At its national conference in Birmingham the Green Party gave its firm commitment to push for the introduction of a Nature and Wellbeing Act. A motion was passed with overwhelming support in response to the calls from the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts.
The Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, chaired a conferenc session entitled "The Laws of Nature - what's the best way to protect bees, badgers and buzzards?' where the Bill was discussed. The panel also looked at the importance of children learning about nature and how schools play an essential role in helping them reconnect with the natural world.
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas was on the panel and expressed her strong support for the Act saying: "The crisis of nature is a crisis for people and our economy too, because the natural environment is the foundation of our life support systems and livelihoods. That's why we need a lot more honesty and a lot more radicalism when it comes to the role of the state in improving the state of nature.
"There's an urgent need to reconnect people - not least our children - with nature and give people a meaningful say over their local environment."
Leading British Environmentalist, Tony Juniper added: "Nature is essential for health, wealth and security and we need clear policies so that all the values that nature provides remain intact.
Writer and scientist Mark Avery said: "We voters need all political parties to take wildlife seriously. I hope the other parties will follow the lead of the Green Party."
Richard Benwell, parliamentary programme manager _with the_ RSPB said: "With 60% of UK species in decline no government will meet its social or economic objectives in the long term unless it acts to bind nature into the areas of life where you don't expect to find it. RSPB is calling on all political parties to introduce a Nature and Wellbeing Act to value, protect and connect people into our natural environment."
The motion passed at conference said:
The Green Party of England and Wales, in response to The Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB, commits to including a promise of a new Nature and Wellbeing Act in our General Election manifesto. We call on all other political parties to do the same.
This bill should include:
A long-term commitment to specific targets for nature's recovery
The establishment of the Natural Capital Committee in law, to scrutinise the environmental impact of new laws, and propose new policies for incorporating the value (not just financial) of nature in decision-making.
An effective mechanism for creating a national ecological network - composed of numerous local ecological networks developed locally and to include the seas within UK jurisdiction, but to a high common standard
A system to encourage the local support for and targeting of action to recover nationally threatened species
An amendment to Section 78 of the Education Act to include care for the natural environment in the curriculum