The National Trust pledges its support for the Climate and Nature Bill

On Saturday at the National Trust’s AGM Europe’s largest conservation charity voted to endorse the Climate and Nature Bill. The National Trust now joins the growing coalition of organisations, scientists, faith leaders, MPs and Peers backing the CAN Bill. 

This was made possible thanks to CAN Bill supporters like you, voting in support of the motion at the National Trust AGM. The motion passed with 80% of the vote in favour of supporting the Bill. Huge thanks! Read Jamie Russell’s speech below.

“Thank you for inviting me to address the AGM and thank you to the Board for supporting this member’s motion on the Climate and Nature Bill. My name is Jamie Russell and I’m a children’s author from Shrewsbury. 

My daughters grew up exploring the woods and mansion at Attingham Park and climbing through the stunning landscape of the Shropshire Hills. As a proud and longstanding National Trust member, I know what an amazing job the Trust does protecting our environment and our heritage.”

“But it also needs to protect our future… 

The motion we have put forward asks the Trust to support the Climate and Nature Bill that is currently in Parliament. This cross-party legislation is being led by Dr Roz Savage MP, a Liberal Democrat with co-sponsors from Labour, the Conservatives, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SNP, and others. It will have its Second Reading – and a crucial vote – on 24 January.”

“Written by scientists, the Climate & Nature Bill will ensure that the UK’s internationally agreed pledges on climate and nature are made legally binding—as part of delivering an integrated, whole of-government plan to tackle the climate and nature crises, together. The key targets are: 

1) for the UK to stay within its fair share of the global carbon budget for 1.5 degrees 

2) to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. 

Our existing laws fall far short of these two vital targets; and the CAN Bill is the only proposed legislation that is in Parliament that will ensure we achieve them.”

“This resolution encourages the Trust to join around a thousand other organisations already supporting this landmark Bill. This includes The National Federation of Women’s Institutes, CPRE, Friends of the Earth, Ecotricity, WWT, The Co-operative Bank, Greenpeace, the Doctor’s Association UK, Oxfam, the National Education Union and many others.

A few weeks ago, over twelve hundred leading UK scientists – including 5 Nobel Laureates – wrote to MPs asking them to back the CAN Bill. They warned that the crisis is now so acute that humanity faces an existential threat and possibility of ‘irreversible’ environmental changes.”

“In proposing this motion we are calling on the National Trust to join, support,&amplify the nationwide campaign for the CAN Bill

The Trust’s director-general put it better than I can when she said quote ‘We need to accelerate efforts to tackle the nature and climate crisis. We can no longer fiddle around the edges. It’s not too late to act. But we need to do it now.”

“I do hope members will support this resolution to back this vital legislation and ensure that the National Trust protects our futures as well as our past.  Thank you.”

Take action and show your support – https://action.zerohour.uk/