“Bring back our lost wildlife”

Whether it is sewage pollution or carbon dioxide emissions, the next government will play a crucial role in shaping the country’s green direction.

However, you may not be aware of this, as some voters say climate change has barely been discussed, while biodiversity loss is another pressing issue.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has also made it clear what the next government in the north-west of England should do: take environmental problems “seriously”.

Lydia German of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust said: “Bring back our lost wildlife, stop river pollution, fund wildlife-friendly farming, green our communities and tackle climate change.”

Voters from the North West have also had their say. Your Voice, Your Vote invites you to tell the BBC what you want us to focus on and investigate in the election campaign.

Jess, 29, from Manchester, said: “As a country we are not doing enough to tackle climate change and without drastic action it will be too late.”

Carole Darbyshire, also from Manchester, said: “Without a healthy planet, the most important issues in this election seem almost irrelevant.”

Carol Melling, 82, from Lancashire, said climate change was her most important issue, adding that she wanted a “better future for my grandchildren”.

Ms German said working in conservation can be “very discouraging” as “you often see policies being put on hold or things being abandoned altogether”.

She added that she would also work to find a solution to river pollution.

“Two of the most polluted rivers in England are in our region: the River Irwell and the River Darwen.

“This is simply not acceptable,” she said.

Philip Gwynn, a volunteer at the trust, said environmental policy was as important as other issues and would be “my main focus when I vote”.

“I have followed the debates and do not believe that the issue of climate and the natural crisis has been sufficiently addressed,” he said.

Britain is struggling with a variety of climate problems.

Last year, June was the hottest month on record in the UK, according to the Met Office.

Weather extremes have left the region’s peatlands vulnerable to fire – the habitat at Winter Hill near Bolton is still recovering from a major fire in 2018 – and farmers in the north-west have suffered crop losses due to drought and heavy rain.

The Conservatives and Labour said they were committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, while the Liberal Democrats promised to do so by 2045 and the Greens by 2040.

Meanwhile, Reform UK wants to abandon net zero targets.

Another environmental issue that is high on the agenda for some voters is sewage pollution.

Surfers Against Sewage said there were 604,833 sewage discharges into British waters last year and one of the group’s activists, Giles Bristow, said “people are angry”.

“We are committed to ending the pollution of our rivers, lakes and seas with sewage. And although this issue was discussed very often at the beginning of the elections, we heard nothing about it.”

All parties have declared that they want to clean up our rivers and lakes and hold water companies accountable.

For others, however, air pollution is the biggest election issue.

Campaign group Mums for Lungs Manchester wants the next government to do more to protect us from toxic car exhaust fumes.

Liz Godfrey of the group said she would like the new government to “not only recognise the seriousness of the situation but also take really ambitious action to reduce air pollution”.

She added: “Children need to breathe clean air.”

The Conservatives announced that they will ban new diesel and petrol cars by 2035, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats plan to make a similar announcement by 2030.

Reform UK said it would abandon net zero targets, meaning petrol and diesel cars would not be banned.

The Greens announced that they would ensure a CO2-free power supply as quickly as possible, with enough electricity to equip all cars and vans with electric drives.

While environmental groups are calling on all parties to take bolder environmental policies, many voters want the next government to ensure Britain meets its carbon targets and puts nature at its heart.

Poll Tracker: How do the parties compare?

Voting: Who can I vote for in the federal election?

General Election 2024: All BBC reports and analysis

Your voice, your choice: Tell us the issues that matter to you

What really matters to you in this general election? What issue will influence your vote? Click the button below to submit your idea and it could be heard on the BBC.

More about this story

Further Internet links