The hedgehog in the room: Britain needs to face up to its own biodiversity crisis

clock • 6 min read

The targets agreed by governments at COP15 must drive a step change in nature protection policy in the UK, writes the Heart of England Forest's Beth Brook

The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries on Earth. When it comes to biodiversity loss, we are in the world's bottom 10 per cent. We have one of the lowest percentages of tree cover in Europe,...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Biodiversity

30x30: Is the government's ambitious nature conservation goal still achievable?
Biodiversity

30x30: Is the government's ambitious nature conservation goal still achievable?

The government has unveiled a 'delivery plan' for protecting and conserving 30 per cent of land in England for nature - but environmental groups fear the strategy remains badly underpowered

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 15 July 2026 • 16 min read
Woodland Trust calls on government to allocate a fifth of £1bn tree planting budget to urban 'tree deserts'
Biodiversity

Woodland Trust calls on government to allocate a fifth of £1bn tree planting budget to urban 'tree deserts'

Just 14 per cent of people living in England have access to woodland within a 500 metre walk of their home, conservation charity warns

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 14 July 2026 • 4 min read
Government plots path to protecting 30 per cent of England for nature by 2030
Biodiversity

Government plots path to protecting 30 per cent of England for nature by 2030

Defra's 30x30 delivery plan comes backed by £37m in funding to help National Parks and landscapes step up nature recovery efforts - but campaigners claim new strategy remains badly underpowered

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 13 July 2026 • 8 min read