As one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, the UK has reached a critical juncture in its protection of biodiversity and the natural world.

Habitats have been lost or degraded, with a quarter of mammals in England and almost a fifth of UK plants threatened with extinction.

To reverse this, some of the biggest organisations and businesses in the country gathered for the first time in July to form the Nature Recovery Network, mapping out how they can work together to tackle nature’s decline and protect biodiversity across the nation.

But despite such hopeful action, the UK government recently announced the introduction of 38 investment zones where planning rules will be loosened; triggering many environmental charities to declare a full-scale ‘attack on nature’.

We held  a special panel discussion with Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper CBE, alongside a panel of experts including Director of Land & Nature at the National Trust, Harry Bowell to explore this urgent issue, and what we need to do to protect nature and restore biodiversity across the UK.

Presented in partnership with the National Trust.

Speakers:

Tony Juniper CBE is Chair of Natural England. He was previously Executive Director for Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF-UK, a Fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, President of the Wildlife Trusts and Special Advisor with The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit. His bestselling books include What has nature ever done for us? (2013), The Ladybird Guide to Climate Change (2017) and Rainforest (2018). Raised in Oxford, Juniper attended Bristol University, taking a joint honours BSc in psychology and zoology in 1983, followed by a master’s degree in conservation from University College, London in 1988.

Harry Bowell is Director of Land & Nature at the National Trust, accountable for developing and implementing strategies to restore a healthy and beautiful natural environment across the Trust’s landholdings, some 250,000 ha and 780 miles of coast. From 2000 to 2009 he was Regional Reserves Manager for RSPB, with responsibility for the nature reserve operation which spans from the Peak District to Scotland. Before that, Harry led Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve team for 13 years. He studied Environmental Science at UEA. He feels immense privilege to be looking after so much of the UK’s nature, culture and history, on behalf of the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Daze Aghaji is a London based Youth Climate Justice Activist who centres on Regenerative Cultures, Intersectionality, Radical Social Justice and Youth Political Engagement in her work. Described by The Guardian as “a ball of energy, conviction and warmth”, Daze’s advocacy for racial systemic change has led her to work with many leading charities, institutions, governments and grassroots change-makers globally. In 2019, she became the youngest candidate to stand in a European Parliamentary election and ran under the banner of a Climate and Ecological Emergency Independent to bring awareness to the need for political will in addressing the climate crisis. She has strong ties with the climate movement Extinction Rebellion since its early days and she was a founding member of the movement’s youth branch. Daze is currently a Creative Director at Earthrise Studio, a creative agency dedicated to communicating the climate crisis as well as an Artist in Residence at Phytology, the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. Daze’s work is rooted in deep love, duty and care for all life; she continues to passionately organises with many grassroots campaigns and organisations.

Gabrielle Walker, Founder and Director of Valence Solutions, is an expert strategist, speaker and moderator focused on unleashing capitalism on climate change. Gabrielle is a TED speaker and works with global companies at boardroom-level, analysing emerging trends, challenging conventional thinking and driving meaningful action. Through its partnership with the UNFCCC High Level Champions for Climate Action, Valence Solutions participated in many COP26 events in Glasgow and launched Rethinking Removals, a carbon removals industry accelerator. Gabrielle gives keynote addresses to corporate audiences around the world and is an accomplished moderator of high-level debates. She has presented many BBC TV and radio programmes, was Climate Change Editor at Nature and Features Editor at New Scientist, has written extensively for many international newspapers and magazines including the FT, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, and has authored four books. She earned her PhD at Cambridge University and has taught at both Cambridge and Princeton. www.gabriellewalker.com  www.valencesolutions.org  www.rethinkingremovals.org

Please note that by registering for this event your name and email address will be shared with the National Trust so that they can contact you by email with more information about their climate and nature work.