Natural England has written to the Environmental Audit Committee
setting out how funding cuts has resulted in many of its
workstreams protecting UK biodiversity coming to an end.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, appeared before the
Committee in October as part of the inquiry on Biodiversity and
Ecosystems. Within the evidence session, Mr Juniper explained
that the organisation’s current funding is below the level
required to carry out its statutory duties to a good standard.
The risks of which could be subjecting Natural England to legal
challenges and lost opportunities to enhance the environment.
Taking action to protect species at risk of extinction, ceasing
management duties for National Nature Reserves and engaging only
a small number of planning authorities to support landscape and
biodiversity activities are some of the areas Natural England has
had to scale back support. In his letter, Mr Juniper suggests
that if Natural England received more funding, these schemes
would not need to be scaled back.
Natural England has bid for enhanced funding in this Spending
Review, expected to be announced later this month.
Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, , said:
“Natural England is one of the key organisations responsible for
maintaining and protecting UK wildlife. Funding restrictions
limiting crucial roles such as monitoring nature can have a
negative impact on the UK’s biodiversity, and as my Committee has
recently heard, could hamper the success of Government policies
in this area.
“There are up to 1 million plant and animal species at risk of
extinction in the UK, and Natural England’s to-do list is ever
increasing. That is why they need the funds required to do the
jobs they are tasked to do.
“We have heard how the Government aspires to be an environmental
world leader, not just in the year it hosts COP26; and that it
also wants a green economic recovery from coronavirus. A good
start for biodiversity would be by responding positively to
Natural England’s request in the upcoming Spending Review.”
