How many COPs will solve the climate and nature crises?

The Woodland Trust has a new vision: a world where native trees and woods thrive for nature and people. We see planetary, ecological, community and human health and wellbeing as interconnected and this is why tackling the climate and nature emergencies is at the heart of all of our work.

People may be familiar with our work across the UK but might wonder what we do beyond our shores? It is true to say that we are very much focussed on our work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to protect, restore and expand ancient woodlands and native trees and woods. It is also true that some of this work has global significance as the UK is home to some of the longest-lived tree species in the world. For example, some of our ancient yew trees are estimated to be up to 5,000 years old. No other country has as many ancient yew trees. The UK is also home to 33 endemic species of trees, and 17 of these are critically endangered.

Ancient woodland now covers only 2% of our land and the UK is one of the most deforested and nature depleted countries in the world. Our tree cover is only a third of that found in most other European countries. There is still inadequate protection and threats from multiple sources: from large scale infrastructure projects like HS2 and road building, pollution such as ammonia and imported pests and diseases. We also recently discovered that only 7% of our native woodland is in good ecological condition. So protecting and restoring our trees and woods is vital.

Many people are aware of the importance of the rainforests in South America and Africa. We also have rainforests here in the UK and we have been stepping up our work to protect and restore our own rainforests which run from the west coast of Scotland, through Cumbria, Wales and the south-west of England.

While we very much act locally, we are also seeking to do more to connect globally. Our global role is very much about amplifying voices for effective action to tackle the climate and nature crises and especially to protect old growth forests. At COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 we played a key role as part of the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest to secure a commitment from the Scottish Government to support the restoration of Scotland’s rainforest. The alliance also hosted a unique gathering of indigenous leaders from the Amazon rainforest in Scotland’s temperate rainforest and you can watch the amazing short film, The Ghost Rainforest. 

We also joined the Global Day of Action on 6 November, marching in cities across the UK calling for ambitious action on climate change. While there was some progress in recognising the role of nature based solutions and another new commitment to end global deforestation by 2030 - the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use - there continues to be a failure to take the urgent action needed to phase our fossil fuels to keep global warming within 1.5C. There was also a failure to agree to demands from countries in the global South – the countries that are the most affected by the climate emergency – for payments to compensate for the loss and damage they are suffering. Climate justice needs to be at the heart of effective action to tackle the climate crisis.

So what has happened since COP26? In truth, not much, lending further credence to Greta Thunberg’s description of such gatherings as just ‘blah, blah, blah’. Indeed, since the first COP in 1995, global GHG emissions have continued to increase year on year. Even the celebrated 2005 Paris Agreement failed to stop global warming getting ever worse. Perhaps this is unsurprising when the agreement makes no mention of either fossil fuels or coal, oil or natural gas, despite these being responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions.

And deforestation rates in Brazil have hit record highs in 2022. Globally, the CO2 emissions resulting from the 7m hectares of lost trees (an area the size of Ireland) were equivalent to the emissions of the entire European Union and Japan. This just emphasises the lack of legal protection for our precious and irreplaceable old growth forests; and we know here in the UK how difficult it is to get effective legal protection for our ancient woods and trees. As Greta has pointed out “saving the world is voluntary”.

"Saving the world is voluntary. You could certainly argue against that statement from a moral point of view, but the fact remains: there are no laws or restrictions in place that will force anyone to take the necessary steps towards safeguarding our future living conditions on planet Earth. This is troublesome from many perspectives, not least because – as much as I hate to admit it – Beyoncé was wrong. It is not girls who run the world. It is run by politicians, corporations and financial interests – mainly represented by white, privileged, middle-aged, straight cis men. And it turns out most of them are terribly ill suited for the job. This may not come as a big surprise. After all, the purpose of a company is not to save the world – it is to make a profit." - Greta Thunberg, Oct 2022

The Woodland Trust is currently contributing to a parliament inquiry on sustainable timber and deforestation. We are calling for an end to government subsidies and tax exemptions for UK bioenergy which has been shown to damage forests around the world and the health of local communities near the wood pellet factories. It is also wrong to claim that burning trees is a renewable energy as it emits more carbon into the atmosphere.

With COP27 being held in Egypt this month, it will again cast a spotlight on whether our world leaders are at last prepared to start taking the serious action necessary to avert the rapidly accelerating climate crisis and support climate justice. That means a legally binding commitment to phase out fossil fuels and to loss and damage payments to the countries most affected by climate chaos. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General has warned global leaders that “we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator. We need much faster, bolder climate action now.”

And just one month later, the nature COP15 takes place in Montreal. The nature emergency is every much as serious a threat to a liveable planet as the climate emergency. This is a crucial opportunity to ensure there is global agreement on the policies and actions needed to protect and restore biodiversity.

Protecting and restoring the natural world also means that we need to find ways to live within planetary boundaries. If everyone lived like we do in the UK it would take 2.6 planet Earths to sustain us. And we would need land equivalent to 4.1 UKs to meet our demand on nature. So we are using nature faster than our planet can regenerate. If we continue like this many parts of our planet will become uninhabitable for future generations.

And for the Woodland Trust to realise our own vision, we need to ensure that the way we live in the UK is sustainable for nature and the climate and fair for all of our citizens and we recognise that we have a role to play. This is why we have an ethical policy to ensure that we are a sustainable, diverse and inclusive organisation, driven by ethical values and principles. It is also why we are focussing on working with young people across the UK to create opportunities to take action to protect and plant trees, raise awareness of the role that trees and woods play in supporting human and planetary health and to learn what we can do to make the Trust more relevant to young people from diverse communities across the UK.

Notes to editors

For more details about this release contact Natalie Stephenson, senior PR officer at the Woodland Trust on 0343 7705795 or email nataliestephenson@woodlandtrust.org.uk

About the Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.

The Trust has three key aims:

1. protect ancient woodland which is rare, unique and irreplaceable
2. restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life
3. plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.

Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. Access to its woods is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.