The UK government has launched a new bid to boost biodiversity recovery in its overseas territories, with large-scale projects funded for the first time to tackle nature loss, it said in a release.
The UK Overseas Territories, which includes the Falkland Islands, Bermuda, and Montserrat, contain forests, oceans, and grasslands within their jurisdictions, and are to be supported by the new Darwin Plus Strategic Fund.
Up to £3 mln will be put towards projects over the next three years to strengthen species and habitat recovery in these territories, the government confirmed in the release at the end of April, with successful applicants to “tackle invasive species, improve internationally important habitats such as cloud forests and coral reefs, and expand monitoring of climate change to improve resilience.”
“From dense rainforests to marshlands which capture carbon, our Overseas Territories are full of unique habitats and diverse wildlife which must be protected for future generations,” said Environment Minister Trudy Harrison in a statement.
“The new grant scheme announced today is a flagship commitment which will support transformative improvements in biodiversity, halt nature-loss, and build climate resilience.”
ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENT
Under a wider Environmental Improvement Plan, the government has reiterated the commitment to bolster support for biodiversity in its overseas territories, and the fresh funding pledge will go towards the country’s target to improve species abundance by 10% by 2042, as well as halt biodiversity decline by 2030.
In addition to opening the new Darwin Plus Strategic Fund, existing funding allocated through Darwin Plus Local will support over 40 projects in Bermuda, the Antartica, and the Cayman Islands.
The government said that since 2012, the Darwin Plus programme has invested over £45 mln in almost 250 biodiversity and conservation projects in the overseas territories.
The British Overseas Territories represent fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom.
Other recent pledges from the UK, which has been busy with its nature and biodiversity funding and regulatory reform in 2023, include a new regional strategy for Kent, as well as developments on its upcoming mandatory biodiversity net gain law, due to come into force in November.
By Roy Manuell – roy@carbon-pulse.com
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