Statement from UK scientists on nature as an election priority

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Researchers have sent a letter to all UK political parties asking them to make the loss of nature at home and overseas an election priority.

Imperial scientists are among the signatories of a letter to all UK political parties asking them to make the loss of nature at home and overseas a priority both in this election and in the years to come.

The letter was signed by over 180 UK scientists with expertise in biodiversity and conservation, including Fellows of the Royal Society and government advisers.

Led by Professor Nathalie Pettorelli of the Institute of Zoology and Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland from the University of Oxford, the letter was sent to the environment leads of all the political parties contesting this election (including those standing in the Devolved Administrations).

The Imperial signatories are:

• Professor Vincent Savolainen, Director of the Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences
• Professor Joseph Tobias, Department of Life Sciences,
• Professor Matthew Fisher, Co-Director of the Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, School of Public Health
• Dr Caroline Howe, Centre for Environmental Policy
• Professor James Rosindell, Department of Life Sciences,
• Professor Guy Woodward, Deputy Head of the Department of Life Sciences

Their policy asks are:

i) Legislate a legally binding requirement on government to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, at home and with respect to our overseas footprint;

ii) Set up a whole-government platform for implementing this biodiversity commitment.

Read more in The Conversation.