Henry Smith MP has supported the launch of a new environmental manifesto that explores new policy ideas to address climate change and biodiversity loss, at an event in Parliament this week (Tuesday, 2nd July).
The Crawley MP is a member of the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) MP caucus, and has signed the manifesto's Declaration. The Declaration acknowledges the ‘gravity of the global environmental crisis and our duty to preserve and restore our planet for future generations’.
Henry said;
“Climate change is the most important issue of our time; this document outlines new policy ideas that can help us to decarbonise while protecting our precious landscapes and wildlife.
“Conservatives have a long history of environmental stewardship, as outlined in the manifesto, but we know that we must do more to meet the new challenges we face today.
“Now we have set a world-leading net zero target, we must set the policies to meet that target, and to also address the serious declines we are seeing in many of our precious species. We should also be utilising the UK's international standing, as a world leader in decarbonisation, to support other countries towards clean growth.”
Sam Richards, Director of the Conservative Environment Network, commented;
“The manifesto aims to present a set of ideas that, if adopted, offer the next Conservative Prime Minister an exciting opportunity to set the UK on a new path that could unite a divided country and secure the prosperity of future generations.
“We have a record to be proud of, as one of the leading countries in the world in tackling climate change. But we know there is more to do, and the manifesto aims to present a space to discuss these potential future pathways in greater detail.”
Major policy ideas considered in the Manifesto include:
· Planning reform – a Royal Commission to deliver the sustainable homes we need.
· Investment in regional transport networks – to unleash productivity outside London.
· A world leading Environment Act – legally-binding targets and a new, locally-led nature recovery network to restore the British countryside.
· Sustainable land and fisheries management – replace CAP with a system that brings public and private money into a single market-based scheme for natural capital restoration, and CFP with new, properly enforced maximum sustainable yields.
· Fracking ban – prevent stranded assets in an unpopular, uneconomic and out-of-date industry.
· Commonwealth Alliance for Nature – using friendships to achieve unique partnerships.
Notes
The CEN MPs support the manifesto's Declaration but do not necessarily endorse each of the policies included in the manifesto, which is intended as a platform for debate.
CEN is an independent forum for conservatives who believe in conservation and decarbonisation.
To read the manifesto in full please visit: www.cen.uk.com/manifesto
Follow Henry daily via:
www.twitter.com/HenrySmithUK
www.facebook.com/HenrySmith4Crawley
www.youtube.com/HenrySmithMP
