On 22 June 2024, more than 60 thousand people marched peacefully through the streets of London, from Park Lane to Parliament – holding placards and banners, urging politicians to pay attention to the desperate plight of everything from our native bees and beavers, to our once pristine rivers and waterways.
This was the biggest march for nature the UK has ever seen – well-organised, well-executed, legal and family-friendly. Police officers lined the route, many of them wearing stickers handed out by the crowd. The atmosphere was jubilant and friendly – people from all over the country, all walks of life, united by one common aim: the urgent need to Restore Nature Now.
Outside of London, the march had less impact. Neither the BBC nor ITV reported on it at all. Channel Four news focused on the presence of Dame Emma Thompson (lending her unmistakable voice to the thousands in attendance). Aside from The Guardian and The Independent, barely a ripple was made through mainstream media… although the collective social impact mustn’t be diminished. The march attracted millions of views and shares – with many attendees streaming live from the event, enabling those all over the world to witness rousing closing speeches from Steve Backshall, Billy Bragg and Chris Packham.
The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, National Trust, WWF, Extinction Rebellion – and over 300 grassroot groups, charities and NGOs – walked, side by side, as London’s streets came to a standstill – all traffic and buses diverted around the pedestrianised centre; the air ringing with chants of ‘Restore Nature Now’.
The five aims of this march are simple. We demand that UK politicians show strong domestic and global nature and climate leadership by:
1. Providing more funding to ensure a nature-friendly farming approach
2. Making polluters pay for the damage they do to the environment
3. Creating more space for nature by expanding and improving protected areas and public land
4. Putting a legal right to a healthy environment in law – ensuring clean air and water , plus access to nature for all communities
5. Delivering fair and effective climate action that means we halve UK emissions by 2030.
WE NEED TO PROTEST WORLDWIDE.