I know the environment matters to many Crawley residents and I’m pleased that our government rightly recognises its huge importance, both for today and for the future. I was delighted to hear last Sunday’s announcement that more of England’s beautiful and iconic landscapes will be turned into National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty, in order to increase access to nature for communities and better protect our country’s rich wildlife and biodiversity.
This announcement follows the decision to bring forward by a decade to 2030, the phasing out of the production of petrol and diesel vehicles, and ahead of the publication of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, which will set out his steps for a green industrial revolution to boost green jobs whilst invigorating plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Thousands of new jobs will be created and retained as part this Ten Point Plan. Following the initial success of the first round, £40 million of additional investment will be made into the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund, with funding being awarded to environmental charities and partners across England to restore the natural environment and help make progress on the UK’s ongoing work to address the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.
These measures mark the next steps in delivering on the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan commitments and its pledge to protect 30% of the UK’s land by 2030. I’d like to quote Boris Johnson, who I believe is leading the most environmentally friendly government in a generation, who said:
“As we build back greener we’re taking new steps to expand and enhance our landscapes - creating and retaining thousands of green jobs in the process which will be crucial to my Ten Point Plan for delivering a green recovery. Britain’s iconic landscapes are part of the fabric of our national identity – sustaining our communities, driving local economies and inspiring people across the ages. That’s why with the natural world under threat, it’s more important than ever that we act now to enhance our natural environment and protect our precious wildlife and biodiversity.”
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
19th November 2020
