The amount of land in England that is “effectively protected” for nature has dropped to just 2.93%, despite government pledges to conserve 30% by 2030, new data reveals.
Campaigners are urging for an urgent “rescue package” for UK nature.
The 30×30 commitment, aimed at protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, was announced in 2020 by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
However, the latest report by Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) shows that only 2.93% of England’s land and 9.92% of its seas meet the criteria for effective nature protection. This marks a decrease from 3.11% of land and 8% of sea last year.
To qualify as protected, land must have clear boundaries and regulations that prevent harm to wildlife and degradation of natural resources.
The decline in land protection is attributed to deteriorating conditions in Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), which are impacted by the climate crisis, water pollution, and overgrazing.
Although national parks are supposed to preserve natural areas, studies indicate that nature within these parks often fares no better than outside them. This is because only designated nature sites, like SSSIs within parks, count as protected; national parks themselves are more focused on recreation and landscape preservation than on biodiversity.
There has been slight progress in protecting England’s marine environments due to new restrictions on harmful fishing practices. In March 2024, the government introduced bylaws prohibiting bottom-towed fishing gear in some marine protected areas (MPAs).
However, conservationists are urging the government to take stronger action by the end of 2024, including publishing bylaws to ban destructive fishing across all MPAs.
Experts are calling on the government to improve the management of protected nature sites and ensure that effective safeguards are in place to prevent further loss of biodiversity.
Katie-jo Luxton, the global conservation director of the RSPB, said: “We welcomed the commitment to protect 30% of our land for nature, but years have passed since this was made and we’re just not seeing the urgent action that is needed for nature recovery. Meanwhile, more species are being added to the red list of conservation concern, and this will only carry on if the conditions in our protected nature sites aren’t improved. We also need to see more places, from seabird-foraging areas to our ancient woodlands and upland peat bogs given protected status so they can revive threatened species such as puffin, curlew and willow tit.”
Richard Benwell, the CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, added: “The new government is going to need to take giant strides in the next six years to meet internationally agreed 2030 nature targets. As delegates arrive in Colombia for crucial nature talks, the UK has a major opportunity to show global environmental leadership. This must be backed up by action at home. As we approach the five-year countdown to the deadline to restore nature, we’re calling for a rapid rescue package for UK nature.”
A Defra spokesperson said: “Progress to restore nature has been too slow. Britain is currently one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, yet it underpins everything – the economy, food, health and society. It’s why this government has wasted no time in announcing a rapid review to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including how we can accelerate progress to hitting our international commitments of protecting 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030.”
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