The beauty of the UK is being despoiled, polluted and destroyed at an unprecedented rate

The beauty of Geat Britain is in its landscape and in its nature; the wildlife. This green and pleasant land is so often no longer green and pleasant. And the UK government has done far too little to protect the UK’s wildlife. We are in the middle of a general election and very little if anything has been said about protecting nature. It is off the agenda. Politicians don’t see the protection of wildlife as important. It is an afterthought and only when pressured.

Chris Packham brought together a whole bunch of disparate groups and campaigners all concerned about Britain’s wildlife and nature. All the people came together in London on a protest march which finished at Parliament Square. There are some celebrities there such as Emma Thompson who I admire. You will see her in one of the Twitter videos below. I have included three Twitter videos because they give a good flavour of what happened and Chris Packham summarises the devastation to nature taking place in the UK at present in one of those videos (the first one below).

Chris Packham spells out the nightmare behind this statement: ‘The beauty of these islands is being despoiled, polluted and destroyed at an unprecedented rate’

This is a very well reported March and therefore this particular post probably won’t get read by many people because the Internet has become so competitive which by the way is demotivating for me but I’ll continue. 😢

I’ll just report that thousands of people marched through central London in Chris Packham’s protest against the UK government’s failure to do enough to protect wildlife. Emma Thompson called on politicians to “act now” on the climate crisis. One of the biggest threats to the survival of the UK wildlife species and landscape is global warming. And we know that the UK government is de-prioritising efforts to curb global warming by for example restarting the mining of oil and gas in the North Sea. This is partly because the UK is broke thanks to Covid-19 and in a general malaise as I see it in which a lot of people have stopped working and are receiving government health benefits on the basis that they are chronically sick. Are they?

Ultimately, conservation is about money. You can’t protect wildlife unless you have money because it’s expensive. And when a country is broke governments tend to seek ways to make money through commerce. And commerce damages the environment and nature. So, you can see the problem. I’m not sure whether Chris Packham mentioned that. He probably didn’t but it is the raw fact of the matter.

What will it cost the world to fix the climate crisis?

There’s a lot of uncertainty around the exact cost of fixing climate change, with estimates ranging widely from hundreds of billions to tens of trillions of dollars over the next few decades. Here’s a breakdown of some reasons why:

• Different approaches: Some solutions focus on reducing emissions by transitioning to renewable energy sources, while others involve capturing carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. Each approach has its own associated costs.
• Development vs Developed Nations: The financial burden won’t be shared equally. Developing countries will likely face higher costs adapting to the impacts of climate change, while developed nations shoulder the responsibility of reducing emissions.

Here are some resources with different estimates:

• GlobalGiving: Offers a range of $300 billion to $50 trillion, highlighting the dependence on the chosen solutions [How Much Would It Cost To End Climate Change? – GlobalGiving].
• UNCTAD: Estimates developing economies will need $5.5 trillion annually by 2030 [The costs of achieving the SDGs: Climate change | UNCTAD.org].
• OECD: Puts the global cost at $6.9 trillion a year by 2030 to achieve goals set by the Paris Agreement [Climate economics – costs and benefits https://eciu.net/analysis/reports/2024/the-uks-net-zero-economy-2024].

The good news is that taking action now is cheaper than waiting. Studies suggest that the economic risks of climate change will be much higher if we delay.

Water companies

One of the symptoms of UK government’s lack of real commitment to improving and protecting the environment is the amount of sewage discharged into water courses and the sea by the water companies in Britain. They have diabolically failed the British public and nature. The Times newspaper has been running a campaign against water pollution for some time now to heighten awareness of this disaster. Many water companies in Britain simply discharge sewage into rivers. Millions of gallons of sewage have been discharged this way and some lakes and rivers are simply too polluted to swim in. They are dangerous to people and to nature.

Nature depleted

The UK is described as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. One in six species in Britain are at risk of extinction. Some people are so desperate that they are reduced to tears when they talk about it.

Bringing different campaigners together with one mission

Chris Packham brought wildlife campaigning groups together but there were individuals at the protest such as Clare Hawkins who came as an otter. She said: “What brings me today is my grief over the terrible situation with the climate emergency and the fact that our nature is dying.”

In all, 350 environmental groups came together for this March to pressure the government to be more committed towards protecting nature and to fight the biodiversity crisis in the country.

Some of the charities joining the march were: the National Trust, the Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, and Friends of the Earth, and direct action groups such as Just up Oil, Extinction Rebellion and Animal Rising.

Chris Packham said:

“The mission from the start was to bring all of these groups together so that they focus on their similarities and forget about their differences. Our message today to our forthcoming government is that we are not going to go away and we will take to the streets to make the changes that we need to ensure a healthy future”.

Chris Packham

The general belief is that the UK government isn’t doing enough to protect wildlife and nature in England. The environmental audit committee said in 2021 that the government had toothless policies and were failing to halt the mass loss of wildlife as itemised by Chris Packham in the video above.

