After 14 years of Conservative rule, the UK has ushered in a Labour government. The previous administration left a poor environmental legacy with climate and nature targets off course. Now, more than ever, we need strong leadership to guide the UK towards meeting crucial climate targets and making decisions that will protect our health, well-being, and planet for future generations.

Commitments

Labour’s manifesto highlighted key commitments to address the climate and nature crises:

Eliminate non-essential single-use packaging: Labour promises to set and deliver targets to elimated non-essential single-use packaging by the late 2030’s, and a 30% reuse target by 2030. This includes a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and Extended Producer Responsibility.

Ban plastic waste exports: The new government pledges to ban exports of plastic waste by 2027 at the latest and end approval for new incineration facilities. They also pledge to develop a proper circular economy action plan.

Strengthen regulation on sewage discharges: The Labour manifesto aims to set targets for eliminating sewage spills in ecologically sensitive areas and bathing waters by 2030, banning shareholder dividends and bonus payments, and taking a government share in water companies. Automatic and severe fines for wrongdoing and independent monitoring of every outlet.

Reducing carbon emissions: Labour aims to achieve the UK’s international target of cutting emissions by over two-thirds by 2030.

Empowering local authorities: The plan includes giving local authorities more power to facilitate a fairer green transition through improved public transport and local nature protection.

Halting new oil and gas licences: Labour promises to stop issuing new oil and gas licences.

Boosting renewable energy: The government plans to significantly increase renewable energy by 2030, creating jobs and reducing bills.

The new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, has outlined five priorities for the environment since the election win:

• Cleaning up rivers, lakes and seas
• Creating a roadmap to move us to a zero waste ecomony
• Boosting food security
• Ensuring nature’s recovery
• Protecting communities from flooding

We believe that the new government must revolutionise the UK’s approach to tackling the climate and nature emergencies to ensure a fair and sustainable future for everyone.

We would like to see:

1. Clean Energy:  Withdraw support for new coal mines (Cumbria), which threatens to produce emissions equivalent to over 5 million UK cars annually. Additionally, enable more onshore wind power. A de-facto ban on onshore wind power should be lifted to secure cheaper and cleaner energy. Reverse new licences for North Sea oil, and prioritise home-grown renewable energy over new oil and gas fields. This shift would help secure affordable energy, create jobs, and address the cost-of-living crisis, fostering a more sustainable energy future. Make solar panels mandatory for all new housing, government buildings and car parks.
2. End sewage pollution: Labour should make water companies, not their customers, pay for cleaning up raw sewage discharged into rivers and seas and support a legal right to a healthy environment. We need to see proper targets and plans for infrastructure investment to stop sewage overflows, scaled appropriately to future-proof population and housing growth.
3. Make nurdle pollution a thing of the past: Introduce strict legislation on the handling of the ubiquitous nurdles that we find washed up on every shoreline and enforce through fines and legal action if polluters do not comply.
4. Streamline recycling across councils: Make sure that recycling facilities are consistent and comprehensive between and across the country and counties and develop policies on making sure packaging is not only minimised, but if it is needed at all that it is not mixed materials and is easier to recycle.
5. The total ban of neonicotinoids, which are incredibly detrimental to our pollinators.

Long-Term Goals

While Labour’s manifesto signifies change, we would like to see more ambition and depth in key areas:

A bold new climate plan: After a recent landmark legal challenge that deemed the previous government’s climate plan unlawful, Labour must publish a new strategy outlining how the UK will meet its crucial climate targets. This includes making sectors like farming, transport, and housing greener and committing to necessary investments. Investing annually over the next decade in insulating homes would help combat energy loss and save the UK economy billions through avoided NHS costs and cutting heating bills. The cost-of-living crisis is biting communities hard, and proper housing insulation is a simple and relatively easy way to not only save heat from escaping from homes but to save our pockets too.

Real action on sewage pollution: Ensuring that our sensitive coastal ecosystems are protected from sewage, not just the bacteria associated with it but also all the other ‘hidden’ pharmaceuticals is paramount. We need firm timelines for infrastructure improvement and monitoring and strong consequences for failures.

A strong plan for plastic pollution: Upgraded targets for tackling plastic waste and developing an effective circular economy. Mandating the removal of plastic tampon applicators and plastic wet wipes from sale and taking plastics manufacturers to task over nurdle pollution.

New MPs must hear how important a healthy local environment is to their constituents, and we need to make our voices heard. We hope that the new government will bring new enthusiasm and improved momentum to tackling our many environmental challenges over the coming few years.