A new National Nature Reserve is being formally created today (15 November) by Natural England in Ennerdale, West Cumbria. It will be the largest nature reserve in the county and the 9th largest in England.

The new ‘Wild Ennerdale National Nature Reserve’ will cover over 3000 hectares of landscape comprising water, forests and mountains.  This formal declaration is among the first ‘Super NNR’s’ in England. Super NNRs are recognised for their landscape-scale approach to partnership working.

The Wild Ennerdale Partnership began 20 years ago and has a vision to allow natural processes to shape the ecology and landscapes within the valley.  It brings together four organisations: Forestry England, National Trust, United Utilities and Natural England.

Work over almost two decades has significantly improved nature recovery in the Ennerdale landscape and sustainable grazing has been promoted across grasslands, forests and open fells.

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

Wild Ennerdale is a diverse and varied landscape which supports some of our most unique and precious wildlife, including Red Squirrels, the Freshwater Pearl Mussels that dwell in the river there and which can live for 100 years, and the Arctic Charr – a fish that has hung on in the valley since the last Ice Age.

We have been working with partners for some years to improve this already amazing place and its declaration as a National Nature Reserve will enhance the spectacular landscape, wildlife and habitats, safeguarding them for the future while providing space for people to get close to wild Nature. National Nature Reserves are at the very centre of our ambition to create a vibrant national Nature Recovery Network comprised of bigger and better places for both wildlife and people. The Ennerdale partnership is a great example of what we have in mind and shows how working together can achieve that aim.

Environment Minister Trudy Harrison said:

Ennerdale Valley is a haven for fish, birds and insects and provides much treasured access to green space for local people. The declaration today strengthens our commitment to nature’s recovery and our ambitions under the 25 Year Environment Plan to leave the natural world in a better state than we found it. 

Support from local communities is essential for the success of National Nature Reserves, and it’s vital that we work together to protect the future of these wildlife habitats. I hope the partnership will continue to build strong relationships with local landowners, communities and farmers – who are custodians of the countryside – to develop sustainable uses for these sites.

Ennerdale Water in the valley is home to the Arctic Charr – a fish that has survived here since the ice age – and the River Ehen, which flows out of the lake, hosts the biggest population of freshwater mussels in England.

The valley is encased by woodlands of Atlantic oakwood, rich with bryophytes, lichens, and conifers which are a vital habitat for red squirrels. As altitude increases out of the valley, woodlands are replaced by montane heath where nationally rare plants such as shrubby cinquefoil and alpine saw-wort can be spotted.

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) were established to protect some of England’s most important habitats, species and geology, provide ‘outdoor laboratories’ for research and offer opportunities to the public, volunteers, schools and specialist interest groups to experience wildlife and nature first-hand, along with learning more about nature conservation and benefits for nature and society.

Rachel Oakley on behalf of the Wild Ennerdale Partnership said:

We’re delighted to achieve NNR status for this beautiful Lake District valley. We are constantly reminded of the nature and climate crisis we face now and for the future and this announcement (today) shows how working together and prioritising nature can reap rewards for us all”.

These landscapes are constantly evolving and need to be ‘fit for purpose’ to adapt and respond to the many challenges we face. Nature can thrive if given space and a helping hand and we are seeing tangible results of that in Ennerdale. We are doing this through partnership working and today is very much about acknowledging and thanking the wide range of individuals and groups locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally who have supported this journey to date. NNR status is about prioritising nature recovery and will continue to do that at scale, along with many other great projects around the county”.

It’s fitting that Wild Ennerdale becomes the largest NNR in the county as we mark the 70th anniversary this year of the first NNR’s back in 1952”.

The announcement today demonstrates how the Government is delivering on the Environment Act – a key target of which is to halt the decline in our wildlife populations through a legally binding target for species abundance by 2030.

England’s first Nature Reserve was created on 19 May 1952. Wild Ennerdale is the 221st site to be formally recognised, with sites spanning more than 106,000ha across England. These ‘nature hotspots’ are key to restoring nature across England and helping to bring green spaces and wildlife to everyone, including those who live in towns and cities.

• G20 meeting this week is the largest summit of major economies since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
• The UK and allies will use talks to call out Putin’s actions and their devastating, far-reaching impact on global food and energy prices
• A new generation of British frigates will bolster the UK’s defences and sustain 4,000 UK jobs

The Prime Minister is in Indonesia today (Tuesday) for the first meeting of the G20 in the group’s 15-year history held in the shadow of a major European war instigated by one of its members.

The summit comes as countries grapple with the ramifications of Putin’s brutality and disregard for sovereignty, with rising costs of food and energy hitting the world’s poorest.

Russia has acted with disregard for sovereignty and international law – pillars of the stable international system the G20 was created to preserve. At this week’s meeting, the Prime Minister and his fellow leaders will call out Putin’s callous disregard for human rights and stress that Russia’s role in the international system will never be normalised while the war in Ukraine continues.

The UK and allies are taking steps to bolster their security in the face of increased Russian threats. Today the Prime Minister has announced the next phase in the Type 26 frigate programme, with a £4.2 billion contract awarded to BAE Systems to build five more ships for the Royal Navy – in addition to the three already under construction.

