On 15th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill on the fourth day of the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Votes: Environment Bill
Tag: Environment Bill 2021
Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester urges increased protection for ecological sites
On 13th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the third day of the report stage. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in the debate, advocating for limits on government powers to reduce terms of protection for ecological sites:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I draw attention to my interest as a Church Commissioner, as set out in the register, and I wish to support what the noble Baroness just said: 30 years is rather a short period of time. I am grateful for the way the Minister, in proposing Amendments 86 and 88, is showing us the possibility of some flexibility in the future, but may I just tempt him a little further?
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester urges increased protection for ecological sites”Votes: Environment Bill
On 13th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Environment Bill: Bishop of Oxford supports amendments centering environmental impact
On 8th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the second day of the report stage. The Bishop of Oxford spoke in support of two amendments intended to ensure that future decision making in this area would have regard to environmental principles first and foremost, and a further amendment ensuring the independence of the Office for Environmental Protection:
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I shall speak in favour of Amendments 19 and 20, and passionately so.
Many members of your Lordships’ House have spoken of the urgency of the crisis before us; just yesterday, the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch issued a powerful joint statement. They appealed to those with “far-reaching responsibilities”—including ourselves—to
“make short-term sacrifices to safeguard all our futures; become leaders in the transition to just and sustainable economies.”
There can be no exceptions.
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Oxford supports amendments centering environmental impact”Votes: Environment Bill
On 8th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Environment Bill: Archbishop of York
On 6th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the first day of the report stage. The Archbishop of York spoke in the debate, supporting an amendment which would require the government to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency:
The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, in the Book of Common Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer says:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
in earth as in heaven.”
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Archbishop of York”Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on sustainable forestry
On 12th July 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the seventh day of the committee stage. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in the debate, expressing his support for amendments focused on sustainable forestry:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is a particular pleasure to speak in the same debate as the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries of Pentregarth, from whose wisdom, when I was a very young bishop some 20 years ago, I learned a great deal. I also an honour to follow the noble Earl, Lord Caithness, who has reminded us, powerfully, of the crucial role that commercial forestry and good moorland management should be enabled to play. Hence, I draw your Lordships’ attention to my interests as set out in the register, specifically my deputy chairmanship of the Church Commissioners, which the noble and right reverend Lord famously once took to court. We are one of the foremost owners of sustainable commercial forestry in the UK and beyond.
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on sustainable forestry”Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments to preserve biodiversity
On 7th July 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the sixth day of the Committee stage. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in the debate, in support of a group of amendments aimed at preserving and protecting biodiversity in terms of land use regulations:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I draw your Lordships’ attention to my interests as set out in the register, specifically with the Church Commissioners—a significant owner of agricultural and development land. On matters of climate change, we are a leading edge and an awarding-winning investor, yet the Bill reminds us that climate is only part of the story.
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments to preserve biodiversity”Environment Bill: Bishop of Gloucester speaks in favour of establishing an independent body to scrutinise climate efforts
On 30th June 2021, the House of Lords debated the Environment Bill in the fourth day of the Committee Stage. The Bishop of Gloucester spoke, welcoming the bill and, on behalf of the Bishop of Oxford, expressed support for amendments aimed at ensuring independent scrutiny of government climate progress:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I add my voice in support of Amendments 105 and 107, and I shall speak to those amendments together. My right reverend friend the Lord Bishop of Oxford would have spoken to them, but is unable to be here, so I am glad to be able to speak and endorse what other noble Lords have said.
From this Bench, we welcome much of the content of the Bill, and we believe deeply in the importance of the good stewardship of creation. We recognise the need for global solutions to an international challenge and that any solutions will take leadership and require harmonising regulation on a global scale. As others have said, it is essential that the new OEP be given the appropriate teeth—not dentures, perhaps jaws—to hold business and government at all levels, national, regional and local, to account.
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Gloucester speaks in favour of establishing an independent body to scrutinise climate efforts”Environment Bill: Bishop of Salisbury makes plea for greater climate ambition in farewell speech
On 7th June 2021 the Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, made his final speech in the House of Lords before retirement, in the Second Reading debate on the Government’s Environment Bill:
The Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Valedictory Speech): My Lords, I have not been in the House in person since the first week of February. Sitting on the Front Bench earlier with the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Lincoln, I found myself wondering whether both of us had misjudged the timing of our retirements. I have led on the environment for the Church of England for seven years and have been a Member of the House for six. It has been a privilege as well as a responsibility and I am grateful to noble Lords who have spoken kindly of what has been achieved; of course, it could never be enough.
With an eye towards retirement, I had thought that last year, 2020, would have provided a good conclusion, with the Lambeth Conference of Bishops from the Anglican Communion, COP 26 and this Environment Bill. All were postponed, so I find myself standing for the last time in this House without the prospect of being able to engage in the detailed scrutiny and revision that will make what is, in many ways, a good Bill better. Of course, my colleagues will contribute, as the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Oxford has already. I thank the Minister for meeting the Bishops in preparation for this debate.
Continue reading “Environment Bill: Bishop of Salisbury makes plea for greater climate ambition in farewell speech”
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