Act now to invest in nature or face biodiversity collapse and further pandemics, ‘Wildlife Conservation 20’ warns G20

 From Wildlife Conservation 20

A new initiative involving 20 of the world’s leading conservation organisations today issued an unprecedented joint declaration to the G20 calling for urgent action to invest in nature to protect biodiversity and reduce the risk of future pandemics.

World leaders gathering in Riyadh this weekend have an unparalleled opportunity to build into COVID-19 economic recovery long-lasting action to conserve planetary health and reset human interactions with nature. 

While the exact source of the virus remains uncertain, scientists agree that just like HIV, Ebola, SARS, Bird Flu, and MERS, COVID-19 is zoonotic: it jumped from animals to people, likely as a result of our increasing interaction with wildlife. 

The pandemic, which has killed 1.3 million people to date and affected hundreds of millions more, stands as one of the starkest and most urgent warnings yet that our current relationship with nature is unsustainable. 

Investment in nature - including ending deforestation, controlling the wildlife trade, and enhancing livelihoods of people living in or depending on natural landscapes - is not a luxury to consider alongside pandemic recovery, the WC20 said. 

Protecting biodiversity is perhaps the most important component of government recovery plans that will significantly reduce the risk of future pandemics and avoid similar or greater human, economic, and environmental harm. 

The cost of these investments is a fraction of the estimated $26 trillion in economic damage COVID-19 has already caused. By one recent estimate, $700 billion a year would reverse the decline in biodiversity by 2030. That’s about one-fortieth the cost of the economic fallout from the current pandemic. 

Much of this does not need to be new money. A significant proportion of this investment could come from redirecting existing harmful financing, for example in subsidies that encourage deforestation and environmental destruction. 

Investing in planetary health including directing climate finance towards nature-based solutions drives green growth and green jobs, and takes us a long way towards tackling the effects of climate change and meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate. 

With lives and livelihoods adversely affected by COVID-19 across the globe, there is public consensus and support as never before for governments to act now to protect and re-establish a healthier relationship with nature.

This is the watershed moment that prompted the formation of the Wildlife Conservation 20, or WC20, uniting 20 of the most prominent conservation NGOs at the forefront of protecting wildlife and ecosystems. 

The WC20 represents the voice of this conservation community, which has come together to articulate the steps needed to seize this unprecedented opportunity. 

In a joint statement, the WC20 said: “COVID-19 has been a wake up call to everyone on this planet. Now is the time to value and invest in nature by developing sustainable nature-based economic stimulus packages that embrace a One Health approach and address long-term planetary health, food security, poverty alleviation, climate change, and biodiversity loss and work towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“That is why the WC20 calls on the G20 nations to implement greater investment in addressing this critical present imbalance with nature. Otherwise, the natural world, on which we all rely, will not be safeguarded for the long-term well-being and security of current and future human generations, and for all life on earth.” 

Ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 21 and 22 November in Riyadh, Space for Giants and ESI Media on 19 November hosted a high-level virtual summit of CEOs and senior executives from the WC20 to agree a joint declaration identifying priority actions for world leaders. 

“Covid-19 is a terrible, terrible reminder of what can happen if we don’t respect nature, and there are many other signs, in loss of species, in deforestation, in pollution,” said Dr Max Graham, CEO of Space for Giants. 

“This really is a watershed moment when public opinion is massively supportive of the G20 governments taking the measures needed to protect wildlife and the natural world. They can also act and know that it’s cheaper to invest in nature to reduce the risk of pandemics, than to deal with the awful economic fallout they cause.” 

The full text of the Declaration is available at spaceforgiants.org/WC20. In summary, the WC20’s recommendations are:

• Policy and Implementation: Strengthen, sufficiently resource, and implement existing international and domestic legislation, and enact new legislation, to ensure the legal, sustainable, and traceable use of natural resources including wildlife, that no longer threatens human or animal health.
• Law Enforcement: Scale up financial and technical support for law enforcement in key wildlife source states, transit hubs and destination countries/territories. Adopt a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to help create an effective deterrent to wildlife crime.
• Safeguard Natural Ecosystems: Secure government support, adequate finances, and technical expertise to effectively protect and manage natural ecosystems and wildlife so that they are valued and safeguarded, and become generators of economic wealth, and commit to scale this up to 30% of land and sea over the coming decade.
• Support Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities: Recognise and respect the rights of IPLCs living within and/or depending on natural ecosystems, to improve human well-being, alleviate the pressures of human-wildlife coexistence, and reduce, halt, and reverse the loss of natural habitats and the associated wildlife they hold. 
• Reduce Demand: Work with government authorities, stakeholders, civil society, and major influencers to inform the public about the dangers of zoonotic spillovers and how to lower their risks. Raise public awareness about, and reduce demand for, illegally and/or unsustainably exploited wildlife and their products.

