1. science
2. biology
3. zoology
4. endangered species

a million
voices for
nature
THINK NATURE:
HOW TO GIVE LIFE TO
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com)
FOREWORD
Nature matters. It matters because it
(more houses, roads, airports, etc).
provides free public services, such as
The result is a deterioration in the
climate control, flood protection, clean
services that nature provides. Climate
water and healthy soils. It matters
change provides the starkest example
because contact with the natural
of what the possible consequences
world can enrich our lives and make
would be if we fail to live within
us feel better. It matters because we
environmental limits. Scientists now
have a moral obligation to ensure the
believe that, for every one-degree
survival of the millions of species
rise in temperature, a further 10% of
with which we share this planet.
species will be at risk of extinction,
while the fate of our own species will
And it matters just as much as
increasingly be placed in jeopardy.
material wealth. Robert Kennedy was
“
right when he said in 1968, “we will
As politicians seek a way out of the
find neither national purpose nor
current financial crisis, we must
personal satisfaction in a mere
demonstrate how continued
continuation of economic progress,
investment in wildlife makes sense,
in an endless amassing of worldly
and to urge against an economic
goods.” A more recent American
recovery plan that sacrifices wildlife
political icon, President Barack
for economic progress. We want
Obama, was equally correct in his
governments to invest in things
If we want to prolong our own existence, we have to preserve
the environment – the natural world inside which we live.
inauguration address to suggest that
our children will thank us for.
Andrew Marr, Darwin’s Dangerous Idea, 2009
resources without regard to effect”.
”
we cannot “consume the world's
This document outlines why we
should strive to live within
So, any economic strategy that fails
environmental limits and provides a
to protect the natural environment
practical toolkit to help policy decision-
and ensure that we live within
makers take nature into account.
environmental limits, fails to fully
An assessment of whether the
address our wellbeing and
UK Government and devolved
compromises future generations.
administrations are rising to the
This is the message that those
sustainable development challenge
who first coined the term “sustainable
and living within environmental
development” were trying to impart.
limits can be found at
www.rspb.org.uk/sd
Too often, our natural resources
suffer in the face of development
Martin Harper
Head of Sustainable
Development, RSPB
2
3
Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
INTRODUCTION
THE RSPB BELIEVES IN
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The protection of the natural environment is core to sustainable development
A better planet for wildlife will be a better planet for people too. We want a world
where biodiversity loss is reversed and where our actions help to ensure the sustainable
management of the planet’s resources. Such a world would provide future generations
with clean air and water, a stable climate, thriving wildlife and a robust, diversified and
sustainable economy.
In 2005, the UK Government and the
for the deterioration in the natural
principle underpinning sustainable
devolved administrations for Northern
environment across the world.
development. A society living within
Ireland, Scotland and Wales seemed
environmental limits is one that will
to share this ambition. They agreed a
In the UK, the situation is equally
not tolerate continuing biodiversity
common framework for sustainable
worrying:
loss; will not cause climate chaos;
development, called “Securing the
• species declines continue
will not deplete or degrade finite
future”. This framework set the twin
• priority habitats and protected sites
natural resources, such as water,
goals of living within environmental
limits and providing a just society,
by means of good governance, sound
science and a sustainable economy.
These five principles were intended
remain impoverished
• carbon dioxide emissions are not
being cut fast enough
• water consumption is
soils and minerals; and will not allow
the erosion of ecosystems that
support human needs, at home
or abroad.
unsustainable.
to promote an integrated approach
to policy and decision-making across
The result of various political changes
all departments, by providing a
across the UK is that the 2005
lens through which all proposals
sustainable development principles
could be viewed.
now hold less currency. For example,
1
To learn more, see the Millennium
Assessment “20-minute presentation”,
www.milleniumassessment.org/en/Slide
Presentations.aspx
although ministers recognise the
“
4
One can say that conservation of biodiversity
is our life insurance for the future.
