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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outdated economic outlook that degrades natural assets.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 />

5

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