Ecological Emergency Declaration - One Year On

The fight to reverse the decline in nature and the progress being made in South Tyneside to help restore it will come under the spotlight at a meeting next week (Thursday 14 March).

In March 2023, South Tyneside Council declared an ecological emergency, recognising the decline in biodiversity and nature with fewer species and less abundance of natural life, due to human action.

An overview of the work to date will be given when Members meet for Borough Council taking place on Thursday.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, said: "Global and national findings show that nature is declining at an alarming rate. The ecological crisis is resulting in the collapse of vital life-support systems that nature provides through clean air, clean water, pollination, food and natural resources, therefore threatening the human race. Restoring nature is critical and action is needed now to reverse this decline.

"By declaring an ecological emergency, we made a commitment to do what we can to protect and enhance the Borough's natural environment and to embed ecological initiatives in many of our significant work programmes.

"However, the scale of change required means a Borough-wide effort is essential which is why we will be building on the work of local environmental organisations, groups, partnerships and projects and encouraging the use of ethical and sustainable suppliers to ensure a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future for our communities."

Members will hear that since a Motion was first put forward in February 2022 to declare an Ecological Emergency, the Council has developed and started implementing an action plan, driven forward by a cross-party working group.

Project highlights include the Ringed Plover Project at Jackie's Beach in Whitburn where seasonal measures have been put in place to protect the nests of these small wading birds from being destroyed. The Jarrow Slake Saltmarsh Restoration Trial on the River Don not only uses a nature-based solution to help restore saltmarsh habitats. This habitat also helps to capture carbon from the atmosphere.

More recently, the Council launched COAST South Tyneside - a new project that helps to raise more public awareness of coastal habitats while encouraging wildlife positive behaviours.

The report also includes how the Council will meet the new Strengthened Biodiversity Duty on local authorities as well as other statutory and regulatory changes. These include a requirement on development to achieve a minimum of 10 per cent net gain in biodiversity (Biodiversity Net Gain) from February 2024, and the development of Local Nature Recovery Strategies, of which South Tyneside forms part of a South of Tyne and Wear LNRS.

Councillor Gibson said: "Improvements to habitats and wildlife in South Tyneside will help to increase the scale and speed of efforts to address nature's decline. Investing in nature also contributes significantly to the improved health and wellbeing of our communities and helps to deliver economic benefits by way of new green jobs."

The meeting of Borough Council is taking place on Thursday 14 March, at 6pm, in South Shields Town Hall. The meeting is also livestreamed on the Council's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@southtynesidecouncil