EU Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas
”
Since then, it is difficult to
challenge, the term is absent from
demonstrate that we have been
the Scottish Government’s new
faithful to these principles. Globally,
performance framework. This
the Millennium Ecosystem
framework underpins the Scottish
Assessment1 shows that biodiversity
Government budget and so has the
loss is accelerating and that human
potential to have traction across the
beings are using up essential natural
whole administration. The challenge
resources – such as fresh water – at
now, as is necessary across the UK,
rates that will significantly impact
is to ensure that sustainable
the wellbeing of future human
development rhetoric is brought to
generations and of wildlife. The UK is
life by deeds.
one of the world’s largest economies
and the fourth biggest importer of
Although the treatment of
commodities and merchandise
sustainable development varies
(e.g. agricultural products, fuels
across the UK, the RSPB argues that
and mining products). We must,
“respecting the limits of the planet’s
therefore, take some responsibility
environment” remains a fundamental
5
Kaleel Zibe (rspb-images.com)
WHY DOES NATURE MATTER?
A HEALTHY NATURAL
value to humanity. This is often
If the UK had to provide for itself,
ENVIRONMENT IS NOT A LUXURY,
neglected partly as it is so difficult
it could support a population of
BUT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO
to monetise. Yet, the scale of support
only 17 million2; yet, the population
HUMAN EXISTENCE
for nature conservation around the
of the UK is just over 60 million.
The natural environment provides
world demonstrates the role we play
If the whole world had consumption
countless free goods and services
as stewards of the natural world.
patterns like ours in the UK, we
to humans: food, wood, clean water,
Here in the UK, over one million
would need three planets to sustain
energy, protection from natural
people support the RSPB – more
ourselves. This raises the question,
hazards, climate regulation,
than the combined membership of
what will happen when all of India
pharmaceutical ingredients and
all our political parties.
and China, with a combined
population of 2.4 billion, live as we
recreation. The wellbeing of every
human population in the world is
FUTURE GENERATIONS
do? Those in developing countries
fundamentally dependent on those
WILL SUFFER FROM A
have the right to access material
“ecosystem services”. In developing
DEGRADED PLANET
comforts and share the development
countries, where many of our raw
We know that it is not possible
benefits we have enjoyed. There is,
materials and imports (e.g. palm oil,
globally to sustain the insatiable
therefore, an urgent need for the UK
coffee, tea, cotton, etc) come from,
appetite for energy and raw materials
to provide leadership and find a more
the poorest people often depend
of the developed, industrialised
sustainable development path to
directly on ecosystem services for
”West” indefinitely. A symptom of
which others can aspire to follow.
their livelihoods.
over-consumption is the loss of
biodiversity. Current levels of
“
6
WILDLIFE HAS INTRINSIC VALUE
consumption and production are
The RSPB believes there is a moral
already abusing the planet’s natural
imperative to conserve the millions
resources. These will seriously
of species with which we share the
compromise the ability of future
planet. This transcends their direct
generations to meet their needs.
2
The Earth versus the Economy, The Ecologist
(April 2008)
Humanity is exalted not because we are so far above
other living creatures, but because knowing them well
elevates the very concept of life.
Edward O. Wilson, American researcher and author
”
7
A sustainable economy maximises people’s wellbeing today,
while ensuring that future generations have the opportunity
to achieve levels of wellbeing at least as high as our own.
IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID
55,000 full time jobs. This brings
one in six people in England suffering
While the UK economy (in terms of
the additional benefit of supporting
a mental health disorder, costing the
Gross Domestic Product) has grown
at least another 245,000 jobs that
public purse £41.8 billion a year.
