UK nature fund

Due to human activity, the UK now has less than half of its biodiversity remaining.

The latest State of Nature Report found that 1 in 6 species in the UK is at risk of extinction, and the UK is in the bottom 10% of countries for ecosystem intactness. 41% of our insects, vital for the entire food web and pollination of our crops, are threatened with extinction, 80% of our peatland is damaged, and 92% of our seagrass beds have been lost since 1936.

Recent research by the University of Oxford determined that failing to address environmental degradation in the UK could lead to the UK’s GDP being 6 – 12% lower than it would be otherwise by 2030, potentially wiping out around £150 – 300 billion from UK GDP – equivalent to between 4 and 7 years of growth. The study also found that around half of the £4 trillion of financial assets held by UK financial institutions are at least moderately dependent on ecosystem services, and around 10% are highly or very highly dependent. In spite of this, the funding gap that needs filling to achieve the UK’s nature targets is estimated to be £56 billion per year. We must reverse biodiversity losses through funding holistic habitat restoration across a range of ecosystems, working alongside local communities.