BASC calls for conservation focus on plastic bag charges

Water voleBASC has submitted evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee inquiry on plastic bag charges.

BASC believes that proposed plastic bag charges in England could encourage funds to be spent on the core, but underfunded, conservation priorities highlighted under the Natural Environment White Paper and the England Biodiversity Strategy. BASC’s Green Shoot’s programme helps to meet these priorities.

BASC’s vision is that the guidance on how the charges will be spent will focus on practical environmental projects without restricting the range of groups and organisations that could use the funds.

Every year people who shoot spend £250 million on conservation. They spend 2.7 million days on conservation, the equivalent of 12,000 full-time jobs and manage 2 million hectares as a home for nature – an area the size of Wales.

More detail on BASC’s submission will be provided when the Environmental Audit Committee publishes the evidence received.

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