55% since 1990, there is no
rely on a high quality natural
guarantee that increasing economic
environment for their business,
Studies show that having access to
prosperity will deliver environmental
such as local tourism.
nature and green space can help
increase levels of physical activity
benefits or wellbeing for
communities. In the same period:
As we degrade our natural
and improve mental and physical
• farmland and woodland bird
environment we threaten the
health, thereby reducing the pressure
populations have fallen
ecosystem services it provides –
on health services. It has been
below 1990 levels3;
services without which we could
shown that patients undergoing
not operate. For example,
operations and tests in hospital need
over three-quarters of the UK’s 59
investments in green infrastructure,
fewer painkillers and recover quicker
resident species are declining and
such as grasslands, woodlands and
if exposed to views of nature.
five species have become extinct4,
wetland habitats, can alleviate flood
Some of the strongest findings relate
damage and therefore save money.
to children’s health and show that
The insurance claims of the summer
playing in the natural environment
floods in 2007 were estimated at
improves children’s social, mental
Wellbeing means being happy,
The G8+5-initiated report5 on the
between £1.5 and £3 billion. The true
and physical development.
healthy and prosperous.
Economics of Ecosystems and
costs of the floods are much higher
Biodiversity demonstrates the vast
when uninsured claims and the
• butterfly populations have crashed:
• adult and childhood obesity have
almost doubled.
and varied range of costs associated
stress caused to many families made
with the loss of biodiversity. Globally,
homeless, are taken into account.
Reaching this state is not only
dependent on income, but also on
3
4
this is estimated to outweigh the
losses in the financial sector during
Investments in our natural
20086. Economic development
environment also make good
requires raw materials from natural
economic sense as they reduce the
resources, “there are no economies
pressure on our public finances.
without environment, but there are
The UK is facing a health time bomb
environments without economies”7.
as childhood and adult obesity has
Yet, we are failing to protect those
doubled over the last decade.
natural resources, and the
Physical inactivity costs the UK
ecosystems that provide them.
over £8 billion per year and the UK
Nature conservation remains an
Government has agreed it needs to
5
6
7
8
David Norton (rspb-images.com)
8
Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com)
WHY ARE WE FAILING?
afterthought and is not seen as
do more to meet the target of halting
the foundation of our existence.
the rise in childhood obesity by 2012.
The other growing area of public
Investments in our natural
health concern is mental health, with
Sustainable development indicators in your
pocket 2007,
www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070727a.htm
The State of Britain’s butterflies (2007).
See www.butterflyconservation.org/downloads/75/the
State_of_Britain’s_Butterflies.html
The G8+5 group of leaders consists of the
heads of government from the G8 nations
(Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Russia, the United Kingdom and the United
States), plus the heads of government of
the five leading emerging economies
(Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa)
The economics of ecosystems and
biodiversity, Interim report (2008)
The economics of ecosystems and
biodiversity, Interim report (2008)
Mitchell, R. and Popham, F. (2008) Effect of
exposure to natural environment on health
inequalities: an observational population
study. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/4767/1/4767.pdf
a complex range of other factors.
For example, a number of studies
have shown that access to green
spaces (such as parks, forests,
playing fields and river corridors)
may be psychologically and
physiologically “restorative”.
It can help reduce blood pressure
and stress levels, and may
promote faster healing in patients
following surgery. Access to the
natural environment may also
help overcome income-related
health inequalities. Inequality in
health is less marked among
people with greater exposure
to green spaces 8.
environment provide critical
employment, in some cases to areas
that previously supported little or no
economic activity. It is estimated that
in England alone, the management
of our natural environment supports
9
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS SHOULD BE DEFINED
Environmental limits are not tipping
habitats and sites achieve
points. A tipping point, in the context
favourable conservation status
of sustainable development,
(EU Birds and Habitats and
describes a point at which natural
systems change state, often
irreversibly and with catastrophic
consequences. To ensure the
support the integration of environmental protection into policies and decisions at all
levels. In short, we need people to THINK NATURE!
effective protection and sustainable
management of natural resources,
environmental limits must be set
at levels before the tipping point.
Species directives)
• all water bodies are in good
ecological status by 2015
(EU Water Framework Directive)
• our seas achieve good ecological
status (EU Marine Strategy
David Tipling (rspb-images.com)
1
To live in harmony with nature, governments and public authorities have two challenges.
