# Defend Nature The UK Government is seriously threatening nature. Find out more about these threats and how you can take action. © Yellow hammer dead at the side of the road ©Shutterstock No Nature. No Future. Nature faces a deepening crisis and its recovery is fundamental to tackling climate change and improving people’s lives. A healthy and safe natural world brings huge benefits to people, as well as to wildlife. We need widespread movement across our glorious county to drive change at the pace and scale now necessary, spearheaded by our elected representatives with communities taking action in ways that are peaceful, practical and positive – and the time to act is now. Join us in calling on all political parties to halt and reverse the trend – and show that more people care about the state of their natural environment than ever before. © Rod-Egglestone_Honey-Garden-Bees-on-Yellow-Tree-Peony_April-2024How you can help: step-by-step These are serious and potentially catastrophic decisions which: Disregard the 2019 manifesto that stated a Conservative Government would deliver the most ‘ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth’, and promised to support farmers to restore nature Undermine the UK Government’s legally binding commitment to halt species decline by 2030 in England, set out in the Environment Act less than a year ago. Healthy wildlife and a thriving environment are the answer to many of the challenges we’re trying to tackle today. They are not burdens. Take ActionSpeak up If you are on Twitter, please tweet your MP and include your local Councilors today. Use our simple form to tell them how much nature matters to you, that we’re one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, and ask them what they’re doing to reverse the trend. Tweet your MP© Otter by Amy LewisWhy are The Wildlife Trusts and other environmental charities so concerned? We believe the UK Government has launched a full-scale attack on nature – leaving wildlife unprotected by tearing up some of the most fundamental laws we’ve got. New planning laws and ‘investment zones’ announced by the Government represent a ‘free-for-all’ on nature by weakening the laws previously in place to protect it from bulldozers and concrete. The Retained EU Law Act could also see the end of basic protections, leading to the loss of designated wildlife sites and a relaxation on pollution laws, resulting in more sewage in our rivers and streams. What’s more, the UK Government is also reviewing the new system that has been developed to reward farmers that help to restore the environment. Reports suggest that instead they might revert back to the old system of paying farmers depending on how much land they own (with larger landowners receiving more subsidy). This is a complete about turn on the farming reform the Conservative Party promised to deliver in their election manifesto in 2019. TAKE ACTIONNeed more info? To find out more from The Wildlife Trusts about these concerns, the list of attacks we’re seeing and find out more about this issue click here. Read more