It is time for change. But I’ll be negative here and say that it won’t happen. Brits don’t have the werewithall to do it. Not enough money and a general lack of awareness. We’ll have to be in a much more dire state before we act. Humankind is blind and self-obsessed.

The UK is facing several concerning issues regarding nature depletion:

• Habitat Loss: Land-use change, particularly converting areas to large fields for agriculture, has significantly reduced natural habitats. This fragmentation shrinks living spaces for wildlife and disrupts natural connections.
• Biodiversity Decline: A major consequence of habitat loss is a decline in biodiversity. The UK has some of the lowest levels of biodiversity in Europe, with many species disappearing entirely or becoming rare. This includes iconic animals like red squirrels, beavers, and even predators like wolves and bears.
• Population Reduction: Bird populations have seen a dramatic decrease, with over 40 million vanishing since the 1970s alone. This decline extends to other creatures as well, impacting the delicate balance of ecosystems.

Here’s a glimpse into the plight of some species facing extinction in Britain:

• Hedgehogs: These prickly garden visitors have declined dramatically due to habitat loss (neatly trimmed gardens and fewer hedgerows), road traffic collisions, and pesticide use.
• Red Squirrels: Adorable but threatened by the invasive grey squirrel, which outcompetes them for food and resources. Habitat loss also plays a role in their decline.
• Water Voles: Britain’s native water vole is rapidly disappearing due to habitat destruction by invasive species like the American mink, drainage of wetlands, and pollution.
• Bats: While there are 17 bat species in Britain, several face threats like loss of roosting sites (due to demolition or renovation), increased use of pesticides harming their insect prey, and light pollution disrupting their nighttime activities. The Bechstein’s bat, once abundant, is now particularly rare due to the loss of old-growth woodlands.
• Scottish Wildcat: This elusive predator is a unique subspecies facing extinction due to interbreeding with domestic cats, habitat loss from deforestation, and predation by foxes.

Britain’s butterflies are a sad story of decline, with many species facing dwindling populations and even extinction. Here are some concerning facts about their plight:

• Dramatic Decline: Studies show a staggering 80% of butterfly species in Britain have seen a decrease in abundance or distribution since the 1970s. This means fewer butterflies overall, and fewer places where you’d find them.
• Habitat Loss: A major culprit is habitat loss. Butterflies rely on specific types of environments, like flower-rich meadows, heathlands, and woodland edges. Modern land use practices often destroy these habitats, leaving butterflies with nowhere to live.
• Specialists Most Affected: Butterflies with specific habitat requirements, like the Large Blue which needs wild thyme meadows, are suffering the most. They can’t simply adapt to new environments and their populations plummet when their specialized habitats disappear.
• Threatened Status: The situation is so dire that half of Britain’s regularly breeding butterfly species are now classified as threatened or near threatened. This means they’re at high risk of disappearing altogether.
• Indicators of Change: Butterflies are considered sensitive indicators of environmental health. Their decline is a warning sign of a wider ecological crisis affecting many insect species that play vital roles in pollination and the food chain.

Here are some examples of river pollution by Britain’s water companies:

• Untreated Sewage Discharges: This is a major issue. Water companies are allowed to release untreated sewage into rivers under certain circumstances, but the frequency and duration have become a major concern. In 2023, there were record levels of untreated sewage released into England’s rivers and seas, exceeding 3.6 million hours [news article on river pollution by sewage]. This is attributed to factors like heavy rainfall overwhelming sewage treatment systems, but critics argue it happens too often.
• Chemical Pollution: Discharges from water treatment plants can contain chemicals like chlorine and ammonia, which can harm aquatic life. Additionally, improper disposal of medications and household chemicals can also end up in rivers through sewage systems.
• Agricultural Runoff: While not directly caused by water companies, agricultural practices using fertilizers and pesticides contribute to river pollution. Water companies are responsible for treating this contaminated water, but heavy loads of pollutants can overwhelm treatment systems.
• Microplastics: Tiny plastic fragments from clothing, packaging, and other sources make their way into rivers through wastewater treatment plants. The impact of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems is still being studied, but it’s a growing concern.

Human population increase is a significant negative factor.

The UK population is on the rise. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

• Overall Growth: The UK population has been steadily increasing for most of the 20th and 21st centuries. Currently, it’s at its highest ever point, exceeding 67 million.
• Growth Rate: The growth rate has slowed down compared to the mid-20th century. Back then, it was fueled by a baby boom. Today, the birth rate is lower, but net migration (more people immigrating than emigrating) is a significant driver.
• Migration’s Role: Estimates suggest net migration accounts for over half of the population increase in recent years. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) predicts future growth will heavily rely on continued migration.
• Regional Variations: Growth isn’t uniform across the UK. England and Wales have seen the most significant increases, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have experienced slower growth.

Here are some resources for further exploration:

• ONS Population Estimates: Provides detailed data on population changes (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/populationestimatesforenglandandwales/mid2022)
• Population Matters: Discusses the UK’s population growth and its implications (https://populationmatters.org/)
• Worldometer: Offers a live population counter for the UK (https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/uk-demographics/)