Firstly, they must intervene directly to conserve and enhance wildlife and the natural
environment. Secondly, in pursuit of other public policy objectives, they must prevent
the natural environment becoming needlessly sacrificed. We therefore propose a new
practical framework, based upon ten core principles, to equip decision-makers to think
and act with nature in mind. If adopted as a package, we believe these principles would
Framework Directive)
• 20% of Europe’s energy comes
Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com)
from renewable sources by 2020
Governments have tended to define
(EU Renewable Energy Directive).
environmental limits in targets and
laws set to safeguard the natural
Domestically, the UK Government
environment at different geographical
and devolved administrations have
levels. While these commitments
set targets to:
are not in themselves sufficient to
• restore threatened species and
prevent environmental limits being
exceeded, they do provide a useful
reference point to assess
government progress.
habitats listed on the UK
Biodiversity Action Plan
• protect and manage the finest
wildlife sites – Areas/Sites of
Special Scientific Interest
Globally, governments have
committed themselves to:
• significantly slowing the rate of
• halt and then reverse the decline
in farmland birds
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
biodiversity loss by 2010 (World
by 20% by 2010 and by 80%
Summit on Sustainable
by 2050.
Development)
• reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by 12.5% by 2010
compared with the 1990 level
The RSPB supports a target-led
(United Nations Framework
approach to nature conservation
Convention on Climate Change)
and natural resource protection.
• securing sustainable fish stocks
These targets provide a focus for
by 2012 (World Summit on
conservation, encourage scrutiny
Sustainable Development).
and ensure accountability.
We argue that these targets
Within Europe, EU Member States
are core to our ambitions to
are obliged to ensure that:
live within environmental limits.
• internationally important species,
10
11
2
3
LIVING WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS SHOULD BE CORE TO GOVERNMENT STRATEGY
DECISION-MAKING SHOULD BE INFORMED BY SOUND SCIENCE
There have been many attempts to
Sound science is the basis for
If decision-makers do not understand
rightly adopted a challenging target
provide the right legal framework
informed decision-making. Used
how policies will affect the natural
to generate 33 GW of energy from
for living within environmental
responsibly, it can help to change
environment, they should adopt a
offshore wind farms by 2020. These
limits. Over 100 different duties
society’s behaviour and ensure that
precautionary approach and invest in
should be built without harm to
have been established. These
our exploitation of the planet’s finite
further research. Policies that risk
sensitive marine wildlife, so long-term
include duties for public authorities
and renewable resources stays within
causing irreversible environmental
investment in surveys is required to
to “contribute to” or “have regard
environmental limits.
damage should not be put into place
find the best possible locations.
to” sustainable development or
until it can be demonstrated that this
nature conservation. Some work
This is why it is so important that
better than others. However,
governments provide adequate
success depends not just on
funding to research the state of
Improving the monitoring and
the legal text, but also on the
the natural environment. Where
dissemination of information on
interpretation of guidance and
research has been undertaken, it
the state of the environment can
the appetite of those in authority
should be publicly accessible and
result in better decision-making.
to live up to the spirit of the law.
inform policy development.
For example, to help tackle climate
risk could be mitigated or avoided.
The RSPB believes that
change, the UK Government has
governments should invest in
research to improve our
understanding of environmental
limits, and of our impact on the
natural world and the ecosystem
services on which we depend.
Too often socio-economic
objectives take precedence over
Protected areas are crucial tools for nature conservation and need to be
environmental concerns. The RSPB
established in the marine environment with site selection based upon the best
has backed calls for an energy
available scientific information. Socio-economic considerations should be taken
revolution to rise to the climate
into account in the management of these sites.
change challenge. Yet governments
should provide clearer strategic
guidelines as to how necessary
renewable energy development
can take place without harming
principles described in this booklet.
12
Public authorities in Scotland are obliged to further
biodiversity conservation while authorities in England
and Wales have a lesser duty to have regard to biodiversity.
No such duty exists to guide public bodies in Northern Ireland.
Mike Lane (rspb-images.com)
The RSPB believes that the
responsible legislature should ensure
that all public bodies and all parts of
government are given clear direction.
