Nature Recovery: Wera Hobhouse’s Call to Action

Q: What are the key provisions of the CAN Bill?

Integrated planning: Addressing climate and nature together with a cohesive strategy. Emissions reductions: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C target. Reversing nature's decline: Restoring ecosystems to visible recovery by 2030. Global accountability: Accounting for the UK’s overseas ecological and carbon footprints. Fairness and public involvement: Ensuring an equitable transition and engaging citizens through a Climate and Nature Assembly.

Wera Hobhouse is recognised by Politico as one of the 20 most influential voices driving the nation’s race to Net Zero. The MP is a leading advocate for addressing the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Her efforts emphasise the essential role of natural ecosystems in climate regulation, and the urgent need for integrated solutions.

Legislating for biodiversity

The natural world plays a key role in regulating the climate. It does so via carbon stores such as forests, wetlands, and oceans. But as climate change accelerates, nature degradation intensifies. Degraded peatlands accounted for almost 5% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.² While just 16% of the nation’s water bodies are in good ecological condition.³

Key statistics

UK biodiversity has halved since the Industrial Revolution, making it one of the most nature-depleted countries globally.⁴
One in six UK species is currently at risk of extinction.⁵
Degraded peatlands contributed almost 5% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.²

The Climate and Nature Bill

Yet existing legislation sets a target to halt nature decline by 2030 — not reverse it. The proposed Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill, which Wera supports, would change this. It seeks to improve the health, diversity, and resilience of ecosystems against a 2020 baseline. Wera repeatedly highlights the importance of this to Ministers.

The Bill introduces a “Mitigation and Conservation Hierarchy” to prioritise nature in development. This ensures that the UK addresses its domestic and international impact on biodiversity. It tackles consumption, raw material extraction, and waste production.

Wera has been at the forefront of promoting the CAN Bill in Parliament. She led a group of cross party MPs to Downing Street after Labour’s election. Here, she delivered calls outlined in the Bill to Sir Starmer directly.

The legislation would establish a climate and Nature Assembly. This would allow greater public involvement in climate decision making.

Daisy Cooper (Left) with Wera Hobhouse (Right) outside of Number 10 Downing Street

Community projects

Wera emphasises the importance of this for reaching Net Zero at the national level, but also closer to home. She has praised her council in Bath for adopting policies that contribute to biodiversity net gain. Wera also supports local community farming initiatives like the Bath Organic Group. Such projects demonstrate how local communities can play a role in nature recovery.

Nature & mental wellbeing

Wera champions the mental health benefits of reconnecting with nature. She acknowledges that community farming groups can foster a connection with nature. They can also improve biodiversity, and support mental wellbeing. Wera was delighted to receive recognition for her urban gardening efforts in the recent Bath in Bloom awards. Here she emphasised the importance of organic gardening and bringing people together. Wera notes its social and environmental importance – especially in urban areas like Bath.

Wera Hobhouse has called for a “right to nature.” This would guarantee everyone access to green spaces. It would also recognise the human right to a healthy environment. Wera has noted this is particularly important in urban areas, where many residents lack access to nature.

Pesticide use

Wera often champions sustainable local farms. Particularly their efforts to combat the dangers of excessive pesticide use. She is an advocate for tighter restrictions on harmful chemicals, particularly neonicotinoids.

These pesticides are known for their damaging effects on bee populations. They were banned by the European Union in 2018 due to their detrimental impact on pollinators. However, the UK government has since permitted their use under certain conditions. A decision that Hobhouse sharply criticised.

The MP applauds the efforts of many councils in reducing pesticide use. In 2021, her local Council in Bath and North East Somerset approved a ban on the use of glyphosate, a widely used herbicide. Guildford Borough Council has also passed a motion to become a pesticide-free town.

While local initiatives are effective mechanisms for change, Wera argues that national ambition must catch up. She has long emphasised that bees are vital to ecosystems and agriculture. Their decline poses significant risks to food security and environmental health.

