Huge UK public support for direct action to protect the environment and nature

In recent weeks, the UK Government has launched a blatant, unprecedented and full-scale attack on the environment and nature leaving wildlife unprotected by tearing up some of the most fundamental laws that we have, thereby failing to recognise or act on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

 

SS15 wildlife watching: Stop the attack on nature!

 

SS15 wildlife watching: Environmental destruction is part of the new Prime Minister’s plan

 

SS15 wildlife watching: Direct action not ruled out by conservation groups over UK Government environment policies

A recent opinion poll shows that a large majority of the UK public supports non-violent direct action to protect the environment and nature.

The poll indicates the widespread unpopularity of a recent swathe of UK Government policies with 68% of people said they most trusted the Labour Party to protect and improve the environment with just 32% backing the Conservative Party.

The Public Order Bill currently passing through Parliament aims to introduce stiff penalties for protests, such as those by Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion and other campaigning groups described as “Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati” by the appallingly incompetent and obnoxious Home Secretary and right-wing head banger, Suella Braverman.

The right to non-violent protest is fundamental to any democracy and this proposed legislation is an attack on that right. Furthermore, new laws are not necessary since any civil disorder or criminal activity can be and should be dealt with by the Police under existing powers.

This recent opinion poll demonstrates, yet again, how out of touch the UK Government is with public opinion.

In the poll, 66% of people supported taking non-violent direct action to protect the UK’s nature with 34% opposed. Support for such action dropped to 44% among Conservative Party supporters.

The Guardian - Huge UK public support for direct action to protect environment

Another poll this month showed that 81% of the public said they believed nature was under threat and that more needed to be done urgently to protect and restore it and 48% of the respondents said they were willing to take action themselves to reverse the damage.

SS15 wildlife watching: Most UK adults think nature is in urgent need of protection

So .... anyone who is part of the “anti-growth coalition”, the “Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati” or who just cares about the environment and nature and the worsening climate emergency and biodiversity crisis should be out on the streets on 26th November 2022.

SS15 wildlife watching: Peoples Walk for Wildlife 2.0 update

SS15 wildlife watching: I am proud to be a member of the “anti-growth coalition”

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

There is no credible pathway to 1.5°C in place

There is “no credible pathway to 1.5°C in place”, the UN’s Environment Agency has said and the failure to reduce carbon emissions means the only way to limit the worst impacts of the climate crisis is a “rapid transformation of societies”.

The UN’s Emissions Gap Report analysed the gap between the CO2 cuts pledged by countries and the cuts needed to limit any rise in global temperature to 1.5°C, the internationally agreed target. Progress has been “woefully inadequate” it concluded.

Current pledges for action by 2030, if delivered in full, would mean a rise in global heating of about 2.5°C and catastrophic extreme weather around the world. A rise of 1°C to date has caused climate disasters in locations from Pakistan to Puerto Rico.

If the long-term pledges by countries to hit net zero emissions by 2050 were delivered, global temperature would rise by 1.8°C. But the glacial pace of action means meeting even this temperature limit was not credible the UN report said.

Countries agreed at the COP26 climate summit a year ago to increase their pledges. But with COP27 looming, only a couple of dozen have done so and the new pledges would shave just 1% off emissions in 2030. Global emissions must fall by almost 50% by that date to keep the 1.5°C target alive.

The Guardian - Climate crisis: UN finds ‘no credible pathway to 1.5C in place’

So .... how seriously is the new UK Government and new UK Prime Minister taking the climate emergency and the dire consequences for the planet and humanity?

In 48 hours as PM, Rishi Sunak has:

❌ Pulled out of attending Cop27 in Egypt
❌ Removed Cop president Alok Sharma from Cabinet
❌ Removed climate minister Graham Stuart from Cabinet

— John Stevens (@johnestevens) October 27, 2022

No global leadership whatsoever as the country currently holding the COP presidency.

Despite the Conservative Party continually claiming to prioritise climate change, the environment, nature and wildlife, the new Prime Minister apparently has “other pressing domestic commitments”.

The Guardian - Rishi Sunak will not attend COP27 climate summit

The Guardian - Global anger at Sunak’s Cop27 snub that raises fears over UK’s climate crisis stance

Utterly pathetic!

We want and need a General Election .... now!

We need a Government that is prepared to acknowledge all the serious issues facing our nation and the rest of the world and that is prepared to take the decisive step-change actions that are so urgently required.

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Attack on nature: the story so far

In recent weeks, the UK Government has launched a blatant, unprecedented and full-scale attack on the environment and nature leaving wildlife unprotected by tearing up some of the most fundamental laws that we have, thereby failing to recognise or act on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

SS15 wildlife watching: Stop the attack on nature!

SS15 wildlife watching: Environmental destruction is part of the new Prime Minister’s plan

SS15 wildlife watching: Direct action not ruled out by conservation groups over UK Government environment policies

Here is an excellent article from the RSPB explaining the story so far.

RSPB - Attack on nature: the story so far

With yet another new Government, new Prime Minister and new Secretary of State at DEFRA, we will all be closely following whether anything changes.

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Record from my flat - Cormorant

Cormorant is a species that I have occasionally seen from my flat.