They should be charged with living
within environmental limits in the
context of sustainable development.
While there are merits in enshrining
this in law in a consistent fashion,
living within environmental limits
requires more than a duty and will
need to be complemented, at a
minimum, by the other tools and
Ernie Janes (rspb-images.com)
the natural environment.
13
istockphoto.com
4
POLICY MAKING SHOULD BE COHERENT AND CONSISTENT
Policies across government should
Decision-makers should mitigate the
work together to enable us to live
impact of UK policies on the
The RSPB believes that incoherent
within environmental limits.
communities and natural
government policies can confuse
For example, aspirations to reduce
environment in other countries.
and disempower the public.
greenhouse gas emissions by 80%
Whilst the UK has made progress
This is particularly pertinent in our
by 2050 would be undermined by
towards decoupling economic
struggle to tackle climate change.
decisions that would lead to greater
growth and environmental damage
The UK Government and devolved
dependency on fossil fuels. Decisions
at home, most of the damage has
administrations should clearly
to increase aviation capacity or permit
merely been displaced overseas
communicate the scale of the
the construction of new coal-fired
through trade, investment and
challenge, and explain the nature
power stations, which do not have
travel. For example, the palm oil
of policy reform and behavioural
the capacity to store greenhouse gas
being used to meet the UK’s biofuel
change required to live within
emissions, will bind the hands of
targets continues to be a cause of
agreed targets.
future governments even as they
tropical deforestation.
strive to stick to an ever-decreasing
carbon budget.
istockphoto.com
In order to tackle climate change
effectively, governments need policy
coherence across all departments
and sectors. Aviation expansion is not
consistent with aspirations to move
towards a low carbon economy.
14
15
5
6
GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE AND DEMONSTRATE BEST PRACTICE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SHOULD BE CORE TO DECISION-MAKING
Responsibility for sustainable
have a strong understanding of
development should be shared
and commitment to sustainable
The RSPB believes that the
encourages the participation of civil
The RSPB believes that increased civic engagement and participation
by all, but overseen at the highest
development. This would help
UK Government and devolved
society, including environmental
of environment stakeholders will help improve the quality, relevance
level – for example, within the
public and private bodies to make
administrations should
stakeholders. Civil society9 plays a
and effectiveness of government policies and ensure that
Cabinet Office or Treasury for
progress beyond any legal
demonstrate how they plan
key role in giving voice to the
socio-environmental concerns are addressed alongside economic issues.
matters reserved to England.
interpretation of what a duty might
to meet or exceed their own
concerns of citizens and delivering
An inclusive approach is likely to create more confidence in the policies
While it might not be appropriate
require them to do.
environmental targets on
services that meet the needs of
and decisions, and in the institutions that develop and deliver them10.
their estates.
current and future generations.
to define the leadership role within
Good governance is open and
legislation, a leadership programme
The State can also set the necessary
As the EU’s 6th Environmental Action
– possibly administered by the
standards for others to follow
Plan says, “non-governmental
An open dialogue between decision-
Sustainable Development
through public procurement and
organisations (NGOs) have an
makers and stakeholders can lead to
Commission – ought to be
management of its estate.
important role to play, in channelling
a sustainable solution that protects
established to empower senior
This is beginning to happen as
the views of the ‘person in the
wildlife and key habitats, whilst
officials to drive change within
departments attempt to reduce
street’ to decision-makers, in
allowing an important renewable
their organisations. Leaders must
their carbon footprint.
participating in expert or technical
energy development to proceed.
groups and in monitoring the
implementation of the legislation.
They represent a broader public
for nature conservation on the
Government’s estate. Public
authorities should set ambitious
targets for protecting and restoring
wildlife to support attainment of
wider government targets.
Sue Kennedy (rspb-images.com)
There are significant opportunities
interest in the policy process”.
Nature has no voice, so others must
speak up for it. Governments and
public authorities need to adopt an
inclusive approach when developing
and implementing policies, to
encourage the participation of
environmental stakeholders.
