As a conservation and education charity we have a crucial role to play in the fight to protect wildlife. Our experts, partners and collaborators apply their skills, knowledge and scientific evidence to ensure that we’re making a real difference to conservation around the world.
But our government’s support is also needed, and with a General Election looming, now is to time for us to make clear the support we feel our government should give.
Habitat destruction, and other human threats to wildlife in the UK and internationally are on the increase, and climate change is happening around us. At Chester Zoo we work to connect our members, visitors and supporters with nature, and join the fight to protect the natural world. Our voice is important and we urge you, our prospective politicians to join with us.
We are asking you, our election candidates, to make clear and explicit commitments to protect the natural world; commitments supported with legislation and direct, measurable action.
1. With the onset of BREXIT, we ask that you commit to ensure that all EU wildlife and habitat protection laws are maintained, strengthened and mirror those within the EU so we can continue working with our European partners in tackling wildlife conservation.
2. We ask that you shout out about the importance of continuing to work towards bringing 100% certified sustainable palm oil and derivatives into the UK as per the Amsterdam Declaration, in support of a fully sustainable palm oil chain by 2020. Deforestation, loss of biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions result from the unsustainable production of palm oil. We are working to make Chester the first sustainable palm oil city and need your help to spearhead this campaign locally, and to spread the word across the UK.
3. We want you to work with us in supporting the importance of outdoor space, so that all generations, especially children and young people, can continue spending time outdoors, enjoying and learning about the natural world. We urge you to help us in ensuring that the natural world has a fixed place in our education curriculum, that quality of place and opportunities for outdoor spaces and their use by everyone is encouraged. The connection with nature and wildlife and health and wellbeing is important to us all.
Whether you are reading this with the ability to vote or as a party candidate we urge you to support our causes and help us conserve the environment and the natural world we care about.