Plan to restore nature in England by 2030 criticised as ‘completely insufficient’

A hawthorn tree on a hillside in the Peak District. Countries have committed to restoring 30% of nature by 2030. Photograph: Andrew Kearton/Alamy

The government’s plan to protect and restore nature in England by 2030 has been condemned as “pathetic” and “completely insufficient” in the face of the spiralling environmental crisis.

The long-awaited plan published on Monday calls for landowners to voluntarily opt to protect and enhance nature, rather than creating legal protections for nature across more of the country’s land, critics say.