10
16
Civil society includes amongst others:
charities and non-governmental organisations,
grass-roots organisations and “social
partners” (trade unions and employers’
organisations. See European Commission
white paper on European Governance (2001),
http://ec.europa.eu/governance/index_en.htm
European Commission white paper on
European Governance (2001),
http://ec.europa.eu/governance/index_en.htm
istockphoto.com
9
17
7
8
MONITORING PROGRESS SHOULD INCLUDE INDICATORS OF WELLBEING
a region’s GDP, but environmental
social and environmental indicators in
Gross Value Added (GVA) remain the
pollution or crime might because
measuring national progress.
foremost indicators of progress, but
they generate jobs and spending.
they say nothing about the kind of
GDP and similar measures distort
11
SCRUTINY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD HAVE TEETH
Unless public authorities are called
istockphoto.com
Gross Domestic Product11 (GDP) and
GDP is the sum of consumer, investment and
government spending, plus the value of
exports, minus the value of imports.
Measurement beyond GDP, background paper
for the conference “Beyond GDP: Measuring
progress, true wealth and the wellbeing of
nations”, November 2007.
The economics of ecosystems and
biodiversity, Interim report (2008).
to account for their failure to
meet environmental targets or
commitments, our aspirations to
society we live in. Equally, they
our perception of what
cannot indicate whether economic
development is for. They direct
growth is sustainable or equitable.
attention to short-term profit
GDP, as a proxy indicator of social
instead of assessing broader
welfare, has received much criticism
qualitative improvements in
from some of the most well known
people’s lives and our legacy to
economists, including Nobel
future generations. It is now
to account (e.g. the Sustainable
laureates Kenneth Arrow, Simon
essential to aim to move beyond
Development Commission or
Kuznets, Daniel Kahneman, Robert
GDP. A focus on inadequate
Solow, Joseph Stiglitz, Amartya Sen
indicators has cost us dearly,
The RSPB believes that GDP is
and Muhammad Yunus12. It fails to
resulting in unsustainable growth,
too crude a measure of prosperity.
account for non-marketed services,
degraded ecosystems, lost
Alternative indicators of wellbeing,
such as household labour and
biodiversity and even reduced
which assess whether we are
volunteering, and the loss of natural
per-capita human welfare,
living within environmental limits,
capital. For example, a family caring
especially in developing countries .
for an elderly parent will not add to
Governments should include health,
12
13
live within environmental limits will
be compromised. The building blocks
of scrutiny include obligations to
monitor and report on progress
supported by independent bodies
charged with holding the authority
the legislature).
The RSPB believes that strong,
independent champions of the
natural environment play an essential
role in ensuring transparency and
should be adopted instead.
13
accountability. They can help assess
country performance; advise central
government to influence change
in policy and legislation; and act
Jesper Mattias (rspb-images.com)
“
as a focus for public concern.
Because national accounts are
based on financial transactions,
they account nothing for nature
to which we don’t owe anything
in terms of payments but to
which we owe everything in
terms of livelihood.
”
Bertrand de Jouvenel, 1968.
The failure to adopt an independent
environmental protection agency in
Northern Ireland has serious implications
for environmental governance and planning.
18
19
9
THE TRUE VALUE OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE FULLY ASSESSED AND
TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING POLICIES
we face, and improve people’s
that projects coming forward already
geological diversity internationally.
environmental effects of any policy
quality of life.
integrate environmental
This contributes to the development
considerations into their justification
of appropriate responses and
and design.
promotes sustainability in the use
choice or decision must be fully
assessed and understood, and their
The effective use of tools, such as
consequences must be fully
Regulatory Impact Assessment,
considered in reaching decisions.
Strategic Environmental
Many assessment tools also require
global biodiversity depends14.
