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The UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has stated that approximately 19% of the nation’s agricultural land will need to change in some way in order to meet the government’s environmental targets, including a goal of net zero emissions and renewed support of nature. Defra predicts that about 9% of England’s farming land will require conversion into forests and other natural habitats by 2050. The government’s planned and much delayed Land Use Framework, first introduced in the National Food Strategy of 2021, is hoped to offer a definitive policy on how land incentives and farming regulations can work together to maintain food production while increasing biodiversity across the country. The policy aims to improve the ecosystem which has been degraded by poor farming practices and the effects of climate change.
According to Defra figures published in 2023, the UK is only 62% self-sufficient for food, down from a height of 78% in 1984. The figures suggest that, should domestic production decline further, England may be required to import more food. This in turn would mean a greater dependency on global food supply chains at the mercy of supply shortages and dramatic price changes. A working land use policy would help keep valuable farmland from being developed into housing projects or energy production facilities, helping to preserve ecosystems and reduce the carbon footprint.
The government’s plan will see woodland cover 16.5% of England’s land by 2050 and restore another 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitats for the future. This restoration could reduce carbon emissions by up to 8 megatons every year, according to Defra’s estimates. Through small-scale changes such as planting herbs at the edges of fields, incorporating more trees into food production and repurposing around 5% of agricultural land mostly for the purposes of helping to restore and maintain the natural environment, it will be possible to reach the government’s aims of balancing food security with nature recovery and climate goals.
Labour’s environment secretary Steve Reed has said that his party will not dictate to landowners, offering reassurance that the framework process will use data analysis to make good planning decisions that ensure land is used for its best purpose. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised Labour’s policy, arguing that the government is placing further burdens on farmers already under pressure from new taxes.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said a land use framework would move “beyond the tired binary choices” between Nature and food or housing and green space, speaking to the idea that the nation’s agricultural land and ecosystems require a balanced and sustainable approach that encourages both traditional farming and restoration of natural habitats
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