I am delighted to support the Environmental Improvement Plan: the Government’s long-term strategy for restoring the natural environment. Unfortunately, Great Britain is suffering record levels of pollution and species decline. Unlike the previous Government’s efforts, this plan commits to ambitious targets, with clear, concrete steps for achieving them. It contains some great policies on clean air, fly-tipping and net-zero, all issues that I have campaigned on for many years.
I am proud that this Labour Government is taking action to reduce harmful pollutants in the air. As my constituents will know too well, Manchester has some of the poorest air quality in the country. This can be detrimental to our health and wellbeing, with over 1,200 Manchester residents dying per year as a direct result of toxic air.
The Government has set out ambitious targets to reduce air pollution, including reducing exposure to harmful pollutants by 30% compared to 2018 levels. They will deliver on this by ensuring 80% of new cars sold are zero emission by 2030, and 100% by 2035. They will also reduce emissions by promoting sustainable fuel in the aviation and rail sectors. I am particularly glad that the plan recognises that poor air quality disproportionately affects low-income families’ health and will prioritise areas the highest levels of air pollution linked to deprivation. I will continue to campaign on clean air until this inequality is resolved.
The Plan also introduces strict measures to crackdown on fly-tipping. I regularly receive correspondence from my constituents about how fly-tipping impacts our every-day lives. I am glad to support the Government’s plans to reduce the number of illegal waste sites and fly-tipping incidents by 2029/30. To do this, we will introduce a new digital waste tracking service to detect illegal activity and tackle waste crime.
Crucially, the Environmental Improvement Plan prioritises wildlife and our access to nature. Britain’s nature is our greatest resource, and spending time in it does immeasurable good to our health and wellbeing. This is something I am honoured to lead on in Parliament, as the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Parks and Green Spaces.
The Environmental Improvement Plan recognises that access to nature is not spread equally and makes concrete steps to ensure we can all enjoy our natural environment for generations to come, regardless of our background. The plan commits to making sure that everyone has access to green or blue spaces within a 15-minute walk from home, working with local authorities to improve access in urban areas. A huge 250,000 hectares of wildlife rich habitat will be created or restored by 2030, alongside establishing 3 new national forests and 9 new National River Walks! It also provides for vital climate education, and funding to support young people into rewarding careers in conservation and forestry.
As my constituents are aware, the climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Restoring nature is a win-win solution: improving wellbeing in our local areas, protecting wildlife, and combatting the climate crisis by absorbing emissions. I look forward to seeing the benefits the Environmental Improvement Plan brings to Manchester and beyond.
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