Nature rights

That this House recognises that healthy, resilient and thriving natural systems are fundamental to food security, public health, economic prosperity, climate resilience and national security; notes with deep concern the Government’s report entitled Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security: A National Security Assessment, which identifies biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as imminent systemic risks to national security, resilience and prosperity; further recognises that the long-term wellbeing, security and economic stability of the UK depends upon the health and integrity of the natural world; believes that law and governance should better reflect society’s dependence on Nature and the living systems that sustain human life and economic activity; welcomes the introduction of the Nature’s Rights Bill [HL] as an important contribution to parliamentary debate on how legal duties, governance and decision-making can better protect and restore the natural world; remains concerned that, despite existing environmental protections, current governance frameworks do not adequately address the rapid pace of ecological decline or the critical risks arising from nature loss; and calls on the Government to give serious consideration to the legal and governance approaches that recognise Nature as a legal subject and rights-bearing entity, establish a duty of care towards Nature, and align public decision-making, policy development, economic planning and national resilience strategy with the protection, restoration and regeneration of the living systems on which human wellbeing, national security and economic activity depend.