Neil Bellingham

Turns out the 20mph limit was great idea! Two years on from the controversial policy, it's becoming increasingly clear that the doubters were wrong

Great piece on the Welsh government’s 20mph policy by @willhaycardiff.bsky.social

“What is great about evidence based policy is that it has a wonderful habit of working”

Inspiration for England as DfT work on the promised road safety strategy.

"Greater love hath no man than this" was written by John Ireland in 1912 and soon gained a special national resonance as casualties from WW1 grew.

It sets text from both St Peter and St Paul so is the perfect anthem for their joint feast day.

#ChoralEvensong #StPeterStPaul

Show Your Stripes Visualising how the climate has changed for every country across the globe

Why #netzero matters.

showyourstripes.info/b/europe/uni...

NEW ANALYSIS: UK's solar power surges 42% to a new record, after the sunniest spring on record

* For the first time, solar was >10% of UK generation in consecutive months (April/May 2025)
* In 2025, solar has already avoided gas imports that would've cost £600m

www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uks...

Wow, look at this: the carbon intensity of UK electricity is currently only 32g/kWh and 86.5% of our electricity right now is coming from renewables.

Come on world, this IS possible!
And it will only get better (meaning: cleaner, healthier, less intrusive) 🎉

(graphic from grid.iamkate.com )

#ChoralEvensong this Sunday is the last chance to hear the glorious tenor voice of Thomas Herford before he leaves the choir after 17 years.

Tom's beautiful singing will be sorely missed, as will his warm and generous friendship to all at St Bride's, especially his #stbrideschoir colleagues.

Fix the Planning Bill NOW! Before the General Election Labour promised to restore nature. Less than a year in, and the new Chancellor is leading a charge against the natural world Email your MP to remove Part 3 of the Bill AND ...

Before the Election Labour promised to restore nature. A year in & they are leading a charge against the natural world. Email your MP to remove Part 3 of the Bill AND ask THEM to call out the Chancellor for her attack on nature wtru.st/fix-the-bill action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/171483/...

‘Spiral of silence’: climate action is very popular, so why don’t people realise it? Researchers find 89% of people around the world want more to be done, but mistakenly assume their peers do not

83% of the British public wants the government to do MORE to tackle the climate crisis

Remember that when you hear Farage and Badenoch opposing net zero and claiming to be tribunes of the people - they’re really just doing the fossil fuel industry’s bidding

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Maundy Thursday: Choral Eucharist & Stripping of the Altars – St Bride's Church Thu 17th April, 6pm – Maundy Thursday Choral Eucharist, a service full of symbolism, setting the scene for the events of Good Friday

Join us for our #MaundyThursday service tomorrow, recalling the #LastSupper.

The name derives from the Latin 'mandatum' (commandment). Jesus told the apostles to love & serve one another. This symbolic service sets the stage for the desperate events of #GoodFriday
www.stbrides.com/events/maund...

The CCC has said that, by 2030, we should be installing 450,000 retrofitted heat pumps a year, and that every suitable new home should have one. Looking further ahead, for the Government to stay on the CCC’s least-cost pathway to net zero, heat pumps will need to fully displace the gas boiler market by 2035 – some 1.5 million installations per year.10 But the UK installed fewer than 100,000 heat pumps in 2024, a lower rate per person than anywhere else in Europe. With 270,000 new home completions expected by 2030 to meet Government housebuilding targets, that means 720,000 heat pumps being fitted per year within six years, a more than seven-fold increase (or an annualised growth rate of 40 per cent).

For the Government to stay on the CCC’s least-cost pathway to net zero, heat pumps will need to fully displace the gas boiler market by 2035 – some 1.5 million installations per year.

But the UK installed fewer than 100,000 heat pumps in 2024; not enough to stay on track for climate targets.

🦇 Make your garden a bat haven. This lovely illustration featured in the Spring 2024 issue of our membership magazine Bat News.
You can find more tips on how to make your garden bat friendly here: www.bats.org.uk/advice/garde...
And info about membership here: www.bats.org.uk/membership/s...

85,000 signatures for our ban driven grouse shooting petition – thank you 🙏

Only 15K more to go to trigger a Parliamentary debate. Please keep signing and sharing govpetition.uk/p/700036 ✍️

Walton's wrote his moving setting of Phineas Fletcher's poem "A Litany" aged just 15. It begins:

"Drop, drop, slow tears,
And bathe those beauteous feet
Which brought from Heaven
The news and Prince of Peace"

Perfect for #choralevensong with #StBridesChoir this #PassionSunday at 5:30pm.

