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Wildlife: Conservation

Asked by Martin WrigleyLiberal DemocratDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 23572

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to help revitalise wildlife populations in the context of the World Wildlife Fund's report entitled Living Planet Report.

Answered by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We are taking steps to help revitalise wildlife populations, but not specifically in the context of the World Wildlife Fund's report entitled Living Planet Report. In England we have four legally binding targets to benefit our wildlife populations: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; to reverse declines by at least 10% by 2042, when compared with 2030; to reduce the risk of national species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042.

To deliver against the statutory targets we are taking action at scale to create, restore, manage, and protect wildlife-rich habitats, reduce pressures on biodiversity, and take targeted action for species. Actions include the Species Recovery Programme, which over the 2026-2029 period will fund 130 projects to benefit a wide range of species through recovery actions such as targeted habitat restoration, species reintroductions, and critical research.

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