Rishi Sunak “all mouth and no trousers” when it comes to nature protection

In response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s second annual report, published today, Doug Parr, Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK, said: 

“When it comes to protecting nature, this report proves beyond doubt that Rishi Sunak is all mouth and no trousers. His government has completely failed to take the bold and urgent action required to leave the environment in a better state for future generations.

“Sewage still pumps into our seas where marine life also remains severely threatened by destructive fishing – even in so-called marine protected areas. Pesticide use and removal of habitat for ever expanding megafarms has made the UK one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth. And as for the government’s promise to protect at least 30 per cent of the UK’s land and sea by 2030 – it’s nowhere near. A missed opportunity to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty within this parliament also looms large. All this will severely weaken the government’s standing on the world stage as well as at home.

“With an election just around the corner, the prime minister will need to pull out all the stops if he’s to convince voters that nature is truly a priority for his government, but he’s rapidly running out of time.”