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Nature 2030 has announced the shortlist for the inaugural Political Purpose Awards.
The awards are taking place in September in the House of Lords and are the first of their kind to recognise UK politicians who have worked to overcome environmental issues in the last 12 months.
The shortlisted nominees have been selected from the House of Commons and House of Lords, the Devolved Assemblies and metro mayors.
Multiple nominations for London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Caroline Lucas MP and Zac Goldsmith were received by environmental campaigners and NGOs who supported in the development of the longlist.
The ‘Wildife Protection’ category includes nominations for Henry Smith MP and Baroness Sue Hayman.
Baroness Jenny Jones and Labour MPs Fleur Anderson and Barry Sheerman have received nominations in ‘Pollution Waste & Air’ category.
For work in ‘Marine Environment Protection’, nominees include leader of the Welsh Senedd Mark Drakeford, Lord Richard Benyon and Luke Pollard MP.
The ‘Habitats, Biodiversity & Green Space’ category sees nominations for Baroness Kathryn Parminter and Lord Ewen Cameron.
Finally, the category ‘Green Energy & Renewables’ includes nominations for Labour Shadow Cabinet members Ed Milliband and Dr Alan Whitehead, as well as Chris Skidmore MP.
The shortlist was agreed upon during a consulting process with representatives from NGOs including Greenpeace, Oceana, CPRE and Born Free Foundation, environment campaigners and journalists.
Alongside these five categories, Nature 2030 will honour one politician with the lifetime achievement award, which will be announced on the awards night in September.
‘The shortlist for this year’s awards showcases some of the UK’s hardest working and most dedicated politicians, who have each gone above and beyond their roles to campaign for important environmental issues.
‘By highlighted the fantastic work of these politicians we hope to inspire their present and future colleagues to step up and follow their lead by working hard on environmental issues.’
DOMINIC DYER
Chair of Nature 2030
Nature 2030 is a campaign run by purpose-driven communications agency Higginson Strategy. The aim of the campaign is to bring together environmentalists, campaigners, influencers, politicians, businesses and individuals to find solutions to the pressures facing global nature.
Launched in 2019 by Ben Fogel, Nature 2030 is a long-term, 10-year project aiming to disrupt the silo culture that hampers humanity’s efforts to protect nature.
This year, Nature 2030 has focused on working with local councils on rewilding initiatives, as well as promoting the rewilding of road verges in the UK to increase biodiversity.
A particular area of focus will be on protecting flower and plant life to decrease the current extinction rate.
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