This morning at 9.05 a.m., I had my first sighting of a Cormorant for many months with a single bird flying strongly in an easterly direction, possibly to join others of its species on the main lake in Gloucester Park nearby.

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Record from my flat - woodpeckers (both of them)

I often hear both calling Great Spotted Woodpeckers and calling Green Woodpeckers from my flat.

This morning at 8.35 a.m., there was brief duet with both species calling from the woodland behind the houses opposite where I live.

Photo: Great Spotted Woodpecker at EWT Warley Place, Brentwood, Essex

Photo: Green Woodpecker at St. Nicholas Church, Laindon, Essex

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Just the kind of words that you would expect

In recent weeks, the UK Government has launched a blatant, unprecedented and full-scale attack on the environment and nature leaving wildlife unprotected by tearing up some of the most fundamental laws that we have, thereby failing to recognise or act on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

SS15 wildlife watching: Stop the attack on nature!

SS15 wildlife watching: Environmental destruction is part of the new Prime Minister’s plan

SS15 wildlife watching: Direct action not ruled out by conservation groups over UK Government environment policies

We immediately had the ridiculous claims from the Conservative Party that anyone opposing the UK Government is part of an “anti-growth coalition” or is campaigning as part of a “marketing strategy” ....

SS15 wildlife watching: I am proud to be a member of the “anti-growth coalition”

SS15 wildlife watching: Tory MPs dismiss critical RSPB campaign as “marketing strategy”

Now we have the outright insults, always a sure sign that the argument has been lost ....

Just the kind of words you’d expect from a backbench Conservative peer… https://t.co/2dVeVBm9yJ

— Iolo Williams (@IoloWilliams2) October 26, 2022

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Trip away from SS15 - RSPB Rye Meads, Hertfordshire

On 14^th April 2022, I visited RSPB Rye Meads in Hertfordshire, my first since April 2014 …. see here.

It is a site that is relatively easy for me to visit by public transport: bus to Billericay, train to London Liverpool Street followed by another train to Rye House and then a short walk to the reserve entrance.

 

An Abellio Greater Anglia ticket sale which offered me a day return from Billericay to Rye House for a mere £10 prompted another visit today.

 

Rye Meads is a 58.5 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) located in Rye House near Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire. It is one of series of wetlands and reservoirs situated along the River Lea to the north east of London. It is part of the Lea Valley RAMSAR site (a group of internationally important wetland sites) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).

 

Rye Meads is divided into several areas. North of Rye Road is the Rye Meads nature reserve: the western half of this nature reserve, next to the River Lea in the Lee Valley Regional Park, is managed by the RSPB and the eastern half is managed by the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. It also includes a meadow and lagoons owned by Thames Water south of Rye Road which is not open to the public.

 

I visited the RSPB Rye Meads reserve which includes a visitor centre, trails and a number of hides. The seasonal flooding of a large ancient flood meadow combined with the rich soils has resulted in a mosaic of habitats, consisting of reedbeds, marshy grasslands and fen vegetation plus a number of small lakes and a scrape.

 

My short walk from Rye House station to the reserve entrance produced 2 unseen singing male Chiffchaffs (after also hearing one close to home yesterday …. see here) and a Common Buzzard perched on a fence.

 

After the “meet and greet” in the visitor centre, I went outside to begin my walk around the reserve. An RSPB volunteer immediately asked me if I was just interested in birds. I replied that I was interested in all nature and wildlife so she introduced me to the Dog Vomit Slime Mould, something that I can safely say I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of! .... slime moulds

 

The rest of my visit to RSPB Rye Meads was no less interesting or enjoyable.

 

I spent a lot of time in the first hide, Draper Hide, where I eventually located the Water Pipit which had been present for a few days. This was my first record of this species this year, taking my 2022 year list to a total of 202 species. The bird was very distant but I did manage to at least get a heavily cropped record shot.

 

Photo: Water Pipit

RSPB Rye Meads is well known for its resident and breeding Kingfishers which can be easy to see and photograph with a bit of patience.

 

Draper Hide provided extended views of a single male Kingfisher, both perched, fishing and actively flying around the lagoon. Initially, the views were distant but eventually the bird was more obliging and sat on a carefully placed branch for several minutes.

 

Photo: male Kingfisher

Photo: male Kingfisher

Photo: male Kingfisher

Draper Hide also provided excellent views of at least 5 Green Sandpipers. Some of these birds were ringed and a RSPB volunteer in the hide told us that they had been ringed at RSPB Rye Meads either last autumn/winter or the one before that.

 

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpiper

Photo: Green Sandpipers

Other notable records during my visit across the reserve included the following: Wigeon (1 male), Teal (c.50), Shoveler (c.50), Gadwall (c.50), Mallard (c.20), Mute Swan (21), Little Grebe (4), Coot (c.50), Moorhen (c.10), Grey Heron (1), Lapwing (c.100), Common Redshank (1), Cormorant (3), Black-headed Gull (c.150), Common Gull (2), Great Black-backed Gull (1), Chiffchaff (another singing male), Cetti’s Warbler (at least 3 singing males), Grey Wagtail (1), Pied Wagtail (c.5), Meadow Pipit (c.5)

Here are some other photos from my visit ….

Photo: Grey Heron

Photo: Grey Heron

Photo: Mute Swan

Photo: Little Grebe

Photo: Moorhen

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature