Ideal Queen's Speech: WWF calls for a strongly environmental legislative programme

The Queen’s Speech, in addition to setting out the Government’s programme for the period remaining before the General Election, could give an insight into what the priorities of the current ruling parties might be for the next five years.

On that score, it sounds as though there will be little for environmental campaigners to get our teeth into, but we hope for more as the parties develop their manifestos.”

Following the abandoned proposal to sell off of England’s forests in 2011, the Government is expected to bring forward a new Forestry Bill. This aims to establish a new public body that will hold land and trees in trust for the nation for generations to come, implementing a key recommendation of the Independent Panel on Forestry.

We need to protect the UK’s woods and forests, but it’s also time for action to prevent the illegal international timber trade, which threatens some of the most wildlife-rich habitats on Earth. The Government should champion a comprehensive review of the EU’s Timber Regulation to close loopholes that currently allow too many unregulated wood products to enter the EU, and to ensure that all European nations implement the measures they have agreed to.”

The Government should also accept the Committee on Climate Change’s latest advice on the fourth carbon budget. This will enable the UK to meet its commitments under the Climate Change Act in a way that is both affordable and beneficial for our economy.

Rather than betting its energy policy on the unproven potential of UK shale gas through its Infrastructure Bill, the Government needs to send a strong signal now that it understands the threat of climate change and the economic benefits that come with being an international leader in developing a low-carbon economy. Accepting the fourth carbon budget would be the best way to do that.”

And there is unfinished business in the water environment. The Water Act 2014 only recently became law, but the largest structural areas of the water industry – the water licence abstraction regime and the household charging system – remain unreformed.

Further legislative action will be needed if we are to prevent the over-exploitation of rivers in England and Wales. Legislation is also needed to put in place a comprehensive water metering system that will be both fair to all customers and value the health of the environment.

Ben Stafford is the WWF-UK Head of Public Affairs