A North East council could be asked to consider declaring an ecological emergency.
Durham County Council, which declared a climate emergency and prepared an emergency response plan to focus on its carbon commitment targets in March 2019, is exploring whether to take a similar approach to biodiversity.
Despite improving habitat, land, water and air quality in the county over recent decades, a report from the House of Commons’ Environment Audit Committee concluded that there has been a 68% decrease in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish across the globe since 1970 - with 15% of UK species threatened with extinction.
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Councillor Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We know how important it is that we care for our environment and ecology so that it benefits future generations.
"We hope that by establishing a working group we can look at the various issues facing County Durham’s wildlife and landscape and whether or not we need to declare an ecological emergency.
“The global decline of natural habitat, biodiversity and the threat to species is well documented and evidenced and there is growing concern over how this decline is reflected in the UK.
“This is something which is too serious to ignore and as a council we will be looking to address what is happening in our area.”
Should Cabinet approve the report, a working group to examine the evidence base relating to the decline of natural habitats in species in County Durham would be established, producing a report on its findings within six months.
