A WILDLIFE charity is calling on MPs throughout the county to oppose the Retained EU Law Bill which threatens hundreds of environmental protections.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is concerned that the loss of key legislation could see more sewage and pollution harming rivers and affecting human health, and increased use of pesticides at a time when agriculture needs to reduce the dependence on dangerous chemicals.
Special Areas of Conservation including the rare chalk grasslands of Salisbury Plain and ancient woodlands would be more at risk of development and vulnerable wild animals – bats, otters, and great crested newts could be affected.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust CEO, Gary Mantle said: “This bill is an attack on nature. It could destroy laws that protect our most precious wild places and the species that depend on them. It would be appalling if a developer could apply to build on protected ancient woodland or rare chalk grassland habitat – and horrific if it was ok to shoot otters, a species that was nearly extinct in the UK so recently.
“It’s also an attack on people – which is why it’s opposed by the Institute of Directors and Trades Union Congress, among many others, due to concerns for people’s health, safety, and welfare. No matter what verbal assurances we receive from the government, this Bill would give ministers sweeping powers to water down or revoke laws."
He added: “The bill would allow ministers to decide whether to scrap or save legislation behind closed doors, with no scrutiny from Parliament. We are urging our MPs to defend wildlife this Christmas and oppose this Bill now – before it’s too late. We are also asking our members, supporters and the wider public to add their voices to ours and defend nature by contacting their MPs and local councillors.”
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Salisbury MP John Glen said: “I know a lot of people have concerns that the removal of redundant EU law from the statute book means that the positive standards prescribed therein are being abandoned.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Huge amounts of innovative UK legislation are replacing or have already replaced them with equivalent or better protections of our own.
“On the environmental, the government has already acted to significantly increase safeguards, including passing 2021’s Environment Act setting out ambitious targets on clean air, clean water, waste, sustainability, biodiversity and also a steep change in tree planting, and measures to create a better marine environment. That act improves on and supersedes the laws being lost.”
For more, go to wildlifetrusts.org
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