Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) has joined forces with the UK’s leading environmental groups (with more than five million supporters between them) to establish a series of ‘green’ tests against which they intend to judge the three main parties in the lead up to the next General Election.

Although climate change has risen up the political agenda in recent years, SWT maintain the three parties are still showing little appetite for effective action – action that must be taken now if we are to make a difference to the future of this planet.

Despite rising demand from the public and business, the environmental contest between the main parties has so far been characterised by too much spin and too little substance.

Dr Tony Whitbread, Chief Executive, SWT said, ‘The three parties must develop policies commensurate with the scale of the challenge facing us in relation to climate change, the countryside and wildlife. Leading environmental groups welcome the upsurge in interest the political parties are now giving to the environment and we hope that all parties will meet the green standards that we, as conservation organisations, are setting out.

The Green Standard: Tests for environmental leadership

UK action on climate change
Achieve reductions in UK carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of at least 3% year on year, en route to a low-carbon economy based on energy efficiency, renewable sources of energy and decentralised energy.

International action on climate change
Provide international leadership to restrict global temperature rises to 2°C and ensure worldwide emissions are falling by 2015.

Green living
Make it cheaper and easier for individuals to reduce their environmental impact through tax, regulation, information and other powers of government.

Natural environment
Protect and enhance the beauty, accessibility and wildlife of the environment in our countryside, towns and seas through incentives, regulation, investment and other powers of government.

Planning
Value, support and develop our planning system as a democratic tool for protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment of our countryside and towns.

Environmental tax and subsidies
Green the tax system by increasing the amount of revenue from taxes that reduce environmental damage, and eliminate environmentally perverse subsidies.

The nine environmental groups behind the initiative, including The Wildlife Trusts, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, will publish regular assessments of the main political parties environmental performance in the run-up to the next General Election. The first will be published in September this year, ahead of the party conferences and the final assessment will be published prior to the next General Election.

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Editor’s note:

The nine organisations spearheading this green initiative are:
RSPB/Friends of the Earth/The Woodland Trust/WWF/The Wildlife Trusts/The National Trust/Green Alliance/The Campaign to Protect Rural England and Greenpeace.