Statement from Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive, in response to the government’s 30by30 land delivery plan to reverse nature’s decline

“This is a delivery plan in name only. With only a few years to go until 2030, this document does not clearly show how the target to protect and improve 30% of land and water will be delivered. It sets out the current situation clearly but, with only 7% of our land currently meeting the required standard, we need to see an ambitious pathway clearly set out to achieve the target in a very short space of time. The plan also only details a small amount of funding to achieve the target, and relies far too much on voluntary participation rather than statutory drive. 

“Perhaps most concerning from a rivers perspective is how absent water has so far been from any government narrative about 30by30. They say that 40% of English waters are already protected, but those protections are still leaving 85% of river stretches failing ecological standards. It is not enough to simply put a badge of protection on water or land and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Our climate is changing fast and we need land and water systems fit for the future so that communities, landscapes, and the economy can cope.” Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive The Rivers Trust