The Environment secretary, Michael Gove gave a speech at Kew Gardens on Tuesday encouraging urgent action to tackle climate change and reverse wildlife loss. He outlined ambitious proposals for an Environment Act, which would involve the creation of an Office of Environmental Protection.
This new office could take legal action concerning environmental issues. Gove also backed an all-inclusive deposit return scheme welcomed by The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) [Alliance member] which involves slightly increasing drinks prices to allow for the reuse of the bottles. This signals the government’s intent to change.
Mr Gove said, “We are partners in the great chain of evolution with the rest of nature and endowed as we are with reason, we therefore have the responsibility to steward and protect.” The Heritage Alliance has been working with its members to ensure that the historic environment features sufficiently as part of the Bill, which it does not at present. You can read our briefing here.