These organisations make up the WC20: 

 

African Parks	African Wildlife Foundation	BirdLife International	Born Free Foundation
Conservation International	Education for Nature Vietnam	Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime	Environmental Investigation Agency
Fauna & Flora International	Frankfurt Zoological Society	Freeland	Jane Goodall Institute
Paradise Foundation International	Space for Giants	The Nature Conservancy	TRAFFIC
WildAid	Wildlife Conservation Society	WWF	ZSL (Zoological Society of London)

Brent Central CLP 'deplores' removal of whip from Jeremy Corbyn and calls for its restoration

 

 

Brent Central Constituency Labour Party has passed the following motion regarding the removal of the parliamentary whip from Jeremy Corbyn:

Brent Central CLP welcomes the reinstatement of Jeremy Corbyn to the Labour Party.

We believe that Jeremy Corbyn is a man who has for decades championed powerfully the values of anti-racism, internationalism and solidarity, as both a Labour MP and the Leader of the Labour Party. We express our solidarity to him, and all those who have campaigned for his reinstatement.

We therefore deplore Keir Starmer's unwarranted intervention to deny Jeremy Corbyn's parliamentary whip. At a time when we should be fighting the pernicious effects of austerity, privatisation and failing capitalism, this decision – which does not seem to be grounded in truth nor justice – greatly damages the labour movement.

We call on Keir Starmer to immediately restore Jeremy Corbyn's parliamentary whip.

UPDATED: 999: Join the battle to save Wembley Ambulance Station from imminent closure

The London Ambulance service has given notice to its staff that they intend to close Wembley ambulance station as of the 1st Dec 2020 and relocate the resource to Kenton ambulance station.

 

This closure will leave a gulf in-between Kenton and Wembley that will be substantial, especially on event days. This gulf will also be impacted by the closure of Greenford, Ruislip, and Hayes ambulance stations, meaning the distance and time to get to critically ill patients will increase within the North of London area. 

 

The closure would occur in  the middle of a pandemic at a time of peak winter illness and falls, in a multi-racial community suffering from disproportionate numbers of Covid19 cases. A resource is being taken away from an area with a rapidly growing population as the result of high-rise developments In Alperton, Wembley Central and Wembley Park – areas close to the ambulance station.

Unison sets out its concerns:

1.We are concerned that Brent has one of the fastest growing populations in London, with a significant projected change in population in the two largest developments closest to Wembley Ambulance station will increase the population in the area by an average of 129%. 

 

Additionally, the borough’s population is projected to continue to grow by an expected 25%. This population explosion is greater than any other London borough.

 

These figures are compounded by the fact that the electoral ward is ranked 7th out of 317 in London for size and density of the population and sits high as one of the most deprived areas of London. Meaning that timely access to health care is paramount, which Wembley’s current location offers to our community.

 

The service believes that the impact of removing Wembley ambulance station will be minimal but I feel that they have not factored in the other surrounding station closures or the significant growth of the borough of Brent but also its surrounding boroughs.

 

2. Health & Social Care Act (2012), states that there is a requirement to consult the local community before the proposed withdrawal of NHS services:

 

·         Reduce inequalities between patients with respect to their ability to access health services

·         Reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them.

·         Promote the involvement of patients and their carers in decisions about provision of the health services to them

 ·         Enable patients to make choices with respect to aspects of health services provided to them

 

The Health & Social Care Act (2012) places a requirement upon the London Ambulance Service NHS trust in engage with the communities it serves.

 

It is vital that the service is intelligence and evidence led when commissioning services to meet the needs of the communities. Currently we have not directly involved our local community and allowed them to directly influence our day-to-day work. This engagement needs to  be relevant and reflective of the population and based on up-to-date information from the trust and stakeholder’s and partners.