Wera Hobhouse at Bath Organic Group Community Garden

Urban gardening and biodiversity

The UK’s food system is another major contributor to environmental damage. It is responsible for 35% of the country’s emissions. This is not helped by how the UK imports approximately 50% of its food.⁶ More than 50% of food purchases in the UK are ultra-processed, compared to just 14% in France and 13% in Italy.⁷ This high level of emissions exacerbates the climate crisis. All the while contributing to the destruction of ecosystems beyond our borders.

Wera Hobhouse has recently stressed the importance of reforming supply chains. This can help to eliminate deforestation and other environmentally damaging practices. She believes these priorities should be at the forefront of international negotiations like COP29.

The global climate challenge

Wera has urged the UK Government to lead by example. She argues that the UK should push for stronger international agreements on deforestation and nature protection. This would include compensation funds for conserving standing rainforests.

Halting and reversing deforestation was recently included in the COP agreement for the first time. The target date set for the move is 2030. Wera stresses that urgent action is needed to meet the UK’s international commitments.

Speaking in the COP29: UK Priorities debate in September 2024, she noted:

“No country should be left behind in our shared goal of halting warming. Article 6 of the Paris agreement is all about helping countries to work together to meet their climate goals through the voluntary transfer of carbon credits. At COP28, we were unable to finalise this; we look ahead to COP29 to make it easier for countries to collaborate on lower emissions.”
Wera Hobhouse MP

A water-tight approach

In recent years, degradation of our waterways has come into the spotlight. Many feel unsafe to swim in UK seas and rivers.

Last year, 32,500 hours worth of sewage was dumped into the River Avon, which runs through Bath. This marks a 258% increase on 2022.⁸ The news came as Wera Hobhouse helped to lead calls for a new Blue Flag status. This would protect rivers from sewage discharges.

The total number of sewage dumps in the River Avon in 2023 also increased. By 77.47% on the previous year.⁹ Wera hopes that her advocacy will help to assure river swimmers that environmental standards are met.

As the UK looks to the future, Wera’s work underscores the need for ambitious action on both climate and nature. From local councils to international negotiations, she calls for a coordinated effort. This effort would seek to halt and reverse the decline of nature, mitigating the impacts of climate change.

FAQs

What is the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill?

The CAN Bill is a Private Members Bill aimed at tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss. It sets legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and legislates to reverse biodiversity loss.

What are the key provisions of the CAN Bill?

Integrated planning: Addressing climate and nature together with a cohesive strategy.
Emissions reductions: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C target.
Reversing nature’s decline: Restoring ecosystems to visible recovery by 2030.
Global accountability: Accounting for the UK’s overseas ecological and carbon footprints.
Fairness and public involvement: Ensuring an equitable transition and engaging citizens through a Climate and Nature Assembly.

How are the climate and nature crises interconnected?

The natural world regulates the climate through carbon stores such as forests, wetlands, and oceans. As climate change accelerates, nature degradation intensifies, reducing these ecosystems’ ability to absorb carbon and worsening the crisis.

How does the UK’s biodiversity loss compare to other countries?

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Since the Industrial Revolution, UK biodiversity has halved, and one in six species is at risk of extinction.⁴

What local initiatives have aimed to restore biodiversity in urban areas?

Bath and North East Somerset Council banned glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, to protect pollinators. Community farming projects like Bath Organic Group contribute to biodiversity net gain while improving mental well-being.

Why are neonicotinoids harmful for nature recovery?

Neonicotinoids are pesticides that harm bee populations, which support ecosystems and agriculture. Although banned by the EU in 2018, the UK has permitted their use under certain conditions.

What has Wera Hobhouse done to support sustainable food systems?

Wera Hobhouse has stressed the importance of reforming supply chains to eliminate deforestation and environmentally damaging practices. She notes that these priorities should be considered closely in international negotiations.