Nature Depleted Britain

In recent years there have been a number of reports highlighting the poor state of nature across the UK, but the UN-approved “Biodiversity Intactness Index” released in 2020 confirmed what ecologists and conservationists have long suspected – the UK comes in appallingly low (218^th position out of 240) when compared to countries and independent territories around the world; we are thus in the lowest 12% of global societies for biodiversity retention.

When measured against internationally approved criteria, the UK has a “Biodiversity Intactness Index” rating of 50%, which means it has retained only half of its biodiversity since pre-modern times. This figure is poor when compared with France who is at 65% and Germany at 67%, but catastrophic when compared to Canada, which is among the best countries for retaining its natural biodiversity, at 89%.

Within the UK, Scotland is currently in the best position, retaining 56% of its biodiversity, but even this score puts it within the lowest few countries on the planet, whilst Wales sits lower at 51% and England lower again at 47%. We have all thus allowed the management of our land to reduce both the number of different species of plant and animals that live alongside us as well as the numbers of each type. Unfortunately, these dire circumstances have been evident for a number of years through citizen science projects run by societies such as the RSPB, BTO, Plantlife and Butterfly Conservation, all of which demonstrate how few birds, plants, moths and butterflies are seen in our gardens and around our countryside these days. As a result, a recent RSPB headline announced “We’ve failed. Nature’s closing down”.

Clearly, there is much to be done to change this dreadful situation and to bring the world back into balance for everyone’s benefit. Action will be required at all levels of our society, with governments taking the lead with revised legislation and enforcement processes, with the building, farming, fishing and shooting industries playing their part through adopting nature-friendly policies and processes to prevent a future of mass extinction. If all these industries made a concerted effort to reintroduce meadows, hedgerows, trees and areas of scrub or wild-flower patches within their land, reduce their use of fertilisers, much of which leaches away and pollutes our water courses, as well as controlling pesticides and herbicides, and introduce nature-friendly features like ponds, hedgehog highways, swift nesting bricks, their actions would complement the larger reforestation and land management projects being planned across our countryside.

In addition, at an individual level, we can all do something to preserve or create new habitats for plants, insects, animals and birds to thrive within; through the choice of products we buy, the way we garden and the activities we undertake as well as the pressure we apply to our MPs and councillors to improve the way we use land within our neighbourhoods.

Let’s hope that we haven’t left it too late to help nature recover; we need improved biodiversity to enable us to survive and to make our environment lovelier to live in.

Other articles