#VoteForRivers: What have manifestos got to say about rivers?

Labour’s Countryside Protection Plan includes commitments to create nine National River Walks, publish a Land Use Framework, and end exemptions for bee-killing pesticides. These are positive commitments; a Land Use Framework will help maximise outcomes for the environment, society, and economy, while National River Walks recognise the vital role rivers play in our national natural heritage. However, there is a lack of detail about Labour’s plans to accelerate action towards restored rivers and our 30x30 targets.

Labour’s manifesto goes into quite some detail on plans for the water industry, including putting failing water companies under special measures, giving regulators more powers to block bonuses and pursue criminal convictions, and establishing automatic fines for illegal spills. Recognising high levels of public concern about sewage pollution, these plans show that Labour is putting this issue front-and-centre. However, these commitments to tougher regulation and monitoring must be supported by increased funding for our cash-strapped regulators.

The Rivers Trust is glad to see that Labour is committed to making nutrient neutrality rules work for development as well as nature and will retain these vital environmental protections. Unfortunately, the manifesto does not tackle other sources of pollution, such as agricultural and road run-off, which are causing havoc for our waterways.

Labour’s manifesto backs existing Environmental Land Management schemes but sets out a commitment to re-jig them to work better for farmers and nature. The Rivers Trust is glad to see Labour supporting these schemes as resilient farming and nature recovery go hand-in-hand. However, the manifesto leaves many questions hanging about how exactly Labour intends to change these schemes.

The Conservatives intend to deliver existing policies set out in the Environment Act 2021, the Plan for Water, and international 30x30 and biodiversity targets. While this is an important commitment, additional action is needed to accelerate nature recovery, so it is positive to see plans for a river recovery network. The Rivers Trust is concerned by manifesto commitments to reforming the Environment Agency and Natural England; review processes can be costly and time-consuming, and now is the time to be ramping up urgent and widespread action for nature.

The Rivers Trust welcomes Conservative commitments to working with regulators to hold water companies to account and reform the water company business planning process to encourage catchment and nature-based solutions. The Rivers Trust is clear that a catchment-based approach is the effective way to improve the health of our waterways. However, we would have liked to see the Conservatives commit more funding for catchment partnerships if they plan to rely on these groups.

The Rivers Trust is concerned to see that the Conservatives intend to scrap nutrient neutrality rules following widespread outcry against this move last year. These vital environmental laws protect our most sensitive natural sites from additional pollution. The Rivers Trust continues to urge political leaders not to undermine these protections.

The Conservatives’ manifesto does commit to increasing the budget for farming, although it is unclear whether this public funding would be ringfenced for environmental schemes. The Rivers Trust strongly supports increased support for nature-friendly farming, but we would be concerned by any regression to EU-style farming incentives that encourage intensified production. The Conservative plan for a legally binding food security target must take account of climate resilience and nature recovery.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto sets out their many commitments for nature recovery and puts nature-based solutions at the heart of their plans. Publishing a Land and Sea Use Framework, boosting the Protected Area Network and creating a blue flag system and blue corridor programme for rivers; these Liberal Democrat commitments would help them deliver a new target to double nature by 2050. The Rivers Trust welcomes this nature-positive manifesto, although we are disappointed that catchment planning did not get a mention.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto includes plans to significantly reform the water industry, although some commitments are somewhat contradictory. Liberal Democrats aim to transform water companies into public benefit companies, establish a Sewage Tax on profits, and replace the current financial regulator, Ofwat. While The Rivers Trust agrees that regulation of the water industry, and other polluting industries such as agriculture, has failed our rivers and needs review and reform, we are also clear that this potentially lengthy and expensive process must not be to the detriment of rapid action to improve the state of our rivers.

The Rivers Trust is glad to see the Liberal Democrat commitment to increasing funding for the Environment Agency and Natural England, and strengthening the role of the Office for Environmental Protection. These environmental agencies play a vital role in holding polluters to account and protecting our natural environment; proper resourcing will enable fair and effective regulation of all kinds of harm including sewage, agricultural, and chemical pollution.

The Liberal Democrats commit to increasing funding and improving advice for farmers entering Environmental Land Management Schemes. The Rivers Trust is also glad to see a commitment to encouraging pesticide reductions on farms. Nature-friendly farming is the way forward, and farmers must be supported to provide environmental benefits we can all enjoy, while still taking urgent action to reduce agricultural pollution.

The Green manifesto commits to accelerating efforts to achieve national and international 30x30 targets, by mainstreaming nature-based solutions, restoring rivers and other habitats, encouraging nature in urban areas and funding landowners to return land to nature. Additionally, the Greens intend to pass a new Rights of Nature Act which would give legal personhood to nature. The Rivers Trust welcomes this high level of ambition on nature recovery, especially recognising the importance of nature-based solutions in delivering environmental and societal benefits.

Green plans to bring water companies back into public ownership would be a major shake-up to the current system. While there is urgent work to be done to reform governance and enforcement of the industry, The Rivers Trust does not view nationalisation as the straightforward solution, as this will place a significant financial burden on the public purse and will not necessarily result in better performance. The Rivers Trust welcomes the Green commitment to ensuring that water abstraction respects natural boundaries.

The Rivers Trust welcomes Green commitments to increase funding for Defra and environmental regulators, the Environment Agency and Natural England. This is a positive step that would enable more effective regulation of all sources of pollution, tackling the full range of issues facing our rivers.

The Green manifesto sets out a wide range of commitments to boost nature-friendly farming and reduce agricultural impacts on our rivers. Plans to almost triple support for nature-friendly farming, phase out the most harmful pesticides, and establish a soil health monitoring programme for England, will drive much-needed improvements to land management.

Reform UK’s contract commits to scrapping Net Zero, stating that tree planting, recycling, and reducing single-use plastic can deliver environmental protection instead. The Rivers Trust is highly concerned by attempts to roll-back on Net Zero ambition, as the UK is already feeling the effects of the climate crisis through a mix of droughts and wildfires and widespread flooding. It is vital that we strengthen climate mitigation and adaptation efforts to protect our environment, our communities, and our businesses.

Reform UK does not address the health of our rivers or the water industry. However, their headline commitment to cut Government department spending by £5 in every £100 would leave Defra, the Environment Agency, and Natural England with reduced resources for regulating all polluting industries. The Rivers Trust is clear that we need to see urgent action to restore the health of our waterways; cutting regulator funding will prevent us from properly holding polluters to account.

Reform UK’s commitment to scrapping EU Regulations including those on the environment threatens to undermine vital protections for our most precious nature sites. As widely discussed during the passage of the Retained EU Law Act, any changes to existing regulations must be carried out carefully, via the proper democratic process, and ensuring no environmental regression.

Reform UK’s contract sets out plans to replace climate-related incentives for farmers with direct payments. The Rivers Trust does not support the return to EU-style payments that encourage intensified farming and urges political leaders to recognise the importance of nature for resilient farm businesses. Additionally, Reform UK’s intention to stop Natural England taking action that damages farmers is concerning, as this undermines the polluter pays principle and will result in farming pollution causing further damage to our beloved rivers.