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Comment and Environment

Why the UK government's attack on nature cannot be allowed to succeed

The UK government’s bid to slash environmental protections is an onslaught on nature and the laws that protect it. We are angry, and we are not alone, says RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight

By Beccy Speight

5 October 2022

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Simone Rotella

NATURE is in crisis. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth and almost half our species are in decline. The economy, our food security and our own health are all dependent on a thriving natural environment. Yet in recent weeks, we have seen the UK government launch an unprecedented attack on nature and the laws that protect it.

As part of a bid to do away with EU-derived legislation by the end of 2023, the government appears fixed on amending or scrapping crucial environmental laws. These include the habitats regulations that protect some of the …

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