1 month ago
4
Britons are known worldwide for our love of gardening and the natural world. As Conservatives, we have always put our ‘green and pleasant land’ first.
From unlocking new funding for farmers to boost British nature, to stopping foreign vessels from decimating the sandeel populations that feed British birds, our party has gone a long way to protect the environment.
Perhaps the crown jewel of our environmental achievements are the marine protected areas we created in the waters around our overseas territories, stretching across the world.
This Blue Belt programme has protected 4.4 million square kilometres of ocean, safeguarding precious birds, fish, whales, penguins and the habitats they live in.
We have granted these creatures and their homes the protection from exploitation by countries like China, whose fishing fleets would plunder our precious natural resources.
Labour doesn’t understand our nation’s love of nature. Their manifestos are hollow on meaningful conservation efforts.
Restoring nature is not about listing the precious habitats that are under threat; it is about putting plans in place to do something about the threat.
This worry has been cemented by the government’s decision to abandon the Chagos Islands and their 640,000 square kilometres marine protected area, which protects pristine and unique habitats in an area of ocean the size of France.
The Chagos Islands' military significance is already plain to see, and the impact this decision will have on Chagossians who live in the UK is simply cruel. When combined with the environmental risks, how can the Foreign Secretary credibly stand by this decision?
Mauritius does not have the ability - or seemingly the will - to protect the marine protected area when the UK gives up control. And its close relationship with China is a cause for serious concern.
We just need to look around the world to see the damage and destruction the Chinese fishing interests have had on our natural world.
Whether it is in Ecuador, where thousands of octopodes have been left dead on the shore as the result of illegal fishing by Chinese vessels.
Off the coast of Ghana, fishermen’s catches have decreased 40% as Chinese bottom trawlers decimate local fish stocks.
Or around the Korean peninsula, where squid stocks have been depleted by as much as 70% because of overfishing by Chinese boats.
Without British protection, the Chagos islands will be at the mercy of China and their fishing fleet.
Most importantly, the Chagossians, who were unjustly displaced, must be allowed to return to their homeland. They should play a vital role in the conservation and management of the islands, ensuring that this unique ecosystem remains protected for future generations.
The Union Jack must continue to fly there, safeguarding both the people and the environment from exploitation.
English (US) · 