ABOUT CEN
The Conservative Environment Network (CEN) is the home for conservatives who support responsible environmental leadership
OUR WORK
We are a broad network, bringing people together and giving people a shared identity around conservative environmentalism.
We convene conservatives to debate environmental issues in a trusted setting, and find common ground.
We coordinate environmental action within the conservative movement and mobilise conservatives to achieve positive environmental policy change.
We do not undertake policy research ourselves, rather we rely on peer-reviewed research to inform our work.
We raise awareness of environmental issues and their electoral importance among conservatives.
We promote conservative voices within the environmental policy debate.
We support conservative environmentalists to become the next generation of political leaders.
We bring together conservatives from around the world to discuss environmental policies and reinforce environmental ambition.
OUR NETWORK
We work with like-minded conservative environmentalists across the UK and abroad.
Our network includes:​​
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49 Members of Parliament and 31 peers, together forming the CEN Caucus.
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18 Members of Scottish Parliament, together forming the CEN Scottish Parliamentary Group
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Over 400 councillors from across the UK
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Over 1200 grassroots supporters
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More than 350 legislators from over 45 countries that have signed our Centre-Right Climate Action Declaration
OUR PRINCIPLES
BRING PEOPLE
WITH US
SECURE OUR
FUTURE
STOPPING
CLIMATE CHANGE
We believe that a conservative, science-led approach that empowers individuals, communities, and businesses and goes with the grain of human nature will be most effective at protecting and enhancing the environment.
We believe that biodiversity loss, climate change, and wasteful resource use are threats to our national security, and action to incentivise homegrown clean energy, sustainable farming practices, and resource efficiency will make our country safer and more resilient.
We believe that man-made climate change is a threat to our prosperity, and that the UK should end its contribution to climate change by mid-century through affordable, fair, and market-based policies.
RESTORING OUR
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
We believe that we have a responsibility to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity to ensure that future generations can enjoy rich and abundant nature, while building the homes and producing the food we need.
SUPPORTING
CLEAN GROWTH
We believe that embracing clean technologies, efficiency, and innovation will make the UK more productive and competitive, and that we should capture the opportunities they present to boost exports and drive economic growth, while keeping down costs for consumers.
REWARDING FARMERS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
We believe that farmers should be given a fair return from the market for sustainable food production and should be rewarded with public and private funding for their role as custodians of our countryside and for protecting and restoring nature.
TACKLING AIR AND
WATER POLLUTION
We believe that pollution is a threat to our natural environment, health, and economy, and that encouraging the uptake of cleaner technologies, cutting waste, and modernising our infrastructure will clean up our air, waterways, and local communities.
LEADING THE WORLD ON
THE ENVIRONMENT
We believe that the UK has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead the way internationally in protecting the environment, using free trade, finance and diplomacy to promote market-friendly action across the world.
ABOUT CONSERVATIVE
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Like the founder of modern conservatism Edmund Burke, we believe we have a duty to protect our natural inheritance for future generations. This sentiment has been echoed and applied to modern environmental issues by conservative thinkers and leaders over successive generations, from Sir Roger Scruton, to Margaret Thatcher.
OUR FUNDING
​We believe in financial transparency and have committed to annually publishing a breakdown of our sources of income and significant funders.
In the last financial year, CEN’s income came from three main sources:
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Grants from foundations (75% of our income), including the European Climate Foundation, Energy Transition Fund, Pooled Fund on International Energy, Gower Street, Samworth Foundation, and Clean Air Fund.
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Sponsorship from businesses and charities (20% of our income), including Beverage Services Ltd, Octopus Energy, Smart Energy GB, SSE, Chester Zoo, Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust, RSPB, WWF-UK, Tearfund, Water UK Ltd, Renewables UK, Stonehaven, RWE Renewables Ltd, Orsted, ABI, Southern Water, Uplift, Cycling UK, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Nesta, RWE, Asthma & Lung UK, National Trust, Wellcome Trust, and WPI Strategy.
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Donations from individuals (5% of our income).
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We are very grateful to all those who have supported CEN financially and made our work possible.