Campaigns Update

As you probably know, our mission is to promote, enhance and protect a thriving countryside. Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing the countryside, and it could cause dramatic changes to the landscapes, wildlife and environment we enjoy now.

That’s why we’re joining the global day of climate action on Friday 20 September, to demand urgent action on climate change and nature. In May, young people put a call out for adults to join them on 20 September for the largest climate mobilisation throughout the UK and globally.

If you really think about it, it’s hard to see how CPRE, with almost 100 years’ experience of promoting, enhancing and protecting countryside, could do anything else.

Read this message from our chief executive Crispin Truman about why CPRE is joining the day of action.

If you’re inspired to join the day of climate action on Friday 20 September, you can find out more here and find a local action near you.

Earlier in the year, over 6,000 of you took action to tell the government not to weaken fracking earthquake rules.

Fracking companies insist that these rules are too strict, and that the earthquakes caused are minor enough to be ignored.

But since fracking resumed at Preston New Road in early August, there have been a number of earth tremors, the largest of which reached 2.9 on the Richter scale; strong enough to be felt by residents and reportedly cause minor damage to buildings.

Fracking here has been suspended indefinitely, pending an investigation.

The government continues to support fracking. But we’re still awaiting for a response to the public consultation on proposals that would fast-track fracking through the planning system - more than a year after they were first announced, and after over 300,000 people signed petitions against them.

We recently published a joint letter with 18 other organisations, calling on the prime minister to publicly back the existing, strong earthquake rules, and ditch the proposals to fast-track fracking. We also called on government to prioritise policies to make sure the UK leads the effort to tackle the climate crisis - one of the biggest threats our countryside faces today.

We’ll keep you updated with any further developments.

Thanks for supporting our work and helping to make the countryside even better. 

Best wishes,

Calum McGregor
Digital Engagement Officer

CPRE, the countryside charity