Leaders urged to put nature at the heart of economic recovery plans

Nature should be put at the heart of the North of England’s post-lockdown economic recovery plans, according to a leading think tank.

A report published today (1 June) by IPPR North, argues that any plans to aid the region’s post-Covid-19 recovery should focus on building a cleaner, greener future North with the potential to create jobs, improve resilience and ‘level up’ the economy and public health.

According to the report, projects to restore nature, including restoring peatland, planting trees, and creating new green spaces in urban areas, can bring significant economic, social and environmental, benefits.

These include increased flood resilience, improved air quality, and lower net carbon emissions, as well as the mental and physical health benefits of increased access to nature.

The report claims that for too long, leaders have failed to value Northern nature, leaving the region’s natural assets in a poor condition, and undermining its economic and human potential.

They also point to access to nature, an issue that had been catapulted to the fore during the ongoing lockdown, as a key consideration for policymakers.

The report warns that those in deprived areas and BAME groups are significantly less likely to have regular access to nature. IPPR North has challenged Northern leaders and government to make it their priority to change this.

It follows a report last week by the charity Fields in Trust, which warned almost 20,000 football pitches worth of green space could be lost over the next 20 years as the UK’s population increases.

‘Here in the North, we have some of the most incredible landscapes in the world. Nature has defined our history, and shaped our people and our places. Now, it could be the foundation of a greener, fairer and more prosperous North,’ said report author, Jack Hunter.

‘But much of nature in the North – from our peatlands to our parks – is in a very poor state. As recent flooding and moorland fires have shown, the wellbeing of our natural environment underpins people’s health and wellbeing, and the strength of our economy. Now, in the face of a climate emergency, we risk far graver consequences for us all without urgent and ambitious action.

‘We need a determined, pan-regional effort, led by the North’s leaders and backed by government, to invest in nature – as a cornerstone of a successful economy and a healthy population. And that effort must begin today.’

Photo Credit – PublicDomainPictures (Pixabay)