November 2024
If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely aware that our precious rivers are not healthy – in fact, they’re far from it. In this year’s State of Our Rivers Report, we outlined that things have not improved for our rivers since our last report in 2021, with 85% of river stretches falling below good ecological standards. They are currently being affected by pollution, altered from their natural state, and our changing climate is further exacerbating these pressures. With limited regulation and enforcement to tackle these issues or provide solutions, it is no surprise that our rivers are still suffering. Despite the scale of public outcry, we are still facing an uphill battle to hold decision-makers to account. However, we at The Rivers Trust are hopeful that an Environmental Rights Bill, proposed by a coalition of environmental organisations, will bring us one step closer to achieving our vision of healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.
Rivers are the foundation of our landscape and the backbone of a healthy environment and society. They provide us with drinking water and build resilience to the ever-increasing flood and drought events that we’re seeing. They sequester carbon, provide clean water for food production and industry, and are essential in supporting biodiverse ecosystems to thrive. For those of us who are fortunate to live near to rivers, they can also offer us a space of tranquillity and stillness in amongst our busy day-to-day lives. From riverside strolls, watching wildlife or fishing from the banks, or taking to the water as a swimmer or paddler, having access to clean and healthy waterways is key in supporting our wellbeing. In fact, during our Big River Watch survey, 90% of people taking part who thought their river looked healthy felt positive while by their local river, while 87% of those whose river looked unhealthy reported negative feelings such as sadness, disappointment, and frustration. There is an abundance of reasons to advocate for clean and healthy rivers, but we are still a long way off from reaping those benefits.
Despite commitments on the international stage, the UK Government has not brought in national legislation to ensure decision-makers prioritise the right to a healthy environment for both people and nature, nor has the public been given the full set of tools to engage with these decisions to hold them to account. An Environment Rights Bill would enshrine everyone’s right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment at a time where there is a discernible link between access to blue or green spaces and social and health inequalities. An Environmental Rights Bill would give people access to the legal tools to defend the health of water environments and challenge polluters, and would create protections for peaceful environmental defenders, a point that is particularly relevant in the lead up to the March for Clean Water on 3rd November. People need to be able to access information about water environments, participate in decision-making that impacts our rivers, and challenge decisions that may affect river health.
It is we, the public, that have been instrumental in raising the profile of environmental issues such as the unacceptable degradation of our rivers, as well as the health impacts of poor air quality and the accelerating impacts of climate change. Therefore, it is critical that our voices can continue to be heard through more environmentally friendly and health-positive decision-making that would create a domino effect of improvement for England’s blue spaces.
Together with the continual efforts of Rivers Trusts and other community groups across the country, this Bill could reveal itself as the missing piece of the puzzle and will be highly valued not just by the Rivers Trust movement, but by everyone. It is high time that access to a healthy environment becomes a human right, not a privilege. The Rivers Trust looks forward with hope to seeing this Bill being introduced to Parliament and being enshrined in law.
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