CEN RESPONDS TO CONSERVATIVE PARTY’S PLEDGE TO SCRAP NATURAL ENGLAND AND THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

Responding to the Conservatives announcement that they would scrap Natural England, CEN’s acting executive director John Flesher said: 

“British nature is in decline and the status quo of regulations and regulators is failing to restore our green and pleasant land. Too often, well intentioned environmental quangos are getting in the way of much needed new infrastructure and the growth it brings. Change is needed, and the Conservative Party has taken the initiative. 

“Environmentalists should not be afraid of change, but we now need more detail on what a future Conservative government would do to protect and restore nature. 

“For inspiration, they should look at CEN’s newly launched report that shows how an approach to nature restoration that relies too much on the heavy hand of the state will not deliver the environmental outcomes we need. The Government risks missing out on a significant amount of private capital for nature restoration if it ignores the potential of private nature markets and allows Natural England to be judge, jury, and executioner for nature restoration efforts.

“Conservatives should not choose between economic growth and nature: we badly need more of both.”