Clean water, healthy soils and sustainable food (Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats)

Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats <info@wantagelibdems.org.uk>

Clean water, healthy soils and sustainable food

April 25, 2009 9:08 AM

Lib Dems are committed to enhancing Britain's natural environment

The Liberal Democrats' key policies for preserving and enhancing Britain's natural environment include measures for dealing at source with the rising level of waste, taxing polluters, helping farmers to help the environment, and adapting to climate change by improving water management and supporting local producers of food.

Said Wantage and Didcot spokesman Alan Armitage: "If everybody in the world consumed as much as we do in the UK, we would need three planets to live on. We need to rediscover the balance with the natural environment and use its resources more wisely. Lib Dems believe everyone has a part to play, and that everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits."

SAVING MONEY BY SAVING THE PLANET

Labour has failed to deal with rising levels of waste; waste is a major source of green house gases and landfill. Liberal Democrats will act to reduce packaging and recycle the rest. We see waste as an opportunity, using it to create cheap and renewable energy, giving us gas from rubbish and not from Russia.

ENHANCING BRITAIN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Lib Dems believe that the countryside is a valuable resource which must be protected both for the benefit of those who live there and of all those who live in Britain, who should be able to enjoy what it has to offer. We therefore believe in a universal right to responsible, managed access. We will promote schemes to enhance wildlife, such as a 'Green National Grid' which link up habitats of rare species. At sea we have plans for strengthened regulation to protect the marine environment including our overseas territories.

HELPING FARMERS TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

Much of our countryside is looked after by farmers, yet many earn less than the minimum wage and so can no long afford to steward the land. We will pressure the European Commission to establish a 'Common Sustainable Agricultural Policy' which rewards and supports the production of food coupled with environmental practices. We will nurture the market for sustainable bio energy through longer-term targets.

ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

We will instill new urgency in the drive to adapt to the consequences of climate change, in particular by improving management of water resources and by enhancing flood defences through investment in infrastructure and better co-ordination of the responsible agencies. We will work with water companies to deliver long term solutions to reduce impact and deliver sustainable secure supplies. We will work with farmers to deliver sustainable sources of food.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO DEVELOPING NATIONS

The Lib Dems are also committed to supporting developing nations with our Leap Frog Fund, to junk high carbon development by transferring renewable and low carbon technology to those countries which need it most.