nature
defendingnature_tcm9-406638
defendingnature_tcm9-406638
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Foreword<br />
The world’s most important <strong>nature</strong> conservation laws are under threat. RSPB Chief<br />
Executive, Dr Mike Clarke, summarises why proposals to pull apart the EU Nature<br />
Directives that have protected wildlife and landscapes for more than quarter of a century<br />
would be a retrograde step.<br />
Two EU laws — the Birds Directive and the Habitats<br />
Directive — are the cornerstone of conservation across<br />
the 28 countries of the European Union, protecting an<br />
extraordinary array of the most amazing wildlife and<br />
landscapes. They are a proven safety net for <strong>nature</strong>,<br />
respecting our common responsibility to conserve and<br />
enhance our natural world, while also meeting the needs<br />
of people and the economy.<br />
Today, the future of the Nature Directives is in doubt.<br />
A small but vociferous minority claim that these<br />
environmental standards are blocking growth, based on an<br />
outdated economic outlook that degrades natural assets.<br />
Exhaustive studies show that the Directives work, but the<br />
EU has chosen to carry out a review nevertheless.<br />
The scientific evidence is clear that the Nature Directives<br />
are an effective way to protect <strong>nature</strong>. Our species and<br />
habitats are in better condition than they would be without<br />
the Directives, and these include common wildlife and<br />
the wider landscape. New evidence is now showing that<br />
the Directives are also an effective way to build species’<br />
resilience against emerging threats like climate change.<br />
A threat to the Nature Directives is a threat to <strong>nature</strong>,<br />
so the RSPB is calling on everyone who knows the<br />
importance of our natural world — people, politicians,<br />
businesses and charities — to step forward in defence<br />
of the Nature Directives.<br />
But we are not seeking to stand still. The Nature Directives<br />
constitute smart regulation and were ahead of their time.<br />
We still have a long way to go to achieve their objectives.<br />
This is why we are calling for a progressive approach to<br />
their implementation to support responsible businesses<br />
and communities, to enable better informed and more<br />
pragmatic decision-making and to reduce uncertainty.<br />
Here, we call for measures that will also build resilience<br />
and enable adaptation in the wider landscape, make<br />
smarter use of public money, and invest in <strong>nature</strong>.<br />
Forward-looking and progressive implementation of the<br />
Directives should be the first five-year milestone in a<br />
25-year plan for <strong>nature</strong>’s recovery. It is by completing that<br />
journey that we will ensure that the full benefits of the<br />
Directives are realised for everyone.<br />
The Nature Directives are also good for people. Human<br />
health, wellbeing and enjoyment all depend on a thriving<br />
natural world. We know the majority of people across the<br />
EU care about <strong>nature</strong> and its protection, and that future<br />
generations will benefit from keeping our natural heritage<br />
safe. What’s more, the Directives defend many of the<br />
natural services we all rely on, such as flood defences,<br />
storing carbon, and filtering air pollution.<br />
And the Nature Directives are good for business.<br />
They provide a fair system across 28 countries, they<br />
sustain services that businesses depend on, and they<br />
have stimulated innovation and investment. Changing<br />
the Directives would be a costly exercise and create<br />
uncertainty and investment risk.<br />
Dr Mike Clarke<br />
RSPB Chief Executive<br />
Left: A Devonshire stream in full spring flow.<br />
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