The ultimate aim of any
Assessment (SEA), and Cost-
decision-makers to consider the
Policy-makers should use this
assessment is to equip decision-
Benefit Analysis can ensure that
international environmental effects of
advice and expertise to help avoid
makers to think with environmental
environmental considerations and
national policies and plans.
negative impacts of UK policies
limits in mind. This will enable
policies are integrated into all policy
The Government’s statutory adviser
on other countries.
them to create policies and plans
and decision-making at an early
on UK and international nature
that are more environmentally
stage, informed by a robust
conservation, Joint Nature
Without a full and thorough
sustainable. Where assessments
evidence base. For example, SEA
Conservation Committee (JNCC),
consideration of the costs and
are carried out effectively, resulting
can identify the best proposals for
has a Global Impacts Programme to
benefits, well-intentioned policies
decisions should help us respond
the natural environment at the
advise on the effect that UK activities
can result in unforeseen outcomes.
to the environmental challenges
policy and plan level. This means
and policies have on biological and
In the past, agricultural subsidies
Mark Sisson (rspb-images.com)
The economic, social and
of natural resources upon which
designed to support farm incomes
have had a perverse effect on the
natural environment by encouraging
Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Nature provides free public services, such as carbon storage in peatlands, and
it pays to invest in their protection.
the intensification of farming
with the consequences of more
pesticides, herbicides, the removal
of hedgerows and so on.
14
The international impacts of UK domestic
activity have been assigned to four
categories: trade; overseas aid; overseas
investment and operations by UK business;
and overseas tourist activity by UK citizens.
The RSPB recommends using
assessment tools effectively to
help decision-makers make
sustainable choices that respect
environmental limits. We argue
that more robust assessment of
policy decisions is needed to
achieve a truly sustainable
decision-making system.
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GOVERNMENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO INTERVENE THROUGH FISCAL, POLICY
AND REGULATORY REFORM
live within our environmental limits.
natural environment is a
The simple answer is that we cannot
consequence of market failure,
afford not to. The costs associated
To shift to a more sustainable
which the UK Government must act
with current rates of biodiversity loss
growth path, the UK Government
to address now through fiscal, policy
are enormous, as demonstrated by
must create and support a
and regulatory reform. Action to
the G8+5-initiated report on the
regulatory environment, which
address the market failures
economics of ecosystem and
is proportionate, accountable,
must be driven by sustainable
biodiversity (TEEB). The amount of
consistent, transparent and
development objectives and help
public money needed to halt the
targeted. Without this, we will
us live within environmental limits.
loss is relatively small and yet the
continue to bear the costs of
Government’s own figures show
greed and short-term thinking,
Against the backdrop of
there is currently a funding shortfall
and will increasingly suffer the
ever-tightening public finances, some
to meet the UK Biodiversity Action
impacts of failing to live within
question whether we can afford to
Plan targets.
our environmental limits.
Andrew Parkinson (rspb-images.com)
The excessive degradation of our
The European Union has phased out
set-aside. This had required farmers
to take a proportion of arable
farmland out of production and
had inadvertently been a boon for
wildlife. The RSPB has warned
that wildlife such as skylarks and
stone-curlews could be under threat
due to large areas of set-aside
farmland being ploughed up.
The RSPB believes that governments
should plan replacement measures
to retain the environmental benefits
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Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com)
of set-aside.
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The RSPB
UK Headquarters
The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL
Tel: 01767 680551
www.rspb.org.uk
Northern Ireland Headquarters
Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast BT8 7QT
Tel: 028 9049 1547
www.rspb.org.uk/northernireland
Scotland Headquarters
Dunedin House, 25 Ravelston Terrace,
Edinburgh EH4 3TP
Tel: 0131 311 6500
www.rspb.org.uk/scotland
Wales Headquarters
Sutherland House, Castlebridge, Cowbridge Road East,
Cardiff CF11 9AB
Tel: 029 2035 3000
www.rspb.org.uk/wales
The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment.
Nature is amazing – help us keep it that way.
Cover image: Jupiter Images/Stock Image/Alamy
The RSPB is part of BirdLife International, the global partnership of bird conservation organisations.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654.
271-1683-08-09