Petition to LB Redbridge to declare a Nature Emergency

Short version: please sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/rbnature and share it!

We are lucky to live in a borough which has some of the nicest green open spaces in London and where it is not unusual to see butterflies, bats and dragonflies. Sadly nature enthusiasts in Redbridge have seen with their own eyes the decline of some species. Hedgehogs are only seen now in some gardens and no longer spotted in green open public spaces. Skylarks on Wanstead Flats are now just a few breeding pairs when back in the day they were a regular tenant. In the 1980s there were flocks of golden plovers and several thousand lapwings at Fairlop while these days lucky to see 30.

To show Redbridge how much people care, a petition is circulating. If we can get 1,500 signatures it will mean Redbridge Council would debate a motion at full council to declare a ‘nature emergency‘ and act on the decline in biodiversity. (Redbridge has declared a climate emergency but not yet a nature emergency.) The full text of the petition is below, and explains the actions we want to see.

Update, 17 Jan 2026: Please continue to support the full declaration. The council leadership have tabled their own motion to declare a nature emergency, which is welcome as far as it goes, and will be on the agenda for full council on Thurs 22 Jan. However, it still falls short in significant respects, and we have not yet received an explanation for why particular important measures have been omitted. Note that the declaration as it currently is will fail on half the national criteria. Council standing orders prevent an issue being considered again within a certain time, so this is our opportunity to ensure the council does the right thing.

There are of course worries about any additional costs to the council at the moment, but getting expertise in avoids expenditure on ineffective actions; an expert panel would also have allowed external scrutiny of policy and implementation. There have also been challenges to various councils that have increased minimum Biodiversity Net Gain for new developments to 20%. As stated, this is speculation as we haven’t had contact specifically about the council motion rationale.

One way to fix this would be to amend it similar to:

• Amendment 1: in point 1, after ‘views of our residents’ insert ‘and evidence from expert ecologists’.
• Amendment 2: insert a new point 2: ‘Employ an ecologist to support nature protection and recovery and guide other officers.’ and renumber accordingly.
• Amendment 3: add a new point at the end: ‘Prioritise the use of council land, including farmland, for habitat creation and restoration, working towards national and international nature and climate targets, including 30% of land managed for nature recovery.’
• Amendment 4: add a point at the end: ‘Establish ways to resource the training of educators at all levels to support the public appreciating/understanding nature, climate and ecology in all age groups.’

Who can sign?

Anyone who lives, works or studies in the London Borough of Redbridge can sign. That includes under-18s, so potentially the whole family can sign. If you live outside Redbridge but your job, school or college is in Redbridge, please use the postcode of that workplace or place of study.

How to sign the petition

We’ve had no fewer than four ways for people who live or work in Redbridge to sign the petition (only choose one to avoid double-counting!):

• Simplest to support the motion is on WCA’s Action Network https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/ask-redbridge-council-to-declare-a-nature-emergency This has the advantage that the form also allows people to sign up to Wanstead Climate Action at the same time. A short link to send via email or social media is https://tinyurl.com/rbnature.
• Another site where we put the identical petition is Change.org. That page has more background and attracted over 400 signatures as of January 2026.
• Sign the paper petition which includes a summary of the motion. You can catch us at market day on Wanstead High St or at our Repair Cafés, or One Planet in South Woodford, or at our Monday meetings. If you can collect local signatures in your area, we’d be very grateful – just print off copies of the petition sheet, and when completed return them to us or email us.
• On the official Redbridge e-petition site. This is a little complicated to sign (and closed Dec 2025). Underneath the petition is a link ‘Log in or register and sign the ePetition‘. Please click this link rather than the buttons up the top right of the page. Once you’ve created an account you can sign the petition.

We the undersigned petition London Borough of Redbridge to declare a Nature Emergency during the 2025/26 Council session based upon the attached motion draft

It is an international fact that we are suffering a major decline in species abundance. The UN have requested that at least 30% of land should be made available for Nature ideally by 2030. Every part of government must do their part in turning around the decline of nature for the sake of humanity. LBR must recognise the critical importance of a healthy natural environment to the overall wellbeing and quality of life of our residents, and the pressing need to protect and restore nature. The physical and mental health benefits of connecting with nature are scientifically proven and evidence continues to grow. Use of public green space, such as parks and woodland, has increased, particularly since the Covid pandemic, as people recognise these benefits and seek solace, exercise and recreation in nature. Yet reports such as the State of Nature show continued deterioration of many aspects of our natural world. There is a pressing need to declare a Nature emergency as per the declaration

Proposed declaration:
In light of the twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss, the LB Redbridge hereby resolves to:
1. declare a nature emergency and develop a comprehensive plan to address it.
2. establish a climate and nature advisory committee to guide the cabinet and council officers in addressing these urgent issues.
3. commit to contributing to national level nature and climate targets and commitments.
4. include ecological impact assessments alongside climate and sustainability considerations in all committee and council reports.
5. make nature recovery a top strategic priority in planning policies and design guidelines for new developments. This includes:
– identifying suitable areas for habitat restoration, establishing ‘green allocated sites’ and embedding Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) in local plans and policies.
– promoting Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), extending the minimum requirement from 10% to 20%.
– minimizing the impact of development on existing natural and semi-natural habitats.
– enhancing access to nature-rich green spaces within a 10-minute walk for all residents.
– requiring new developments to commit to a minimum of 30% tree canopy cover.
– promoting tree equity by increasing tree canopy cover in existing housing estates where it is below the 16% urban average for England.
6. establish and support community and/or local authority-run nurseries, increasing the supply of local saplings, plants & seeds.
7. prioritise the use of council landholdings, including council farmland, for habitat creation and restoration, to reach 30% of land managed for nature recovery.
8. employ a specialist ecologist and tree officer to support nature protection and recovery.
9. establish ways to resource the training of educators at all levels to support the public appreciating/understanding nature and ecology in all age groups.

Finally, the LB Redbridge urges all stakeholders to come together to protect and restore our natural assets, recognising their intrinsic role in securing a sustainable future for our community.

[petition ends]