Motion #02
Wildlife & Habitats PWG: Celia Coram*,Libby Hudson, Linda MacCallum-Stewart, Joanna Collins
Motion to make the changes necessary to comply with commitments on international agreements on biodiversity which the UK government has signed.
Amendment to the Forestry Chapter
Add new policy FR905 after policy FR904.
“FR905 Areas of unharvested forestry in the UK will be enhanced and increased (in consultation with devolved governments), with strong measures for protection in perpetuity, as per WH120 and subject to FR601, to support the targets in the Global Biodiversity Framework, as per policy numbered WH104. This will be achieved by state funding and planning policies.” (Note: since WH104 is also a new policy the two are interdependent.)
Amendment to the International Chapter
IP252 currently reads:
“IP252 Overseas development assistance (ODA) and climate finance to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) sustained by UK Government bodies or development agencies will observe the following rules:
(i) ODA and climate finance will be aimed at countries with the lowest income and/or the highest levels of inequality and/or with the highest risk of climate and ecological emergency impact; and where the UK has a climate debt and requirement for reparations;
(ii) ODA and climate finance will reduce inequalities in income and inequalities in access to resources and assets;
(iii) ODA and climate finance will support representation and empowerment of the most vulnerable groups in each country, promote community cohesion and peacebuilding;
(iv) ODA will be locally designed and managed; subject to local oversight and scrutiny involving civil society; and be specific to local communities, indigenous populations and environments – ending neo-colonial models of aid;
(v) tied aid will remain illegal.”
Add an additional clause to IP252 (v) and renumber existing (v) to (vi)
(v) ODA will be used to meet the UK’s International commitments to UN convention on Biological Diversity Framework targets so that the full paragraph reads:
“IP252 Overseas development assistance (ODA) and climate finance to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) sustained by UK Government bodies or development agencies will observe the following rules:
(i) ODA and climate finance will be aimed at countries with the lowest income and/or the highest levels of inequality and/or with the highest risk of climate and ecological emergency impact; and where the UK has a climate debt and requirement for reparations;
(ii) ODA and climate finance will reduce inequalities in income and inequalities in access to resources and assets;
(iii) ODA and climate finance will support representation and empowerment of the most vulnerable groups in each country, promote community cohesion and peacebuilding;
(iv) ODA will be locally designed and managed; subject to local oversight and scrutiny involving civil society; and be specific to local communities, indigenous populations and environments – ending neo-colonial models of aid;
(v) ODA will be used to meet the UK’s International commitments to UN convention on Biological Diversity Framework targets.
(vi) tied aid will remain illegal.”
Amendments to the Land Use Chapter
Amend LD302 to insert after the words, “be reasonable and clear” the words, “taking into account traditional practice and communities, but the land must be managed with the primary objective of achieving positive outcomes for biodiversity.” so that it reads:
“LD302 The holder of a land title (steward), will have responsibilities for stewarding land for the “common good” (PB451, MG201) which will be reasonable and clear - taking into account traditional practice and communities, and the land must be managed with the primary objective of achieving positive outcomes for biodiversity. Advice and financial help will be available (see LD502 and FA204 and FA300). Stewardship will be transferred with ownership and they cannot be separated. This will primarily affect large pieces of land rather than private gardens.”
LD407 currently reads, “LD407 Government will also have the power to designate land critical for certain purposes, for example National Parks and ancient woodland; and also may make new land use designations such as peatland, wetland, saltmarsh.”
Add reference to WH104
So that it reads:
“LD407 Government will also have the power to designate land critical for certain purposes, for example National Parks and ancient woodland; and also may make new land use designations such as peatland, wetland, saltmarsh.” See also WH104
LD504 currently reads,
“LD504 The planning system will provide accountability and local democratic control over land use through compliance with local and regional plans. It will provide a mechanism for levying carbon tax (EC777) against land use change emissions associated with construction. In particular there will need to be land use designations for permanent pasture, forestry, peatland and land under agricultural rotation. See also FA301, LP412, LP505, LP514 and LP517”.
Insert into LD504 a new second sentence, “it will recognise that a healthy environment is the only guarantee for future generations and communities” so that reads:
“LD504 The planning system will provide accountability and democratic control over land through compliance with local and regional plans. It will recognise that a healthy environment is the only guarantee for future generations and communities. There will need to be compliance between local and regional plans to ensure equitable use of land, which is a scarce resource.
It will provide a mechanism for levying carbon tax (EC777) against land use change emissions associated with construction. There will need to be land use designations for permanent pasture, forestry, peatland, land under agricultural rotation and degraded land. See also FA301, LP412, LP505, LP514 and LP517.”.
