David Dunlop

Is it possible to have it all: to build 1.5 million homes without accelerating the climate crisis? How can we build 1.5 million homes without breaking the carbon budget? This was the question we set for a webinar I chaired last week, which Green Alliance organised in partnership with the Institu…

Is it possible to have it all: to build 1.5 million homes without accelerating the climate crisis? greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/09/10/i...

While UK's new climate & growth plan proposes measures to support farmers to cut emissions & restore habitats, increasing access to nature & protecting communities against flooding, slow progress means lower emissions savings projected. @green-alliance.org.uk greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/10/31/a...

Water risks could undermine tech sector’s growth, study finds
www.edie.net/water-risks-...

Pumping water between reservoirs earlier this year; Roddlesworth, West Pennine Moors, Lancashire

"The rain has helped .. Lancs, Greater Manchester, [&] Merseyside move out of drought status into drought recovery today. While this signals an improvement in this area, the position is fragile & with further dry weather, these areas could move back to drought."
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Lancashire no longer in drought say officials, but position remains fragile Lancashire has been moved out of drought status and into recovery after a period of wet weather following a very dry summer

Greater Manchester, Lancashire, & Merseyside are "no longer in drought", but the situation remains "fragile". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2558489...

Email your MP. Amendment 130 would make sure the new planning systems works for, not against nature.demand they keep amendment 130 in the Bill It's now or never. This is the last chance to protect nature in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Email your MP to keep amendment 130 in the Bill.

🔔 Nature is at risk, but your voice can help.

The Planning Bill is nearly law.

An amendment passed by the Lords yesterday offers vital protection - but it needs MP support to stay in.

📢 Tell your MP: please back Amendment 130.
wtru.st/49ch28z

Toxin levels in fish lead to calls for UK-wide ban on mercury dental fillings Exclusive: More than 98% of fish and mussels tested in English waters contain mercury above EU safety limits

Northern Ireland will outlaw mercury fillings from 2035 but no ban is planned in the rest of the UK. Richard Benwell, CE of @wclnews.bsky.social, said “A global deal will be on the table in Nov - the UK should stop dragging its heels and commit to a phase-out.” www.theguardian.com/environment/...

🚨 The Govt has just published its Carbon Budget Delivery Plan - we are calling for nature to be at the heart of net zero

“Only nature can put the ‘net’ in ‘net zero’, by restoring landscapes with woodlands, peatlands, wetlands and wildflower meadows"

Read here👇
www.wcl.org.uk/only-nature-...

Nature at risk: report warns of ‘evidence black hole’ in Planning Bill A new report by Wildlife and Countryside Link, a coalition of 90 nature organisations, has warned that there is no scientific evidence that the proposed “Nature Restoration Levy” will work for most…

Amendment 130 has passed in the House of Lords 🎉

The Lords have voted decisively that the Govt's new approach on planning - Environmental Delivery Plans - must only apply to water and air issues. Their message is clear: planning reform must not put species and habitats in the firing line.

"Investing in nature recovery is not a ‘nice to have’ – it's the backbone of our net zero strategy, driving green jobs, resilient landscapes and a liveable future for people alongside wildlife.”

Communities must have the right to own environmental assets | Community Land Trust Network We have written on behalf of 100s of community land trusts to urge the government to add 'environmental interests' to the definition of Assets of ...

'Communities must have the right to own environmental assets'

Great letter from @tomchance.bsky.social of the Community Land Trust Network to @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social, asking her to amend the Devolution Bill to strengthen Community Right to Buy:

www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/news-and-eve...

If we get this right, there’s a future where Welsh Designated Landscapes are delivering for nature, local communities are engaged and future generations benefit

With only 2% of land currently protected for nature, how can Wales achieve 30x30 in just five years?

Our new report with @tirweddaucymru.bsky.social lays out how, with stronger support, clearer leadership & greater collaboration, Wales can be a leader in restoring nature in Designated Landscapes

If you'd like to start the day with an inspiring reminder of what's going on in the natural world across the UK, all you need to do is like and pin the @theguardian.com country diary feed. Pls repost and share with any other interested folks. 🙏

A Wren perches upright on a thin branch, singing with full force, tiny but defiant. Its wide open beak and stance capture the spirit of a voice raised for nature, echoing the urgency of today’s vote on the Planning Bill.

The Planning Bill is back in the Lords today - and it still falls short of the win-win for nature the Government says it wants.

We’re grateful to the Peers that have stepped up with vital fixes.

But today’s votes help decide whether this Bill truly delivers for nature & people. 👇

A blog musing on (and not on) Walshaw Moor markavery.info/2025/10/29/o...

