CIEEM calls for environmental commitments in election manifestos

CIEEM has today written to all of the main political parties to call on them to include in their election manifestos a commitment to maintaining, or better yet enhancing, the protection of the natural environment following the UK leaving the EU.

We have written to representatives of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, UKIP, Sinn Fein, Social Democratic & Labour Party, and Ulster Unionist Party to ask that they commit in their election manifestos to ensuring that environmental legislation and policy is always informed by the best scientific evidence available.

Aware that we are in a period of unprecedented uncertainty and change as a result of the decision to leave the EU, we have asked that the following key points be included in their manifestos:

• A commitment to enhancing, or at least maintaining, protection and standards for the natural environment post-Brexit.
• Environmental powers must be repatriated to the appropriate level within the UK country governance structure, with a consistent framework to allow reporting on the UK’s international obligations.
• Recognise that most environmental issues, from climate change to invasive species, are of international concern and impact, and therefore demand a collaborative response across the UK countries, with our only land border with Ireland, and with Europe and the rest of the world.
• A commitment to establishing independent scrutiny and regulation of adherence to environmental legislation and standards post-Brexit.

We will be analysing all of the manifestos, once published, to see if our call has been included.