 

The current policy also fails to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act (2010), particularly in relation to Equality Delivery System (EDS2). The London Ambulance Service is failing to attain equality of care whilst not meeting an individual’s human rights goals. These goals include, but not limited to: 

 

·         Improved patient access and experience

·         Empowered, engaged and well supported staff

 

To make EDS2 work, it is extremely important that the community is involved in any process, thus ensuring that we meet the needs of groups that have “protected characteristics”.

 

The removal of Wembley ambulance station denies the community a timely access to care thus tarnishing the patient experience and their impression of the London Ambulance service within the communities we serve. Especially with the closure of the surrounding stations.

 

3. The initial move of staff to Kenton was to aid the services response to the pandemic, we fully supported the service in this with the expectation that all staff would be returned to Wembley station one pressure on the service reduces.

 

We accept that the service should remain in a ‘state of readiness’. However, we have already proved our flexibility and ‘agility’ and that we can re-consolidate ‘overnight’ if the service becomes under significant pressure again due to a) increasing numbers of seriously ill patients and b) impact on resourcing due to high staff absences.

 

However, things have changed over the past weeks and with the service seemingly attempting to speed up the estate consolidation process with a flagrant disregard to how this will impact on the staff members or the communities we serve.

 

Wembley station is fully serviceable and has passed all Health & Safety inspections, meeting the Government Covid compliance requirements which would ease the overcrowding concerns by consolidation of stations on the group.

 

To oppose the closure please write to your local Brent MP, spread the information via social media and feedback to the ambulance service with your views https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/talking-with-us/enquiries-feedback-complaints/

 Cllr Ketan Sheth, Chair of Brent Council Scrutiny Committee, tweeted a comitment to scrutinise the decision shortly after details were pub lished in the Kilburn Times. He is concerned about the lack of consultaion with local people and councillors.

 

 Note:  Carolyn Downs is the Chief Executive of Brent Council

Advocates of the closure proposal are arguing that Wembley has been operating for a while from Kenton during Covid19 and the arrangement has worked well without any impact on  efficiency and call-out times. Having them all at one base to prepare the vehicles for the shift has proved beneficial. Vehicles do not normally return to base but go from job to job from dispersed positions. Wembley has been subject to flooding and the landlord wants to surrender the lease in December.

Responding the Unison representative said:

The people of Wembley deserve a dedicated Ambulance station and have benefited from it presence for over 45 years on its current site.The ongoing growth in the Borough and the further closure of Ambulance Stations neighbouring Wembley will leave large gaps in cover and could increase waiting times for the most seriously unwell patients.

There was an escape of water in the station. The station has been inspected and no H&S concerns have been raised and still has the ability to re open and be fully operational. 

We are ready to return and continue to serve our local community. 

The move of Wembley to Kenton was meant to be a temporary measure to help the service in its fight against Covid-19,which we fully supported. 

 

This threat has not gone away and all NHS staff are still fighting! 

 

The staff are rightly proud to deliver high quality care in such difficult times. 

It is obvious that the impact has not been felt in efficiency and call times, as l suspect that this is a direct result of the  country being in lock down! 

Once life returns to normal and we can all attend concerts, football matches and enjoy a meal out the entire Wembley area will be back to normal, gridlocked with thousands of people in the area on event days! I would imagine the impact of closing Ambulance stations will then be felt by the patients and the public alike.

The Ambulance Service has elected to close the station before the lease is up in April 2021 and are yet to provide any evidence that the landlord wants the station off the land.

The Mayor of Brent fully supports the re-opening of Wembley Ambulance station as do community groups.

 

 

 

 

 

End of an era as Wembley Stadium Pedway demolition begins

The demolition of the famous pedway link to Wembley Stadium from Olympic Way began today and should be finished over the weekend.  There were only a few spectators there today who seeemed to have been caught by surprise as the noise of demolition echoed across the area and reverberated in the nearby Sainsbury's store.

Opinions vary on whether the replacement steps will be an improvement on the pedway ramp with some concerned about steps either end of Olympic Way - at Wembley Park station and the stadium.

Initially the case for replacement was based on the aesthetic benefit to the area of the steps, expanded to them representing an iconic gateway to the Quintain estate attracting more visitors to the area and providing additional public space for visitors and commercial opportunities.

In exchange for the £17.8million of Community Infrastructure Brent Council agreed to pay for the Olympic Way improvements, Quintain agreed not to build on the plot next to the library entrance side of the Civic Centre. LINK Apparently Brent Council were concerned that their flagship building would be hemmed in by all the high-rises surrounding it.

