Thousands of people, made up of more than 350 environmental groups are expected to march through London on Saturday as part of efforts to demand the next government does not โrecklesslyโ ignore the nature crisis.
For the first time, mainstream organisations including the National Trust and the RSPB will stand beside hunt saboteurs and direct action activists in the Restore Nature Now march, as campaigners call on the next government to take โboldโ steps to tackle the biodiversity crisis.
The naturalist Chris Packham, who was said to have proposed the march and has led the coalition of green charities taking part, said political partiesโ lack of โsubstantial promisesโ in the election campaign to tackle the destruction of the planet was โrecklessโ.
“Iโm devastated by the lack of foresight, intelligence, commitment, understanding and determination to do anything about the single biggest issue in our speciesโ history,โ he was quoted as saying. โAt a time when we need bold and brave leadership, weโre not seeing any sign from any of the manifestos that that might materialise.โ
Packham said that it would be โa bold askโ to expect the march โ attended by celebrities including Judi Dench and Emma Thompson โ to put the biodiversity crisis on the political agenda given that it has had โnext to no mention at allโ in the election campaign so far.
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He however hoped that the day of songs, speeches and slogans for wildlife would show there was a growing coalition determined to force the next government to properly fund nature recovery, with further protests a possibility.
โWhat the march should do is send a very clear signal to all candidates that an enormous breadth of society is exhibiting a real concern for nature restoration,โ he said. โDonโt think weโre going to go away because we will be banging on the door of No 10 on 5 July saying now is the time for action.โ
Packham said that it was heartening that even a pest management company had contacted him to join the march, alongside organisations from Action for Elephants UK to Unitarians for Climate Justice. Those supporting the march range from global charities such as WWF to grassroots outfits such as Tenterden Wildlife. It will start on Park Lane at midday and end with a rally in Parliament Square.
Debbie Tann, the chief executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, which is sending a coach-load of banner-waving supporters, said: โIt will be a really colourful and beautiful celebration of nature but asking our politicians to do much more and much faster to restore nature because we are running out of time.
โWe need nature and the environment embedded within all policy decisions โ it underpins the economy. This is about critical life-support systems and the longer we leave it, the more difficult and expensive itโs going to be.โ
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
