|
About | Contact | Mongabay on Facebook | Mongabay on Twitter | Free newsletter |
|
|
British government throws out plan to sell forests, apologizes Jeremy Hance mongabay.com February 17, 2011
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman was contrite when she appeared in front of members of the British parliament. "I'm sorry. We got this one wrong, but we have listened to people's concerns," she said, as reported by the Guardian adding that, "if there is one clear message from this experience, it is that people cherish their forests and woodlands and the benefits they bring. My first priority throughout this period of debate has been securing a sustainable future for our woodlands and forests." Labour leader Ed Miliband hit back: "Virtually every person in the country could see selling off our forests was a foolish and short-sighted policy but they went ahead regardless." David Babbs, head of 38 Degrees, the campaign group that collected half a million signatures, told Reuters: "Some say signing petitions and emailing (Members of Parliament) never changes anything. But it did this time. This is what people-power looks like, and over half a million of us are feeling very proud." An independent panel will now investigate the future of the UK government-owned forests. The British government owns about 18% of the UK's woodland. Currently, around 12% of the country is covered in forest.
Related articles
Tags: britain england europe jeremy hance green environment forests temperate forests activism environmental activism happy-upbeat environmental governance Environmental news index | RSS | News Feed | Twitter | Home Advertisements:
|
|
|
DON'T LIKE ADS? Become a mongabay supporter WEEKLY NEWSLETTER RECENT FEATURES
POPULAR PAGES Photos
CALENDARS
BOOKS BY MONGABAY AUTHORS
FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS / PRINTS
|
| | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright mongabay 2010 Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from mongabay.com operations (server, data transfer, travel) are mitigated through an association with Anthrotect, an organization working with Afro-indigenous and Embera communities to protect forests in Colombia's Darien region. Anthrotect is protecting the habitat of mongabay's mascot: the scale-crested pygmy tyrant. |