In a nutshell
The UK is now falling behind the EU on almost every area of environmental regulation after Brexit. While the UK government promised that the UK’s environmental protections would be strengthened after leaving the EU, they have in fact stayed the same or been reduced.
Why does this matter?
The divergence in environmental regulations between the UK and the EU has several implications for nature and citizens’ health in the UK. EU policies concerning sewage pollution, animal habitats, forever chemicals, and emissions from intensive farming are all being tightened in the EU. Meanwhile, these laws are staying the same or being loosened in the UK.
Water in the UK will be dirtier than in the EU, there will be more pesticides in UK soil, and companies in the UK will be allowed to use chemicals that the EU has restricted because they are dangerous.
The weakening of environmental protections also affects UK businesses’ ability to trade, because certain harmful chemicals used in food and other products are now banned by the EU.
What can we do about it?
UK Youth for Nature is fighting against the degradation of environmental protections in the UK. We are working to reduce the amount of chemicals in UK waterways through our ‘Not So Freshwater’ campaign. Our upcoming ‘Your Wild Streets’ campaign aims to combat the use of pesticides and harmful chemicals where we live.
This news is also relevant for the ‘Vote for Nature’ campaign. Shadow Environment Secretary Steve Reed commented recently that the Labour party “certainly won’t” allow the UK to fall below EU standards in future if they were to win the next general election.
Read the original article in The Guardian here.
If you want to join a community of like-minded nature lovers to fight for better legislation, join us! Learn more about how and why here.
