Medway Liberal Democrats are supporting World Environmental Day on Saturday 5th June

World Environment Day - a UN initiative - takes place each year on the 5th June, and it's a day that raises awareness on environmental issues and challenges. This year's theme is 'Ecosystem Restoration'. Local Liberal Democrats have vigorously [successfully ] campaigned to protect Medway's environment and recently have opposed developments on orchards located in Lower Rainham and rural land in Capstone Valley.

We want to protect these spaces as a vital local asset for everyone and call on the Council to improve environmental standards in our towns. Adopting a coherent, credible Local Plan would help protect the surrounding environment against developments of this nature, by building on 'brown build' sites as opposed to destroying Green Belt sites.

We recognise the need for new housing, but it must be in the right location, where there is a good provision of infrastructure. Concentrating developments in areas with good bus and rail links and provide decent cycling and pedestrian walks will reduce car usage.

Recent proposed developments will have a devastating impact and drastically change the face of our rural areas. A Local Development Plan must protect our environment against such developments, giving clear guidance on where to build sufficient housing to meet government targets and simultaneously improving the quality and quantity of new residential development that will stimulate regeneration in our town centres.

John Castle, for the Liberal Democrats said "Liberal Democrats want to preserve open spaces around our towns, giving the local community space for leisure and recreation, without causing harm to Medway's most sensitive wildlife habitats and species. We would improve the connectivity of habitats to provide robust ecological networks and provide new allotments on 'brown build' sites to provide for an increased population. Medway's parks and green are vital resources for us all, bringing our communities together and benefitting our physical and mental health and wellbeing."

During lockdown in Medway, it's been tremendous to see families getting outdoors together, around our towns' countryside, and when able, exercising with friends. People around Medway and Kent are talking about what they've seen in their local area or done in their gardens. Making space for and living with nature is possible; it's been great to see and hear people recognising the benefits for their mental health and wellbeing; taking more exercise and enjoying the wildlife within the built environment. This should become our new normal.

Liberal Democrats want to secure the provision of Medway's green infrastructure, fully supporting adaptation to climate change, improving flood management and prevention, and improving urban air quality as well as providing other important benefits which underpin sustainable economic growth.

We recognise that there has been local environmental progress, with Coney Banks being given 'village green' status in Horsted Valley, and the planting of over 13,000 trees in our area, and the creation of an urban forest which represents a serious innovation taking place in Medway. However, for all the progress that has been made, there is still undoubtedly more to be done.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS & ADDITIONAL TEXT

Please visit for more information: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/

You might think that this is a problem only for global institutions and Governments. Yet that couldn't be further from the truth. Imagine if we able to increase our connection with nature, especially in cities, and through this repair and restore all our ecosystems, all around the world.That is our vision for World Environment Day 2021.

Firstly, Jason Reeves CEnv MCIEEM, Head of Policy and Communications at CIEEM, explains why 2021 is a year of urgent action for our ecosystems: "This year marks an important milestone for the environment (we know it should have been last year but 2020 didn't go to plan). In the build up to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity's COP15 event in October 2021 - at which the world's nations will agree a new Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) - we first have World Environment Day (WED) on 5 June 2021.

WED 2021 marks the launch of the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (#GenerationRestoration). The GBF leads on to each nation having to implement meaningful changes at a national and local level to restore nature, part of which is making real short- and long-term changes to reverse the decline of nature.

Recent reports, including the Dasgupta Review, show just how much we rely on nature to support people, communities, and economies. Linked to nature restoration is addressing climate change. These two global crises are inextricably linked and the best way to reverse the effects of climate change is to restore nature through nature-based solutions.

As environmental professionals it is our role to proactively work to restore nature, but our role is also to educate and enthuse others about nature, its value to all of us, and how we all have a part to play."

Dougal Driver CEnv, Vice Chair of Society for the Environment and CEO at Grown in Britain: "There are few corners of the world and probably none in the United Kingdom that are not touched by the human hand. Unfortunately, we have a habit of intervening with ecosystems in a less than helpful way. It is therefore a duty for us to help put damaged ecosystems back onto their natural journeys - so that they can not only survive but thrive.