Marine scorecard to mark UK Government actions versus plans

Twelve nature charities, including WWF, Greenpeace, RSPB and the RSPCA, have launched a marine scorecard to assess the UK Government’s measures to conserve and restore marine habitats.

At the start of 2021 the government declared this to be a Marine Super Year and that, given the ocean’s critical role in climate regulation, the UK would use its presidency of COP26 to lead calls for renewed action to restore the marine environment to health.

The marine scorecard outlines the measures needed to deliver on this vision. As such, the nature coalition will be ranking the extent of the government’s progress on ocean recovery according to its scorecard criteria at the end of the year, and will be using this to hold it to account where action has not met ambition.

“In the UK over half the environment we have is under the sea,” says Chris Tuckett, of the Marine Conservation Society and chair of Wildlife and Countryside Link’s Marine Group. “Being an ocean nation, we must take care of the ocean so that it can continue to take care of us as the biggest regulator of climate change. As hosts of the G7 and COP26 the UK has the opportunity to truly make this a Marine Super Year by taking world leading action at home and striking strong global deals for climate and nature.

“The UK Government has already made some positive marine moves in 2021, but we must see a wave of successes on key issues where our ocean has been struggling for years. There can be no further delay – action is needed now and this year provides the ideal opportunity for this government to show true leadership. We hope the government will receive a good report in our Marine Super Year scorecard later this year, but if they get a C- not an A+ we’ll be holding them to account.”