The project will support 1,700 jobs at the BAE systems sites in Govan and Scotstoun, Glasgow, over the next decade. 2,300 additional jobs will be supported in the supply chain across the UK.

The Prime Minister said:

“There can be no normalisation of Putin’s behaviour, which has no place in the international community.

“Russia’s actions put all of us at risk. As we give the Ukrainian people the support they need, we are also harnessing the breadth and depth of UK expertise to protect ourselves and our allies. This includes building the next generation of British warships.

“Putin and his proxies will never have a legitimate seat at the table until they end their illegal war in Ukraine. At the G20, the Putin regime – which has stifled domestic dissent and fabricated a veneer of validity only through violence – will hear the chorus of global opposition to its actions.”

The UK-pioneered Type 26 is an advanced warship with the primary purpose of anti-submarine warfare. It will work to protect the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent and Carrier Strike Group.

Maritime security is crucial for defending our island nation, enabling global trade, and for the ongoing operation of seabed energy and communications infrastructure. The importance and vulnerability of these connections was made clear in September when a series of explosions critically ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines, cutting off a major gas route to Europe.

Adversaries such as Russia are continually seeking to exploit any weaknesses in this area and any gaps in our security or that of our allies put our people and economies at risk.

Construction of all eight of the Type 26 frigates is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s. When operational, the ships can be deployed all over the world in defence of the UK and allies’ security.

Alongside calling out Russia’s behaviour, the Prime Minister will use the G20 Summit to reiterate the UK’s staunch support for Ukraine. As Chancellor the Prime Minister committed £4.1bn in direct support to Ukraine, including £2.3bn in vital military aid. Today the Prime Minister will re-commit to matching that level of spending on military support next year.

While Chancellor, the Prime Minister also spearheaded the UK’s contribution to a G7-wide cap on the price of Russian oil on international markets. Last week the UK introduced legislation to prevent countries using the UK’s maritime services to transport Russian oil unless it is purchased below the price cap – a hugely influential measure given the UK provides around 60% of global maritime insurance.

President Zelenskyy is expected to virtually address the first session of the G20 today, ensuring Russia is forced to reckon first-hand with the senseless violence they are inflicting.

The impact of this violence reaches beyond Ukraine and has forced a more difficult and dangerous future on people throughout the world. The most vulnerable people continue to be the ones who are suffering the most with rising food, energy and other costs.

The Prime Minister will use today’s meeting to emphasise the importance of the world’s most powerful economies reducing their dependence on Russian exports and supporting others to do the same.

We must ensure Putin’s attempt to divide the international community fails. That requires likeminded countries to end their dependence on Russian hydrocarbons and secure long-term energy supplies for our countries.

The UK quickly legislated to ban the import of Russian coal, oil and liquified natural gas. At the G20 we will continue our work with partners to completely phase out dependence on Russian energy, shifting to more reliable and less exploitative sources.

Thank you President.

Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine, including its attacks on civilians, schools, hospitals and power supplies, has caused and continues to cause immense damage and loss to Ukraine and its people.

In contrast, the scenes of relief and joy we have seen as Ukrainian civilians in Kherson greet the liberating Armed Forces of Ukraine should leave us in no doubt at the cruel and destructive nature of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It will take a broad international effort to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction in order to build a safe and prosperous future for the Ukrainian people.

But only one country, Russia, is responsible for the damage to Ukraine and it is absolutely right, as this resolution sets out, that Russia pay for that damage. Russia must be held to account for actions which are in clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter.

The United Kingdom supports Ukraine’s ambition to establish a register of damage to ensure that the evidence of the destruction caused by Russia is documented and preserved. This is an important first step in Ukrainian efforts to seek justice in accordance with international law. It is right that we begin that process now.

Putin must end his war of choice, end the lies and distortion, end the global devastation in its wake, and withdraw his troops from Ukraine.

We remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine, and for justice and compensation for the damage which Russia has caused. Thank you President.

Thank you, President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate and thanks France for its efforts as penholder to reconcile differing views of Council members.

Delegations made difficult compromises.

The United Kingdom is disappointed by the loss of agreed Responsibility to Protect language. But we maintain that the Government of the Central African Republic remains primarily responsible for the protection of all civilians from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, and that this issue will remain a key factor in future conversations.

This mandate renewal takes place in a difficult political and security context, and MINUSCA itself is facing significant challenges. But the Mission retains a key role in helping to build long-term peace in the Central African Republic. And while we recognise the views expressed by our A3 partners and welcome recent overall reductions in violations of the Status of Forces Agreement, we remain deeply concerned by night flight restrictions imposed by the government.

Such restrictions limit MINUSCA’s ability to implement its mandate and jeopardise the safety and security of peacekeepers and of civilians. We support new language in the mandate to address this critical issue. And we call on the authorities to ensure MINUSCA’s freedom of movement, with unhindered and immediate access throughout the territory of the Central African Republic, including by air and at night, as set out in the Mission’s Status of Forces Agreement.

President, with this mandate MINUSCA can continue to provide effective support to long-term stability in the country. It is now up to the government to deliver on their stated commitments: to protect civilians and human rights; to take definitive steps on the peace agreement; and to uphold MINUSCA’s freedom of movement.

Thank you.