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Link Blog

The Link Blog is a space for members, and others, to express their views about the natural environment.


It includes our year plan and Agriculture Bill series, as well as our Blueprint for Water focused blogs.

If you would like to contribute a blog, please contact Emma Adler.

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UK’s biggest nature charities publish shared Nature Markets Principles to help build high integrity natural capital markets in the UK

Published on: 18 October 2023

The current lack of regulation for natural capital markets has led to concerns that poor quality or low ambition nature schemes could create a ‘wild west’ that allows certain industries or businesses to greenwash, while also missing out on opportunities to maximise benefits for nature and people. That is why Finance Earth, the RSPB, the National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust and Federated Hermes Limited have co-developed a set of voluntary principles for science-based investment to support high integrity natural capital markets in the UK. James Alexander, Chair of Finance Earth, sets out the principles to ensure nature markets truly deliver for nature, climate and people.

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Reusable packaging has huge environmental and financial benefits, so why are businesses lobbying so hard against it?

Published on: 19 September 2023

Catherine Conway is the founder of Unpackaged, in this blog she outlines how the battle over reusable packaging at the EU level shows the challenges we will face in the UK in adopting the legislation needed to create meaningful change.

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UK lawmakers should extend Online Safety Bill protections to endangered wildlife

Published on: 11 September 2023

Dr. Mark Jones of the Born Free Foundation, Dr. Rowan Martin of the World Parrot Trust and Gretchen Peters of the Alliance to Counter Crime Online write on the opportunity to tackle wildlife trafficking through the Online Safety Bill.

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Iceland's Decision to Resume Whaling Raises Ethical and Environmental Concerns

Published on: 8 September 2023

As Iceland declares its intention to lift the suspension on whaling licences, Luke McMillan​​​​, Head of Hunting and Captivity at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, explains why this decision has ignited concerns for the welfare of these magnificent creatures.

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The House of Lords is debating whether leopards and elephants should be ‘harvested’ as hunting trophies

Published on: 8 September 2023

Claire Bass, Senior Director Campaigns and Public Affairs at Humane Society International - UK, writes on the need for the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill to pass its final stages in the House of Lords.

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Nutrient negativity: the Government is planning to weaken legal protection for rivers

Published on: 30 August 2023

The Government is proposing amendments to the Habitats Regulations that would disapply requirements for “nutrient neutrality” in sensitive river catchments.

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Making Biodiversity Net Gain a success

Published on: 23 August 2023

As the final pieces of regulations and guidance are being developed in advance of BNG becoming mandatory for most development in England there are a number of rules that need to be made clear for BNG to be a success - Rebecca Pullinger of the Woodland Trust and Chair of the Land Use Planning Group writes.

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Toxic tides, troubled whales: the toll of chemical pollution

Published on: 22 August 2023

A new report from Whale and Dolphin Conservation has brought together what is known about the harmful effects of chemical pollution on whales, porpoises and dolphins, highlighting the threats and making recommendations for necessary changes needed to combat chemical pollution in our seas.

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Wildlife and Countryside Link publishes its first Bioenergy Position Statement

Published on: 11 August 2023

Bioenergy means many things: turning energy crops into fuels for cars; using manure on farms to generate gas; and burning imported wood pellets in power plants that used to burn coal. In the UK this use of wood for generating electricity is one of the biggest concerns, and is the focus of Link’s new Position Statement. Burning wood for bioenergy - which looks set to continue into the future - harms the climate and nature.

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Adapting to a changing climate – UK public concerned, but is government paying proper attention?

Published on: 17 July 2023

Ahead of the release of the government's third National Adaptation Programme, Paul de Zylva from Friends of the Earth and Kathryn Brown from The Wildlife Trusts ask if it will match rising public concern about how the changing climate is affecting our lives and the environment and set out what Link members would like to see included in the plan.

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