Manifesto for the London mayor

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The society is a member of the More Natural Capital coalition of 19 organisations which has set out its top ten priorities for the London mayoral election on 2 May 2024.

We are particularly pleased that the manifesto supports our Open Spaces Charter and our call for new town and village greens.

We urge our London members to use this manifesto to win commitments from your mayoral candidates.

This year’s mayoral elections take place on 2 May. Photo: Timur Valiev

Nature based solutions to the combined climate and biodiversity crises  

1. Stand up to threats to London’s existing green spaces including Green Belt, Metropolitan Open Land, ancient woodland, registered parks or gardens, and other green space of community value.  Keeping trees and other plants in the ground is even more effective as climate action than new planting – which takes time to be impactful.

2. Call for sufficient government and local authority funding for London’s green spaces. This is currently a major concern and threat to their quality and impact on public wellbeing. Endorse Parks Charter and Charter for Open Spaces and call for funds to be put in place to enable more green spaces reach the standard needed to qualify for Green Flag Awards.

3. Encourage local authorities and publicly-spirited landowners to register more sites as town or village greens – leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of protected green spaces to which the public has enshrined rights of access for recreation.

4. Plant 1,000 hectares of new tree canopy cover by 2030. Achieve this by supporting the creation of a Tree Ring around the capital, combined with a network of planting across the city with a particular focus on addressing areas of green space deficiency.

5. Support creation of at least 10 major new parks or nature reserves for London by 2030.  This will give a clear identity to extensive areas of underused land, making them accessible and welcoming – and leave a life-enriching legacy to future generations of Londoners.

6. Get London growing more of its own food.  Specifically, support creation of 150 new community orchards and six new large community-farms incorporating nature friendly management.  As well as the climate and biodiversity benefits, these will create new green jobs, provide education and volunteering opportunities, and help build stronger communities.

Greener and healthier streets for all

7. Support emergency rain garden construction of the 357,000 rain gardens Thames Water says we need to help reduce flooding and water pollution, with completion by 2040 and the majority built by 2035, not 2050 as currently stated.  Each one to take rainfall from 200 sqm of ‘grey’ space.

8. Create 1,000 garden streets or street parks by 2030 in areas where residents don’t have enough green space.

9. Support and showcase best practice in creation of new low traffic neighbourhoods across London encouraging more people to walk or cycle in greener and safer streets – providing model for others to follow nationally and internationally.

10. Get more people walking by rolling out the Footways Network of green and attractive, low-pollution streets connecting iconic destinations and public spaces across Greater London.  Make it easier for people to find the best walking routes by distributing free copies of Central London Footways maps from tube stations  

 

 

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