Amendment to the Marine and Coastal Chapter
Add a new clause after MC208
MC209 We would commit to making at least 30% of UK domestic waters into fully protected Marine Protected Areas by 2030.
Amendments to the Wildlife and Habitats Chapter
Add new clause after WH103 as follows and renumber clauses WH104, WH105 and WH106:
WH104 The Green Party supports the targets for 2030 in the Global Biodiversity Framework Including:
· 30% of UK land and fresh water planned and managed to reduce biodiversity loss,
· 30% of UK degraded ecosystems restored and
· 30% of UK land, water and sea conserved for nature.
In addition to the implementation of a Nature Regeneration Strategy, WH202, policies to help realise the targets listed above on land are, in consultation with devolved governments:
· rapid land use change over the next ten years as per LD401 implemented by the
· policy levers specified in LD502
· restoration of peatlands as per LD402
· designating land in perpetuity as supported by LD407 and LP405
· protection of unharvested woodlands and forest as per FR200, FR600, FR602, FR904 and FR905
· protection of land currently designated as SSSIs in good condition as per LP405 and CY560
· a rationalised system of designations which includes strong measures for protection in perpetuity, as per WH120.
Clause WH104 currently reads:
WH104 Government agencies and local authorities will be financed and supported to produce regional and local nature regeneration plans to inform the national strategy. Plans will ensure that all of the authority’s areas are supportive of the regeneration of nature, including housing, gardens and commercial property.
Renumbered to WH105 by the insertion of the new WH104. Add at the beginning: All local and neighbourhood plans and spatial development strategies will minimise impacts on biodiversity so that the loss of areas of high biodiversity value are brought close to zero.
so that it reads:
WH105 All local, neighbourhood plans and spatial development strategies will minimise impacts on biodiversity so that the loss of areas of high biodiversity value are brought close to zero. Government agencies and local authorities will be financed and supported to produce regional and local nature regeneration plans to inform the national strategy. Plans will ensure that all of the authority’s areas are supportive of the regeneration of nature, including housing, gardens and commercial property.
The current version of WH120 (in the section on designated areas) states that:
WH120 The current system of site designations will be simplified and funding allocated to secure the protection and regeneration of their biodiversity. These sites will form the nucleus of the nature regeneration network that will enable sustainable and diverse habitats to spread out across all areas of the country.
This should be replaced so that it reads:
WH120: The current system of site designations will be simplified so that all designated sites can be incorporated into the nature regeneration network. [WH202]. Standards and targets will follow best international practice, as determined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and other expert opinion. [WH102]
Central Government will ensure that the necessary funding is available to enable all designated sites to maintain the conditions needed to regenerate and maintain their biodiversity in perpetuity. [WH103]
Add a new clause immediately after the current WH141 which states:
WH141 The Green Party will take a 30-year approach to delivering the strategy set out in Pillar II and create a cross-departmental budgetary framework that will be adequate for the work to be undertaken during this timeframe, subject to periodic reviews.
The new clause will be:
WH142: These reviews will cover any financial commitments the UK signs under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The UK Government has signed the Global Biodiversity Framework [GBF] for 2021-30, which commits signatory Nations to collectively provide $200 Billion annually by 2030 to achieve the targets set within the GBF. The UK should provide a proportionate amount of this global figure based on its Gross Domestic Product. This amounts to at least £5 Billion per year up to 2030
Then re-number the existing clauses WH142, WH143
Clause WH202: currently reads:
WH202 The national strategy will include developing the joined-up nature regeneration network [WH106], incorporating both land and aquatic environments, to allow the movement of species and the regeneration of new habitats. The whole network will have protected status and will be recognised within planning legislation and the Rights for Nature Act, severely limiting any activity that damages nature.
after the first and in the second sentence add: and be brought under effective long term management to enhance and maintain biodiversity.
Then start a new sentence: The regeneration network will be….
So that the whole clause reads:
WH202 The national strategy will include developing the joined-up Nature Regeneration Network WH107 [renumbered from WH106], incorporating both land and aquatic environments, to allow the movement of species and the regeneration of new habitats. The whole network will have protected status and be brought under effective long term management to enhance and maintain biodiversity. The Regeneration Network will be recognised within planning legislation and the Rights for Nature Act, severely limiting any activity that damages nature. [See also LD302].
The background paper for this motion is here.
Amendments to the Forestry Chapter FR601 currently reads:
FR601 There will be a strong presumption against the permanent removal of woodland; any loss will be balanced by equivalent forest and woodland creation elsewhere, under the ultimate supervision of the UKFWC.
