Green recovery

Early day motion 526, tabled 2 June 2020 by Caroline Lucas (Green). Signed by 16 members.

That this House notes the need for Government action to support economic renewal as covid-19 restrictions are lifted; believes that this recovery must be a green recovery, designed to deliver the urgent objectives of restoring wildlife and the natural environment on land and at sea, averting dangerous climate change, minimising the UK’s global environmental footprint, and reversing inequality; considers that strong environmental laws are necessary for public health and a resilient economy, and to ensure more people benefit from the joys of nature that many have experienced or longed for in lockdown; further notes that green projects create more jobs, deliver higher short-term returns, and lead to increased long-term cost savings according to a recent Oxford study among others; believes that restoring the environment requires close collaboration with civil society organisations; calls on the Government to pursue an green economic recovery strategy that gives top priority to the health and wellbeing of people and nature; and further calls on the Government to avoid all measures that contribute to environmental harm and instead to invest in nature-friendly farming, large-scale green infrastructure projects including habitat restoration and creation, improved and equitable access to high-quality greenspace, a regenerative circular zero-waste economy that reduces resource use and addresses over-consumption, and a decisive shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy alongside nature-based solutions to climate change.

Signatures by party: Labour 4, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Alliance 1, DUP 1, Green 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.