We have TWO new podcast episodes!

In Ground Control to Ranger Tom, Penny speaks to Knepp woodsman @therusticranger.bsky.social about Knepp's ancient trees.

In Dam Good News for Beavers, Penny chats with Knepp's new lead ecologist @mostlyscarce.bsky.social

🔊https://knepp.co.uk/wildland-podcast/

We took over the giant screen at Farage’s big rally in Birmingham

Require firms to report their impact on nature, Government urged Green Alliance is calling on ministers to set a timeline for mandatory nature reporting by companies.

Our new report sets our the practical steps needed to turn the findings of the 2021 Dasgupta Review into action, including mandated reporting on nature impacts, expanding GDP to account for nature and incentivising nature finance.

Coverage in the @the-independent.com from @rebeccasc.bsky.social 👇

Kemi Badenoch is wrong - Net zero by 2050 is difficult, it's not impossible The Tory leader has just torched the political consensus on ambitious climate action - the electoral calculus is likely to prove as deeply flawed as the economic analysis behind the move

A cathartic blast of indignation at all the ways Kemi Badenoch is wrong about net zero.
www.businessgreen.com/blog-post/44...

Labour's Sarah Jones MP responded last month to warnings from leading scientists that UK carbon capture plans are a dangerous mistake.

Sarah's reply ignores one of the scientists' key concerns, and frankly, is very misleading.

My analysis + an appeal to @sarahjonesmp.bsky.social🧵👇
Letter at end

Happy #NationalJuniperDay! Juniper is one of our three native conifers and is of course used to flavour gin! #JuniperDay
www.plantlife.org.uk/plants-and-f...

Global sales of combustion engine cars have already peaked Cost of EV batteries have crossed ‘tipping point’ that makes manufacturing them cheaper than fossil fuel-burning vehicles

🚗🌬️ New data shows combustion engine car sales peaked in 2018.

Separate research found the cost of EV batteries have crossed a “tipping point” that makes manufacturing them cheaper than fossil fuel-burning vehicles.

www.independent.co.uk/tech/electri...

Why is there no person or team at Defra working specifically on grasslands, when they cover at least 40% of England?🚨

In an open letter, we're calling on the UK Gov to urgently address this & fully realise the value of grasslands now🌱

Learn more
👉 www.plantlife.org.uk/our-work/the...

Beaver releases into wild to be allowed in England for first time in centuries Exclusive: Government to grant nature groups a licence for release of rodent species after earlier setbacks

At last! Beaver releases into wild to be allowed in England for first time in centuries

Big congrats to the rewilders, nature-friendly farmers, & campaigners who’ve fought for this for so long.

And credit where it’s due - thanks to Labour for pressing go!

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The recommended Seventh Carbon Budget pathway

We have published our advice on the Seventh Carbon Budget. It is in line with previous Government commitments – the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Carbon Budgets, international commitments, and the Net Zero commitment in 2050.

A charming story for young children; may it help inspire a new generation to care for the little creatures...

A proportion of sales go to Buglife.

Britain’s net zero economy is booming, CBI says Green sector growing at triple the rate of the UK economy, providing high-wage jobs and increasing energy security

Britain’s net zero economy is booming, CBI says

Green sector growing at triple the rate of the UK economy, providing high-wage jobs and increasing energy security

#netzero #cimatecrisis
Story by me
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

"Then Jesus arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm." – Luke 8: 24

Music for stormy seas – #ChoralEvensong Sunday 5:30pm #StBrides

@choralevensong.org

Regenerative forestry can complement regen farming - 8.9ha […]

🌳 Regenerative forestry can complement regen farming 👉 Read here: 8point9.com/regenerative... 🌳 🌲 🌱 Robin Walter sets out the key features of regenerative forestry practices.

Reintroducing wolves could 'expand woodland areas and reduce CO2' The reintroduction of wolves to Scotland could lead to the natural expansion of woodland and help combat climate change, according to a new study

Today in “restoring ecosystems to fix the biodiversity and climate crises instead of praying to the wizard for expensive technofixes” news:

Reintroducing wolves will help expand woodlands and sequester carbon.

Their whole job is culling deer. For free.

www.forestryjournal.co.uk/news/2494003...

TODAY!!

Next stop, better rail: growing UK train travel In this report, we detail recommendations to put UK rail travel on track as a driver of sustainable growth across the UK.

Our latest report, supported by Trainline and the Foundation for Integrated Transport, shows how affordable and better connected rail services can drive regional growth.

Summary 👇🧵