Press release

“Nature is the national wealth service”: Natural England Chair calls for new approach in major report

Chair of Natural England Tony Juniper says benefits provided by nature make it vital to national prosperity

From:
Natural England
Published
9 October 2024

The River Lune on a sunny day

  • Natural England’s State of Natural Capital Report highlights vital link between nature and our health, wealth and security

  • Report points the way for decision makers to ensure nature and economic growth can work hand-in-hand

A new approach is needed if we are to save nature that is the stark warning to be issued today (Wednesday 9 October) by the Chair of Natural England Tony Juniper, as he launches a major new report on the state of our natural world.

The State of Natural Capital Report, published by Natural England, will provide a unique insight into the vital role that healthy nature plays in underpinning our economic health. 

The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the state of our ecosystem assets, such as wetlands and forests, and the important role they play in sustaining us and the risks to society and the economy if the status quo is maintained.

The report makes clear the significant place nature has on the balance sheet with changes being felt in the economy now due to nature depletion, and the consequences already being seen in the reduction in access to nature. For example, pollination represents around £500 million of benefits in the agricultural industry with a decline in insect life threatening food supply. Elsewhere, the degradation of soils globally is causing carbon emissions to rise - equivalent to 36% of the annual global carbon emissions from fossil fuels - while more frequent extreme weather events are causing significant economic damage.

The report comes alongside a new risk register, which investigates the threats nature faces, and how they could impact on a range of policy areas, such as the push for net zero, climate adaptation, food security, water security and health, and setting out the actions that need to be taken to address these risks to nature and the benefits it provides.

Speaking at an event to launch the report, Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, will say:  

“Nature isn’t different from growth – it’s at the heart of it, you cannot grow the economy if we don’t grow nature. According to recent estimates the current value of the UK’s natural wealth was just over £1.5 trillion.

“Nature is our national wealth service: our natural assets provide a steady stream of essential goods and benefits on which our economy and our population rely. 

“It gives us life’s essentials of fresh water, air and food, it provides places to relax, resources to build with and mitigation of our impact on the planet.”

On the state of nature and the case for change, Tony will go onto to say:

“If we look after Nature, Nature will look after us; but the truth is we haven’t been. Nature is in critical decline. Ninety percent of the UK’s wetlands have been lost in the modern era and over 97% of lowland semi-natural grasslands in the last century, taking with them countless birds, butterflies and bumblebees. Nature is being wiped off the face of our supposedly green and pleasant land, but we continue to act is of we are oblivious to the warning signs from a planet that is struggling badly.

“For years now we have taken more from Nature than it can supply sustainably. We are in effect running down our assets as we strip away nature’s ability to provide clean water and carbon storage by degrading soils, which increases water pollution and sends harmful emissions into the atmosphere, affecting human health and adding to consumer bills – be it your weekly shop or household bills.

“It’s time we treasured this national wealth service as much as we do the National Health Service. We must move beyond just seeing the health of our economy and our country in terms of pure GDP, we have to incorporate the health of our natural capital and its ability to sustain our economy into our understanding of the condition of our nation.”

On a different future and how he thinks we should act differently, he will say:

“Nature provides huge social benefits. Green spaces provide £25.6 billion of ‘welfare value’ every year and a range of studies have found that the presence of green spaces, including parks and trees, improves mental health and can lead to a reduction in crime in urban areas.

“However around 1 in 5 people do not live within 15 minutes of a green space, and they tend to be from more deprived communities. This link between green space, social inequalities and differences in health outcomes remains strong and persistent. This has to change, we to have think differently.”

On a different future and how he thinks we should act differently, he will say:

“What I hope people will understand from this report is that Nature isn’t some rather quaint, distant notion to be inevitably trampled by progress – or to occasionally hold it up. Nature is a dynamic, vigorous, multi-layered force that can provide so many of our essential needs today and into the future, if we take this opportunity to understand it better and treat it with respect.”

“Nature recovery is a long-term investment. This report will offer an important resource for policymakers by making the invisible visible and providing the missing evidence needed, and guide the action needed to achieve sustainable use of our natural assets.“

The State of Natural Capital Report for England 2024 will be published at 10am on Wednesday 9 October. The report is being launched at an event in The Wellcome Collection in London.

ENDS

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Published 9 October 2024