A letter to the future, from RSPB

10.46.00am GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

I've joined a campaign to protect our natural world by signing the RSPB's "Letter to the Future."

The letter calls for better investment in nature by politicians, urging them to consider our natural as well as our financial future when making decisions about how to tackle the country's pressing economic problems.

The RSPB aims to get tens of thousands of signatures to the letter before the general election, showing the government that people care about nature as well as the economy and want to see it protected for the benefit of future generations.

In tackling the financial crisis we need to remember the even more serious crisis facing the natural world. Habitats are being lost, species face extinction and the threat of damaging climate change is still there.

Future generations will pay for the economic recovery package. The least we can do is send them a decent environment down the years.

RSPB head of sustainable development Martin Harper said, "The government faces tough economic decisions but these mustn't be taken at the expense of the environment. We're calling on the government to recognise this and ensure future generations will be able to appreciate the natural world as we do. It's vital that politicians support us in this campaign and we are grateful to Trevor Carbin for lending his support."

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Here's the text of the letter:

I'm writing this to make sure our children have a chance of growing up in a world worth living in.

Today there's still time to save nature.

If we act now, our children may yet be able to share their world with sparrows and polar bears, eagles and tigers. There's still a chance that they'll inherit a world where the engines of life - the air, seas, rivers and forests - are healthy. Where bluebell woods and rainforests won't be lost forever.

Yes, I accept that recovery from recession has meant spending billions of pounds - one way or another future generations will have to pay for this. The least we can do is use this money to create a future they'll thank us for. I want governments to invest in a healthy economy and a healthy environment. As well as protecting jobs, I want them to tackle climate change and to protect our seas, countryside and wildlife.

I'm signing this letter to show I care deeply about nature and the world we're creating for our children. In years to come I hope they'll be able to see that their world is a richer one because of the action we took today.

I'm hoping that many thousands of people will join me in signing it.

Yours in hope,

Trevor Carbin

South West Wiltshire

March 3rd 2010.

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www.rspb.org.uk

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