Keir Starmer issued major warning over failings to protect nature

Ministers are failing to adequately protect nature, green groups have warned.They said the UK could miss its 2030 target to restore and safeguard nature by a “country mile” at the current rate of progress.

A report by the Wildlife and Countryside Link found only around 6% of UK land is effectively conserved and managed for nature, which means the country is one-fifth of the way towards the 2030 target with five years left to go.

The Government committed to protecting at least 30% of land and sea for nature by the end of the decade as part of the global biodiversity agreement made at the UN Cop15 Summit in 2015.

This means the UK must restore the environment across a network of well-managed, legally protected areas to help tackle the dual climate and nature crises.

Richard Benwell, WCL's chief executive, said: “The UK risks missing its 30by30 nature target by a country mile.

“Protecting 30% of land and sea isn’t a luxury, it’s vital for wildlife, our health and the economy.

“This snail’s pace progress shows the UK governments have neglected nature for too long.

“There’s still chance to meet the target but only if ministers get moving.”

The report from the WCL, which represents more than 90 environment groups, said the percentage of land in England that has been protected for nature and is in good condition is just 2.83%.

This marks a decline from 2.93% last year, with researchers saying this dip likely reflects new monitoring data after recent surveys of protected areas revealed that fewer are in a favourable condition than previously thought.

Across the other nations of the UK, the report outlined a similar pattern, with just 2.4% of land in good condition in Wales, 4% in Northern Ireland and 12.63% in Scotland.

Progress on improving nature has been stalled by barriers such as failures to designate new protected sites, continued harmful activities, uncertainty in the nature-friendly farming policy, continued underfunding for site restoration and a lack of monitoring, according to the report.

Although 38% of UK waters are designated as marine protected areas (MPAs), the researchers said many remain exposed to damaging activities including bottom trawling, offshore energy development, pollution, dredging and cable laying.

The green groups have called on ministers to deliver a rapid rollout of new designations for protected areas, backed by proper funding, stronger rules to end harmful activities in protected areas and robust monitoring.

The report is published as environmental charities gather in Bristol for the inaugural Wild Summit, a new national conference focused on the measures that need to be taken to drive nature’s recovery.

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “Nature is not a luxury, it’s life itself, and as a proud nation of nature lovers the Government is committed to turning the tide on its decline after years of neglect.

“We will publish our 30by30 Action Plan in due course, outlining the concrete and targeted actions we will take to achieve these targets.”