlife for future generations."
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