Tory group endorsing destructive and dangerous nature policies

The Climate Change Act 2008 requires local authorities to take proactive steps to mitigate and to adapt to climate change. Local authorities, the Environment Agency and other prescribed bodies are obliged to work together in relation to area-wide strategic flood risk planning under the “duty to cooperate” in the Localism Act 2011.

Also by statute, local planning authorities must consult the Environment Agency before granting planning permission for developments in areas at risk of flooding (as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010). If the authority is minded to grant permission for “major development” against Environment Agency advice then it must notify the secretary of state who may decide to “call-in” the application for its own determination (The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009).

People want democracy and they want local issues decided by local people. They don’t like government intervention - except when it suits. So easy to blame things on the government.

I know it's the planning authorities atm but the government could step in if they wanted to. There has a been lots of flood plain building in this area. The pumping stations failed in 2007 which led to catastrophic flooding for some people. Now there are even more houses so if the pumping stations fail again I dread to think how bad it would be.

It’s the planning authorities which allow building on flood plains. A recent housing development on a flood plain is thought to be responsible for a flood in a village in my county which has never been known to flood before. I have bought sites in flood plains for developers (some of whose names would be very familiar to you) concerned solely with profit. My written reports have always flagged up the flood risk - which has been completely ignored. They see land, the £££ signs flash, they want to build on it and the planners allow them to do so. The last one I dealt with was particularly popular with the planners because of the amount of ‘affordable’ housing offered. Utter madness.

The government could stop building on flood plains but that would upset their building company donors

Their position explained:

conservativefriendsofthecountryside.co.uk/projects

The Conservative Friends of the Countryside support controlled burning to break up fuel loads and minimise the risk of wildfire spreading

I can't find anything about burning of peat but yes controlled back burning is a known way of stopping wildfires spreading.

In Australia, back burning has been banned and wildfires have been spreading out of control. For thousands of years, the Aboriginal peoples have used controlled burning to stop the spread of wildfires. Some flora requires fire to be able to reseed and regenerate.
We should listen to the wisdom of ancestors.

I can see pros and cons with some of the points listed.

Neonicotinoids: the EU lifted the ban on these as an emergency measure, as crops were being decimated by aphids and larvae; as in the UK their use is limited but needs to be very controlled and restricted.

Beavers are being reintroduced to prevent flooding downstream but could this have an effect on other river creatures eg fish which travel to spawning grounds upstream?

The fault lies with us for continuing to build on flood plans and filling our rivers with sewage.

Getting the balance right is very difficult.

Well it is not exactly surprising is it. they really only care about money, as the others have said.

vampirequeen

The problem is that some people put ££££ now before the future of nature and us. Burning peat and killing bees will make a lot of money for some in the short term but will ultimately speed the end of us all by increasing the amount of CO2 released and killing pollinators.

Exactly

The problem is that some people put ££££ now before the future of nature and us. Burning peat and killing bees will make a lot of money for some in the short term but will ultimately speed the end of us all by increasing the amount of CO2 released and killing pollinators.