Survey from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management reveals 93 per cent of respondents believe EU has benefited the UK's natural environment
Environmental professionals are set to overwhelmingly reject the case for Brexit in the upcoming EU referendum, according to a new poll from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), which suggests the bulk of its members are concerned about the environmental implications of the UK leaving the EU.
The group, which represents over 4,500 environmental managers and experts from the public and private sectors, surveyed over 840 of its members and found 93 per cent believe the EU has been beneficial for the UK's natural environment.
Clear majorities also expressed concerns leaving the EU would result in negative impacts in a range of environmental fields.
For example, nine out of 10 respondents said they were concerned about "significant negative impacts" for the protection of certain wildlife species in the event of Brexit.
Meanwhile, 89 per cent voiced fears for the protection of the natural environment as a whole, 77 per cent said they were concerned about the potential impact on water quality, and 70 per cent said they were worried about how improvements in air quality would be impacted.
Respondents also raised concerns about the loss of access to EU environmental funding for key green initiatives and the ability to deliver co-ordinated climate policies across Europe in the event of the UK voting to exit the bloc.
In addition, respondents raised concerns about the UK government's willingness to prioritise environmental protection.
"Over 85 per cent of respondents did not believe that current UK environmental policies would have been delivered to the standard that they are now if we had remained outside the EU, whilst nine per cent were unsure and five per cent said environmental standards would have been the same," the report stated. "Some respondents indicated a considerable lack of confidence in the current government that it would prioritise the natural environment if the UK left the EU."
Some Brexit campaigners, such as London Mayoral candidate and environmental campaigner Zac Goldsmith, have argued leaving the EU would not result in the UK watering down its green policies. However, the campaign is also backed by notable climate sceptics and some commentators have suggested the UK could reduce energy bills if it left the EU, hinting they could scrap renewable energy and carbon targets.
Dr Stephanie Wray, CIEEM president, said Brexit would bring with it considerable risks for the environmental sector.
"Good management of the natural environment in the UK, which, for the last 20 years at least, has been largely based on meeting the requirements of EU Directives, is vital if we are to enhance our biodiversity and maintain fully functional ecosystems," she said. "Ninety per cent of respondents said that leaving the EU would have significant negative impacts upon wildlife conservation, and 85 per cent do not believe that environmental protection could be delivered to the same standard if the UK was outside of the EU.
"A change in regulatory regime, or worse, a policy vacuum, would be disastrous at a time of high development activity, both for the environment, and for the delivery of major projects without a clear legislative framework."
The results were welcomed by Green Party MEP for the South East, Keith Taylor, who said the report provided a "welcome reflection of the overwhelming support amongst environmental experts for the UK's continued membership of the EU".
"What this survey reinforces is the recognition that a UK outside the EU would have disastrous consequences for our natural environment and the protection of British wildlife," he added. "This is incredibly important as the government continues to drop some heavy hints about what would happen to our environmental rules if we quit the EU. Ministers are trying their best to water down air pollution rules, the Chancellor believes the EU nature laws place 'ridiculous costs' on British firms and, most worryingly of all, the government is vigorously stripping away support for clean energy and renewable technology in the UK."
The report comes just days after a separate study from the Institute for European Environmental Policy warned there was considerable uncertainty over how a host of environmental policies and regulations would be impacted in the event of the UK leaving the EU and either joining the European Economic Area or quitting the bloc altogether.
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