Retailer Better Food is one of over 70 Bristol business leaders who have signed an open letter, coordinated by Triodos Bank, calling for local parliamentary candidates to back the Climate and Nature Bill ahead of the General Election on 4 July.
First introduced in Parliament in September 2020, the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill is new framework legislation with two main goals: to reduce UK emissions in line with the UK’s share of the remaining global carbon budget for 1.5°C of global warming; and to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.
Issued to coincide with World Environment Day, the joint letter was issued to the parliamentary candidates for all five of the city’s constituencies (Bristol Central, Bristol East, Bristol North East, Bristol North West and Bristol South) and states: “As local businesses, we are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate-related extreme weather events, as their frequency continues to rise throughout the UK. We want this to stop.
“The business community in Bristol has joined forces today, on World Environment Day, to advocate for people and nature”
“Climate and ecological breakdown is a governance risk to businesses everywhere. Our supply chains will be even more disrupted by unpredictable and chaotic climate, and the costs to our businesses have the potential to skyrocket due to climate-related weather events or disasters. The CAN Bill can help mitigate this risk to our businesses.
“The CAN Bill will help reverse the destruction of nature here in the UK, as well as address the damage that the UK causes to nature globally through our ecological footprint overseas.”
The businesses supporting the call represent over £500 million of revenue and more than 2,500 employees, and include Better Food, Arup, Boston Tea Party, Finisterre, Natracare, Silverback Films, Aardman Animations, Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Grace & Green,TrueStart Coffee, Sawday’s and Neighbourly.
Better Food founder Phil Haughton MBE, comments: “We’re pleased to be joining forces with so many purposeful Bristol businesses to back the Climate and Nature Bill to ensure we build hope for our climate and for nature. This means a lot to us as Better Food’s mission is embedded in positive impact for nature and climate.”
“we stand with the businesses of Bristol and hope that their voice is heard”
“It’s very telling that this many businesses in Bristol have made such a direct call to the prospective parliamentary candidates and incumbent MPs in the Bristol constituencies for them to publicly declare their backing for the Climate and Nature Bill,” says James Sutton, director of strategic partnerships at Zero Hour, the campaign group behind the Bill. “Business clearly understands that the CAN Bill represents opportunity for their companies, as well as an instrument to manage governance risk posed by the climate and nature crises. The economy and businesses are always central to the plans of government, so we stand with the businesses of Bristol and hope that their voice is heard and that the PPCs make the sensible, obvious choice and commit to the CAN Bill.”
Bevis Watts, CEO of Triodos Bank UK, adds: “The business community in Bristol has joined forces today, on World Environment Day, to advocate for people and nature. We all stand to benefit from the transition to a low carbon, nature positive future, and we are calling on our local candidates to represent our combined voices in Parliament. By backing the Climate and Nature Bill they will be playing a vital part in ensuring a bright future for the businesses of Bristol and a happy, healthy and prosperous future for its people. And that’s something we would all vote for.”
The Bill is supported by 180 MPs and Peers from all main parties in the UK Parliament. It also has the backing of 851 prospective parliamentary candidates who will be running for election in July.
You can read the letter in full here: Bristol+Business+support+for+the+Climate+and+Nature+Bill+letter+to+candidates
