Chris Packham has led a demonstration of 150 scientists demanding politicians “bring science to politics”.
The broadcaster led the march, which is believed to be the largest ever rally of UK scientists, to Parliament Square in London on Tuesday.
The demonstration coincided with a Parliamentary debate on the Planning Bill, which is intended to cut red tape and make it increasingly easy to build homes and other infrastructure. Wild Justice, a legal campaign group co-founded by Mr Packham, is planning a judicial review against the UK government’s Bill, arguing it will result in a weakening of environmental protections which were fought for and created over decades.
Nature organisations have condemned the Bill for weakening protective laws on nature and habitats, at the same time as the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) claimed that the UK was “not prepared” for impacts of climate change.
Chris Packham, standing alongside scientists, said “We’re in deep trouble. Climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and detrimental political choices, However, we possess a powerful tool: impartial, independent, scientific truth”
The CCC’s report found that 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding, and heat-related deaths could exceed 10,000 a year by 2050.
Unchecked climate change could impact UK economic output by up to 7% of GDP by 2050.
Mr Packham was joined by scientific heavyweights including Sir David King, former chief scientific advisor, carbon footprint researcher Mike Berners-Lee and presenter Robin Ince.
Professor Berners-Lee, an expert on climate, carbon and sustainability, said: “After decades of warning from science, humanity is accelerating into a polycrisis of climate change, nature degradation and more.
“It is time to insist on an evidence-based response from all corners of government.”
Scientists from a range of disciplines wrote to MPs before the protest, warning of the effects of climate change on future generations, urging policymakers to support climate and nature policy briefings.
A spokesman for Angela Rayner’s Housing Department said: “We are introducing the nature restoration fund to unblock the delivery of much-needed homes and infrastructure, funding large-scale environmental improvements across whole communities and introducing robust protections that will create only positive outcomes for the environment.”