"If there were a fan club for Walshaw Moor then I’d be a member, despite never having set foot on it."

#wuthering #hebden #haworth #peat #daftwindfarm #floods
#publicland #grouse

Celebrate the sustainability champions leading the green transition | TheBusinessDesk.com TheBusinessDesk.com's Leadership Awards are open for entries until November 7

www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/ne...

Young people are having to live with low access to nature, this needs to change.

We all know that spending time outdoors in green and blue spaces can have incredible impacts on our wellbeing, yet young homebuyers are being priced out of areas with good access to nature.

@wclnews.bsky.social

Planning and Infrastructure Bill: The Lords’ last chance for nature Philip Box, Senior Planning Policy Officer at Wildlife and Countryside Link, discusses the amendments we need to see in the final days of the Lords Report Stage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill...

"The best time to protect wildlife was twenty years ago. The second-best time is this week, in the Lords Chamber."

Philip Box @wclnews.bsky.social

www.wcl.org.uk/planning-and...

Those who defend nature against Labour’s growth agenda are not ‘traitors’ | Letter Letter: The environment is not a barrier to growth, or an internet meme, says Sally Hayns in response to the government’s social media post based on the popular BBC show The Traitors

"This crude and dishonest campaign ... will only erode public trust, needlessly inflame culture wars .. & further degrade the natural world ... Stop pitting people against nature & start working with those striving to ensure that new developments benefit both." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

How do Environmental Values and Attributes Influence Coastal Community Acceptance of Tidal Energy? Evidence from the Bristol Channel, UK ukerc.ac.uk/publications...

What does the government’s new climate and growth plan mean for the UK? » Green Alliance Green Alliance is an independent think tank and charity focused on ambitious leadership for the environment

#GAevent | This week the government will release its climate and growth plan.

Will it show people how climate action = warmer homes, cleaner air, better transport, thriving nature and good jobs?

Join our webinar next Wednesday w/ Green Alliance experts to see if the plan meets the moment.

The #PlanningBill is in its final days in the Lords. This is the last real chance to make sure England’s planning system helps – not harms – nature. 🌿

We’re backing key amendments to put promises into law and secure nature’s place in planning.

🔗 wcl.org.uk/planning-and...

Is it a Happy Birthday for the Water Framework Directive? | The Wildlife Trusts 25 years on from the adoption of the Water Framework Directive, Ali Morse, Water Policy Manager, dives into the Directive and assesses whether its high ambitions have been met.

Is it a Happy Birthday for the Water Framework Directive? Some suggestions for happier returns are presented below. 🎁
www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/ali-mor...

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Are the Piccadilly Gardens redesigns repeating past mistakes? ‘I hope they manage expectations that there is going to be a big-bang solution’

"Could it be that the city [of Manchester] has become too wedded to the name, or the history, of Piccadilly Gardens?"
manchestermill.co.uk/are-the-picc...

Wild LIVE: Mud matters - How do we protect our blue carbon stores in UK seabeds? | The Wildlife Trusts During Wild LIVE we discuss some of the really important issues of the moment relating to wildlife and the natural world. Each episode we're joined by fantastic guests who share their thoughts and exp...

Our seabeds are silent climate heroes! 🌊💙

Join @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social free online Wild LIVE: 'Mud Matters' to hear from experts about the value of UK seabeds for climate and wildlife. Tuesday 28 Oct at 6.30pm 👉 wildlifetrusts.org/events/2025-...

Red Moss SSSI Visit

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting Red Moss Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

Many people might not know but we are blessed to have this wonderful site just at the back of the Middlebrook.

Cut out images of a swift brick (brown brick with one large hole) and an air brick (terracotta brick with lots of smaller holes in a grid)

Some holey bricks (like air bricks) are in building regulation while others are not

Swift bricks would help endangered species recover, but are not in regulations

Planning reforms must get #WilderByDesign - including regulation for nature-friendly design like swift bricks to be in new developments

@lydiagerman.bsky.social - as its as much about Comms ...

Public feels positively about dead and decaying trees, finds new research - Forest Research Three-quarters of visitors felt neutral, happy, or very happy about a visible dead or decaying tree.

Site managers are often unsure how visitors perceive dead & decaying trees in the landscape.

📘 Full report: forestresearch.gov.uk/news/public-...

@nationaltrust.org.uk
@kneppwilding.bsky.social

Funded by Defra's #NatureforClimate

The carbon and growth plan needs big ambition for us all to see the benefits Next week, the government will publish its Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan. It’s a major moment. The plan isn’t just a blueprint for how the UK will cut its greenhouse gas emissions over the…

"The carbon and growth plan needs big ambition for us all to see the benefits"  greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/10/23/t...