Add after “any loss” (e.g. any removal of inappropriate forestry) so that the paragraph reads: FR601 There will be a strong presumption against the permanent removal of woodland; any loss (e.g. any removal of inappropriate forestry) will be balanced by equivalent forest and woodland creation elsewhere, under the ultimate supervision of the UKFWC.
*Add new policy FR905 after policy* FR904.
“FR905 Areas of unharvested forestry and woodland in the UK will be enhanced and increased (in consultation with devolved governments), with strong measures for protection in perpetuity, as per WH120 and subject to FR601, to support the targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, as per policy numbered WH104. This will be achieved by state funding and planning policies.”
(Note: since WH104 is also a new policy the two are interdependent.)
Amendment to the International Chapter
IP252 currently reads:
“IP252 Overseas development assistance (ODA) and climate finance to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) sustained by UK Government bodies or development agencies will observe the following rules:
Add an additional clause to IP252 (v) and renumber existing (v) to (vi)
“(v) ODA will be used to meet the UK’s International commitments to Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity targets”, so that the full paragraph reads:
IP252 Overseas development assistance (ODA) and climate finance to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) sustained by UK Government bodies or development agencies will observe the following rules:
Insert into LD504 new second sentence, “It will recognise that a healthy environment is essential for future generations and communities” and add a paragraph break after “scarce resource”, so that it reads:
“LD504 The planning system will provide accountability and democratic control over land through compliance with local and regional plans. It will recognise that a healthy environment is essential for future generations and communities. There will need to be compliance between local and regional plans to ensure equitable use of land, which is a scarce resource. It will provide a mechanism for levying carbon tax (EC777) against land use change emissions associated with construction. There will need to be land use designations for permanent pasture, forestry, peatland, land under agricultural rotation and degraded land. See also FA301, LP412, LP505, LP514 and LP517.”
Add new clause after WH103 as follows and renumber clauses WH104, WH105 and WH106:
WH104 The Green Party supports the targets for 2030 in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (usually referred to as GBF) including:
In addition to the implementation of a Nature Regeneration Strategy, WH202, policies to help realise the targets listed above on land are, in consultation with devolved governments:
WH105 (formerly WH104) currently reads
WH104 Government agencies and local authorities will be financed and supported to produce regional and local nature regeneration plans to inform the national strategy. Plans will ensure that all of the authority’s areas are supportive of the regeneration of nature, including housing, gardens and commercial property.
Renumbered to WH105 by the insertion of the new WH104. Add at the beginning: “All local and neighbourhood plans and spatial development strategies must promote biodiversity.” So that it reads:
WH105 All local and neighbourhood plans and spatial development strategies must promote biodiversity. Government agencies and local authorities will be financed and supported to produce regional and local nature regeneration plans to inform the national strategy. Plans will ensure that all of the authority’s areas are supportive of the regeneration of nature, including, housing gardens and commercial property.
WH120 (in the section on designated areas) states that:
WH120 The current system of site designations will be simplified and funding allocated to secure the protection and regeneration of their biodiversity. These sites will form the nucleus of the nature regeneration network that will enable sustainable and diverse habitats to spread out across all areas of the country.
This should be replaced so that it reads:
WH120: The current system of site designations will be simplified and strengthened so that all designated sites an be incorporated into the nature regeneration network [WH202]. Standards and targets will follow best international practice, as determined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and other expert opinion. [WH102]
Central Government will ensure that the necessary funding is available to enable all designated sites to maintain the conditions needed to regenerate and maintain their biodiversity in perpetuity. [WH103]
Clause WH202: currently reads:
WH202 The national strategy will include developing the joined up nature regeneration network [WH106], incorporating both land and aquatic environments, to allow the movement of species and the regeneration of new habitats. The whole network will have protected status and will be recognised within planning legislation and the Rights of Nature Act, severely limiting any activity that damages nature.
After the first and in the second sentence add: “and be brought under effective long-term management to enhance and maintain biodiversity.”
Then start a new sentence: “The Regeneration Network will be…
So that the whole clause reads:
WH202 The national strategy will include developing the joined-up Nature Regeneration Network WH107 [renumbered from WH106], incorporating both land and aquatic environments, to allow the movement of species and the regeneration of new habitats. The whole network will have protected status and be brought under effective long-term management to enhance and maintain biodiversity. The Regeneration Network will be recognised within planning legislation and the Rights of Nature Act, severely limiting any activity that damages nature [See also LD302].
Last updated on 2024-09-08 at 15:20