Commenting on today’s (Tuesday 17 July 2012) call by a committee of MPs for the Government to put nature at the centre of the nation’s decision-making, Friends of the Earth’s Head of Nature, Paul de Zylva said:

"The Government’s continuing failure to appreciate the value of nature short-changes our wildlife and undermines the economy.

“A thriving natural environment is crucial for our future economic well-being: our research shows it would cost the UK an extra £1.8billion every year to hand-pollinate crops without bees.”

“The Treasury-pedalled myth that protecting the environment is bad for business simply doesn’t add up – it’s time to recognise the true value of nature by putting it at the core of Government policies.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report of an inquiry into the Natural Environment White Paper is published today (Tuesday 17 July 2012).