Tony Juniper CBE Reappointed Natural England Chair

Environment Secretary George Eustice has confirmed Tony Juniper CBE has been reappointed as Chair of Natural England for a second term.

Tony Juniper’s second term will be for three years and will run from 23 April 2022 to 22 April 2025.

Mr Juniper is a CIEEM Patron, the former Director of Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and a well-known environmentalist, campaigner and writer. He has had spells working for a local Wildlife Trust and Birdlife International and retains a strong interest in supporting the work of environmental NGOs. He is a Special Adviser to the Prince of Wales Charities’ International Sustainability Unit, having previously worked as a Special Advisor with the Prince’s Rainforests Project. He is currently chair of Natural England, teaches in the Cambridge University programme for Sustainability Leadership, advises businesses on sustainability issues, and works as an environmental adviser on projects that interest him.

Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, said:

I am honoured to be reappointed as Chair of Natural England. Our vital role in defending and enhancing our nation’s natural environment has never been more important.

Since I came to lead Natural England in 2019 we have made significant progress in restoring energy and direction to the organisation, created a clearer strategic plan and mission and secured a major increase in resources to implement it. We have made strides toward realising England’s ambition to create a Nature Recovery Network, supported the landmark Environment Act, declared new National Nature Reserves, helped the public connect with nature, advised government on nature-based solutions to climate change and how best to join up new farming policy with nature recovery, among many other things.

Looking to the future and there is a lot to do, and in this second term my focus will be even more firmly on the delivery of the Government’s ambitious goals for Nature recovery, including implementing biodiversity net gain, delivering programmes for key habitats, such as peatlands, gearing up species recovery programmes, initiating more landscape-scale nature projects, supporting government to deliver nature-based solutions to combat climate change and implementing new land management schemes, and harnessing all of that to establish the Nature Recovery Network which is so vital for overall success…

We congratulate Tony on his appointment and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Natural England in 2022!