Nature is on the ballot box during this UK General Election and zoos and aquariums are standing up for nature as our politicians dither, writes BIAZA’s Andy Hall…
Tens of thousands of people have just marched through the streets of London, to send our politicians a message: prioritise nature. All those marchers knew what was at stake; that the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, a million species are at risk of being lost, that we are in the midst of a crisis in nature and climate and that our politicians have so far failed to take the necessary and urgent steps to prevent further decline.
It was a fantastic moment for environmentalists everywhere, that saw huge establishment NGOs and charities marching right alongside the very smallest along with high profile personalities including Chris Packham, Steve Backshall and Dame Emma Thompson. I was proud to join them along with colleagues from across the zoo sector in a very warm, very sweaty lion costume (courtesy of ZSL London Zoo!). If you want to know what the protest was like picture lots of Taylor Swift/Swift conservation jokes, mass singing of ‘restore nature now’ to the tune of Robbie Williams’ Angels and some brilliant, frankly batty costumes. Zoos were there, right in the thick of it making our voice heard on behalf of voiceless nature.
The heat was not phasing our commitment to nature!
The extraordinary Restore Nature Now march demonstrates the public support for wildlife and nature that is backed up by data. Zoos and aquariums have a vital role to play, as some of the largest funders of conservation, but also as organisations that connect millions of visitors with nature and care for some of the world’s most amazing species.
Just earlier that same week, zoos were once again in the thick of the battle for nature. I attended the big nature and climate event of the run up to the election, a national nature hustings, at Chester Zoo. Politicians from across the political mainstream detail what they would do for nature should their party win the election. The current nature minister directly debated those wanting to take her job, in front of an audience primarily made up of environmental NGOs.
And a few days before this, BIAZA’s annual conference saw the association’s Public Affairs Working Group provide all our members with guidance, templates and tools to engage with local candidates during the election period. This is so important in showing wannabe MPs how vital the network of zoos and aquariums is to nature and to our local communities.
All of these are examples of zoos and aquariums living up to their role as guardians of nature. Come July, when a new Government is elected, we need zoos and aquariums to be prowling the corridors of power (preferably not in a sweaty lion costume) and convincing our politicians to take decisive actions for nature.
Zoos and aquariums are not alone and have been working with the wider environmental sector throughout. BIAZA has been supporting Wildlife and Countryside Link’s 5 calls for nature policies. In constituencies up and down the country, people of all political persuasions value nature and recognise the need for its urgent restoration.
While we all have the power to make a difference, our politicians have more power than most. In fact, our politicians and large businesses have the levers to match the scale of the crises we face. That is why cries of “Restore Nature Now” could be heard loud and clear across Parliament and Downing Street.
By Andy Hall,
Public Affairs and Communications Manager, BIAZA
All blogs reflect the views of their author and are not necessarily a reflection of BIAZA's positions
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