National Parks commit to net zero by 2045 in new climate statement
A joint statement outlines the Parks Authorities’ renewed commitment to net zero across all its parks and investment in Nature-based Solutions
The UK’s 15 National Parks today announced a new collective commitment to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. In a joint statement, the National Park Authorities committed to achieving net zero emissions across all their locations, including the emissions generated from tourism, by 2045 and accelerating nature restoration efforts and the expansion of nature-based solutions (NBS) to help curb climate impacts.
“The UK’s National Parks are very unusual in that they are living, working landscapes – people’s homes and workplaces,” said Richard Leafe CEO of the Lake District National Park Authority and lead CEO for climate change. “Our knowledge and expertise mean we are uniquely placed to lead on addressing the climate crisis and our strategy is about creating virtuous circles between local communities and landscapes, wider society and the environment. Our Parks are ideal testbeds for academic and scientific research into pioneering sustainable land management techniques, which can be trialled and then rolled out at scale, to address the causes of climate change and mitigate its effects.”
At the heart of the commitment is the target to reach net zero by 2045, covering emissions from tourism, transport to and from the parks, housing, and land management.
The National Parks Authorities have already committed to achieving net zero by 2030, and today’s statement extends that commitment to their broader carbon impact which results from the National Parks attracting over 100 million visits a year.
The statement also reasserts the Parks’ commitment to nature restoration, following the announcement earlier this week of the launch of the new Revere financing programme, which aims to mobilise increased funding for nature-related projects.
The Authorities said they aim to develop new technologies and strategies to help reduce their carbon impact and increase carbon sequestration through improved land management and restoration. The new Revere partnership with investment firm Palladium aims to raise £240m from private investors – Santander UK, Gatwick Airport and Capita have already pledged funds – to help develop and roll out nature restoration projects.
“The Revere facility we jointly launched with our partners Palladium this week will help to leverage large scale funding into the restoration of some of the UK’s most precious landscapes,” Leafe said. “We have already identified £239m of nature restoration projects that require funding by 2030. These targeted efforts to restore habitats put National Parks at the centre of reducing emissions, increasing carbon sequestration, and delivering ecological resilience, biodiversity, and other public benefits such as reducing the risk of flooding.”
Revere is part of the National Parks’ wider restoration strategy, Net Zero With Nature, which outlines the Parks’ aim to use NbSs to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. Earlier this week, Santander announced it will fund the restoration of 220 hectares of peatland in the Cairngorms National Park as part of the initiative.
“National Parks are cherished in the UK, they’re part of our cultural identity,” Leafe said. “If we can inspire even a small percentage of our visitors to think about some of their lifestyle choices while they are enjoying the benefits of being in our amazing landscape it will make a difference.”
The news came in the same week as Prime Minister Boris Johnson used his speech to the Conservative Party Conference to assert his support for rewilding projects and reiterate plans for the UK to protect 30 per cent of its land for nature. However, campaigners have warned the target includes land that is designated as being part of National Parks, which are still badly nature-depleted.
