Area of England well protected for nature is in decline, data shows

Wildlife coalition says figure stands at 2.83% of country, less than in 2024 and tiny fraction of the 2030 target of 30%

The area of England protected effectively for nature is continuing to decline, according to data from the country’s largest coalition of wildlife organisations, as experts say the government is allowing habitats to deteriorate.

The government is under a legal obligation to protect 30% of land and sea in the UK for nature by 2030, a pledge made in 2020 by the then prime minister, Boris Johnson. At the moment, however, 2.83% of England is well protected for nature, 2.4% of Wales, 4% of Northern Ireland and 12.6% of Scotland. This gives an average of 6% of the UK as a whole, which is well below the target.