In a statement today the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) has claimed that environmental issues still only remain on the margins of political debate.
The organisation has called for the next government to set up an Office for Environmental Responsibility to oversee how government departments manage and spend natural capital.
WWF UK chief executive David Nussbaum, said: “The environment is no longer a fringe issue in the minds of voters, but it’s still too close to the margins of political debate.
“Given that living standards can’t be sustained without major changes to how we manage the world’s natural resources, the party leaders should use this election to forge a national consensus around addressing climate change, restoring biodiversity and creating a low-carbon economy that benefits everyone.
“Between them, the parties’ manifestos contain a range of commendable proposals to protect our natural environment, reduce emissions and lead internationally on issues like the illegal wildlife trade. But we are seeing virtually no debate about these things in the day-to-day election campaigns. So let’s hear the political parties talking more about what they will do to tackle these great challenges, and let’s hear those debates properly reported. The millions of people in the UK who support environmental groups expect nothing less.”
Waste policy
The comments come after figures from the waste and renewables sector expressed disappointment at the lack of any firm policy commitments around waste and recycling from both Labour and the Conservative Party in their manifestos.
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The main major political parties all published their manifestos this week, with the Lib Dems and the Green Party offering the firmest commitments on waste and recycling.
Both parties promised to increase recycling targets, while the Lib Dems also committed to investigating whether to bring in a tax on incineration.
However, both Labour and the Conservatives failed to mention waste and resources in each of their manifestos – despite Ed Miliband’s Labour Party pledging to create one million green jobs in the UK.
Elsewhere the Conservatives claimed that they had met their pledge to be the ‘greenest government ever’ and added that they would honour existing climate change commitments.
ESA
Commenting on the Party manifestos Jacob Hayler, executive director of the waste sector trade body the Environmental Services Association (ESA), said: “The next government will be presented with the difficult challenge of raising household recycling rates to meet our 2020 targets, and avoid infraction proceedings during a continuing severe financial squeeze on public finances.
“This makes it extremely disappointing that the two largest parties, one of which will head up the next government, barely mention waste and resource management at all. On this showing, our sector is going to have to work very hard to gain traction with any incoming administration, and it could be that once again the sector will find itself relying on European legislation to provide the necessary impetus for progress.”
On renewables James Court, head of external affairs at the Renewable Energy Association, described the manifestos as a ‘mixed bag’ but welcomed comments recognising the role of renewable energy in the UK’s energy mix from Labour and the Lib Dems.
But, he added: “What all the manifestos have in common is that no party has shown a clear and comprehensive statement of intent for the renewables industry. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats completely failed to even mention solar, whilst the Labour manifesto falls well short of the necessary level of leadership needed to grow sustainable heat and transport. “
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