Sussex conservation charity backs youth climate strikes

A Sussex conservation charity has backed youth climate strikes due to start today (Friday September 20).
Sussex Wildlife Trust staff at Wood Mills near Henfield, supporting students taking part in climate strikesSussex Wildlife Trust staff at Wood Mills near Henfield, supporting students taking part in climate strikes
Sussex Wildlife Trust staff at Wood Mills near Henfield, supporting students taking part in climate strikes

The Sussex Wildlife Trust focuses on protecting the wonderfully rich natural life across the county, managing more than 30 nature reserves.

Students and campaigners are due to take part in a number of climate strike across the world, starting today.

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Henri Brocklebank, director of conservation at Sussex Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re already feeling the impacts of climate change here in the UK and our natural world is in a critical condition. Despite the Government declaring a climate emergency in May this year, our existing laws are still too weak and the ecological crisis we face is not being taken seriously enough. Without urgent and meaningful change to ‘business as usual’ we will see catastrophic climate breakdown within our lifetimes.

“For these reasons, Sussex Wildlife Trust fully supports the youth movement and people across Sussex who will be demonstrating their concerns tomorrow. Our staff will not be on strike but will continue their work to help tackle this climate and ecological emergency by protecting the wildlife and natural environment across Sussex.

“The challenges are huge but there’s still time to create a thriving and sustainable future if world leaders accelerate action now. Beyond drastically cutting our carbon emissions it’s vital that we restore the natural environment at a landscape scale so that our reedbeds, meadows and woodlands and of course our seas can lock away carbon, reduce the impacts of climate change and give wildlife the space it needs to recover and thrive.

“To make sure this happens, we are calling for a new Environment Act to put nature’s recovery at the heart of public policy and law across Britain. To add your voice to our Wilder Future campaign, visit sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildersussex – where you’ll also find a range of positive, peaceful and practical ways you can contribute to our planet’s future at this crucial time.”