COP15 (short for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity) concluded yesterday. The ambitious aim to bring together almost 200 countries to discuss and agree on targets to save biodiversity across the globe was never going to be easy to achieve, but thankfully the summit concluded with an agreement to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.
In principle this is a very encouraging outcome, with a framework in place to protect 30% of land and sea from further degradation and to promote recovery of habitats and species.
The agreement certainly offers hope for our wildlife, but caution must be exercised – the Aichi targets set in 2011 were not achieved within the 2020 timescale, and so every effort must be made to ensure that the COP15 agreements are adhered to. It will be the responsibility of each nation to issue their own directives to meet these targets. A robust mechanism is required to monitor compliance and success and enforce these targets.
A vital component is funding – these changes to the way we manage land will need to be financed, and a major re-think is required to implement a culture change in the way we view our land. Major investment is required and ‘green’ processes and industries will need to be the new normal rather than just a fashionable alternative. The agreement includes a commitment from richer countries to commit to providing poorer nations with $30 billion per year to help implement change.
Some of the targets involve halving the of use of pesticides and halving the amount of pollution from nutrients – approximately 70% of land in the UK is used for agriculture, which is responsible for the vast majority of pesticide and nutrient application, and so huge changes will need to be made in the way we produce our food. The UK Government issued nature targets last week as part of DEFRA’s Environmental Act, but many stakeholders believe that more ambitious targets could and should have been set to ensure the health of our terrestrial and aquatic habitats. We all have the responsibility to hold our government to account to ensure that these targets are achieved. We need a robust domestic policy to ensure that biodiversity harm is not only stopped but also reversed within the 2030 timescale.
As landowners and land managers Meadfleet fully acknowledge and welcome our responsibility for biodiversity and the environment. We have adopted a biodiversity-led approach to ensure that land on our developments is managed to maximise its value to native UK wildlife, and though making our open spaces safe and welcoming for all we hope to involve and educate our local communities to appreciate the value and beauty of nature.
About Meadfleet
Meadfleet is a multi-award-winning, carbon neutral management company founded over 25 years ago. Responsible for over 350 developments throughout England and Wales, we take a sustainable approach to open space management. Our Ecology and Conservation team ensure areas are managed to encourage biodiversity and we are partnered with leading insect charity Buglife, to help make the open spaces we care for more pollinator friendly. In 2021 we were awarded first place in the Pollinator category at CIRIA’s BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards for their Bee Friendly campaign.
Appointed by housebuilders and local authorities and with a portfolio of more than 350 developments, all with a variety of requirements that include full infrastructure, complex sustainable urban drainage systems, biodiverse species habitat, street lighting, grass care, shrubbery, woodlands, wildflower meadows and play equipment, Meadfleet are the professional and sustainable solution to open space management.
Established in 1995, we are specialists in residential open space management and our aim is to protect and enhance these areas long into the future. We are committed to providing an excellent service and continually improving our environmental credentials, demonstrated by certification in BS EN ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and BS EN ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management.
We are delighted to be a Carbon Neutral Company, the first in our sector to achieve this. As one of the most experienced and trusted open space management companies in the UK, we take our role seriously. We believe taking climate action is important for companies like Meadfleet and the housebuilders and local authorities we work with.
We’ve signed up to the United Nations (UN) Climate Neutral Now initiative, launched in 2015 to increase climate action. We have pledged to measure, reduce and offset our carbon emissions with carbon credits every year. What’s more, we’ve also chosen to obtain carbon offsetting credits, equivalent to more than our estimated total emissions since Meadfleet first began in 1995.
Meadfleet employ experienced regional managers to proactively manage open spaces and respond to customer queries. As voluntary members of The Property Ombudsman Scheme, we offer our customers access to free, independent redress should this be required.
At Meadfleet we’re passionate about keeping open spaces safe and attractive and also believe it’s important to manage and enhance areas for the benefit of wildlife. We run regular customer initiatives such as giveaways of wildlife friendly seeds, bee hotels and bird nesting boxes. Our Bee Friendly campaign was awarded top prize in the pollinator category at CIRIA’s Big Biodiversity Challenge awards.
Meadfleet’s in-house Ecology and Conservation Team is at the centre of our business culture, leading our approach to open space maintenance. With experience in creating and managing a wide variety of habitats we ensure areas are maintained sensitively and appropriately and oversee continual biodiversity improvements. We understand the additional requirements of Biodiversity Net Gain, both in relation to planning and the 30-year covenant. Meadfleet are uniquely placed in the market to provide the management and maintenance skills required to ensure delivery of the ongoing requirements of biodiversity net gain on residential schemes in perpetuity.
We know that a good quality, natural environment will enhance a local neighbourhood, improve well-being and contribute to improved house values.