The government has been accused of violating its commitments by failing to implement policies on nature-friendly agriculture, the use of peat and pesticides, the reintroduction of beavers and other lost species, and the protection of rare marine life. There are fears that the ambition to boost Britain’s biodiversity has been lost after the weakening of the prime minister’s power and he must listen to the right wing of the Conservative Party, which considers the green measures too expensive. Johnson’s primary ambition in his speech to the Conservatives last year was to “build a beaver back”, promising that they would soon be released into the English countryside, but the government has not yet given permission for the rodents to be released. Environmentalists expected to receive the green light in early summer this year. Craig Bennett, chief executive of Wildlife Trusts, said: “We are still awaiting approval for the release of the beavers. “It’s one of the many examples of laws that have been promised to us but have not been fulfilled.” Other promising bills that have not appeared include the ban on the use of peat for vegetables, which has been consulted but no legislation has been submitted. This would help stop the destruction of England’s peat bogs, one of the country’s most important coal reserves. The government also promised last year to set up a working group to reintroduce species, which will look at how to bring back animals that have become extinct or almost extinct in England. Although applications for the chair of the task force were closed in February, there have been no further announcements. With regard to renewal, the government has not legislated on the recommendations in the landscape review, such as amending the legislative purpose to ensure that the basic function of protected landscapes should be to promote nature recovery. There were also fears that the government withdrew the pesticides, as promises of an integrated pest management program to be included in the new agricultural subsidies did not materialize. Ministers have also not published, as promised, a national action plan for the sustainable use of pesticides. Dr Lissa Batey, head of marine conservation at Wildlife Trusts, said: “We see a perfect storm of threats to nature from every quarter caused by government inaction, delays and denials. “The government can not continue to delay and jeopardize its goals of halting the decline of nature by 2030, reducing carbon emissions and, ultimately, addressing the greatest threats we face from biodiversity loss and climate change. change. That’s urgent – we live in one of the most depleted countries in the world and we must act quickly, for the sake of us all. “ Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST Caroline Lucas, a Green MP, said: “Boris Johnson has promised again and again on earth when he actually destroys it. Our natural environment is in a state of disrepair and in desperate need of restoration, yet any committed policy – from peat and pesticides to catches and beavers – is shamelessly abolished. “By allowing himself to be held hostage by right-wing climate skeptics behind the Tories, the prime minister is putting his own future above that of the thriving natural environment.” The government has denied that it failed to comply with the promised wildlife laws. One spokesman said: “This is categorically untrue and shows a complete lack of understanding of the ambitious policies we are pursuing to protect and restore our natural environment.” The spokesman said many of the policies would be delivered in the coming years, but did not specify when.
