Earlier this year, the UK government presented and promised its citizens a bold environmental improvement plan that would make a “green space or water” accessible within a 15-minute walk.
Therese Coffey, the former Environment Secretary, stated that following the COVID-19 lockdowns, in which the people were all cooped up in their own houses, it emphasized the necessity for green space. She further explained that it was an opportunity for the British people to reconnect with nature and that the green area would provide a much-needed respite from the ‘lockdown hell they endured.’
UK government and the environment
This was also, of course, backed up by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who told the BBC that the plan provided the ‘blueprint’ for how they would deliver on their commitment to leave the environment in a better state than they found it.
Aside from building the ‘15-minute green city,’ its goals also included restoring 400 miles of rivers and 2,000 square miles of wildlife habitats and a plan to reduce plastic, glass, metal, paper, and food waste. Basically, the whole idea was to make the country embrace nature again and make it a sanctuary for those who suffered greatly from the pandemic crisis.
Green spaces
Just this week, new information from a piece recently published by The Guardian has come to light.
The government, according to the article, had no plans to attain its objective of having everyone live within a 15-minute walk of a green space. In addition, the administration had already reportedly dismissed the notion of making the plan legally binding, which means it is not compelled to uphold its promise.
Guy Shrubsola of the Right to Roam campaign was also quoted as claiming that officials still had no idea “how on earth to meet it.”
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