The £17.8m could of course have been spent on improvements to local infrastructure of more immediate and practical benefit to local residents.

 

OPDC launches new consultation on Old Oak Plan modifications

 

From Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)

Following the Public Examination with the Planning Inspector last year, we have made some proposed changes – or in planning terms, ‘modifications’ - to our draft Local Plan. Although most of it is largely the same, we are no longer bringing forward our plans for housing in Old Oak North and have identified other sites where we can bring forward new affordable homes, jobs, public space and facilities.

A report to OPDC’s Board in October 2020 provides an overview of these proposed modifications. The Board report and appendices can be viewed at the following links

1. Board Report on OPDC’s proposed draft Local Plan modifications 
2. Appendix 1 Work Programme
3. Appendix 2 Proposed draft Local Plan Modifications 

 

We are currently in the process of engaging with landowners and community  stakeholders on the proposed modifications, drafting policy changes and compiling evidence. We plan to submit these proposed changes to the Planning Inspector in February 2021, and we’ll be holding a formal public consultation in the spring. Before that, we would like to invite you to one of two public online engagement sessions to be held on:

• Tuesday 24 November 18:30 -19:30
• Monday 30 November 12:30- 13:30 (this session will be recorded)

During the sessions we will present the proposed changes and next steps. This will be followed by a Q&A discussion where you can ask questions. 

If you would like to attend either session, please contact the planning team on planningpolicy@opdc.london.gov.uk or 020 7983 5732. Alternatively, you can sign up here. 

Brent Council Housing Lead's response to 'End Our Cladding Scandal' demands

Cllr Hassan (Kilburn ward)

Cllr Faduma Hassan has received an answer to her backbencher's question to Cllr Eleanor Southwood lead member for Housing and Welfare Reform tabled for next week' Council Meeting. The question and answer are below.  

Cllr Southwood  expresses sympathy for the plight of leaseholders trapped in properties that they cannot sell for want of an EWS1 certificate and states that she supports the 10 Steps put forward by the 'End Our Cladding Scandal'  campaing. She reveals that there are potential problems with the external fabric of  four First Wave Housing blocks.  A fire watch has been put in place in those blocks.

First Wave Housing (FWH) is a company which is wholly owned by Brent Council. FWH is a registered provider for social housing, managing 331 properties. FWH was set up to manage properties previously owned by Brent Housing Partnership (BHP).

Question from Councillor Faduma Hassan to Councillor Eleanor Southwood, Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform:

Since the loss of 72 lives in Grenfell Tower, 176 private blocks with dangerous ACM cladding have been discovered, but only 10 have seen the necessary safety work completed. Through no fault of their own many leaseholders are facing bills of up to £70,000 to pay for the necessary remediation work – and years of disruption.

The scale of this crisis demands a national response, but more than three years on since the fire at Grenfell Tower, thousands of Londoners, including residents in Brent; continue to live in unsafe accommodation.

Will the Cabinet Member for Housing Welfare and Reform lend their support to the ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ 10-step plan below and highlight the work undertaken by Brent Council to enhance fire safety protections within council homes?

10 steps to End Our Cladding Scandal;

1.    The government must lead an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022.

2.    The Building Safety Fund must cover all buildings, regardless of height, and a range of internal and external fire safety defects, not just cladding.

3.    The government should provide the money up front and then seek to recover it from any responsible parties or via a temporary levy on development.

4.    Social housing providers must have full and equal access to the fund.

5.    The government must compel building owners or managers to be honest with residents about fire safety defects.

6.    The government should cover the cost of interim safety measures.

7.    The government should act as an insurer of last resort and underwrite insurance where premiums have soared.

8.    A fairer, faster process is needed to replace the EWS form and funding is necessary to ensure all buildings requiring a form are surveyed within 12 months.

9.    Mental health support must be offered to affected residents.

10. Protecting residents from historic and future costs must be a key commitment of new building safety legislation.

Response:

Leaseholders across Brent are being put in an unacceptable position: being expected to foot the bill for hugely expensive fire-related safety works and/or not being clear on how safe their building is and if/when something will be done about it.

In the meantime, many people are unable to sell or remortgage their homes. Earlier this year, the Government extended the use of External Wall Survey Review (EWS1) to buildings of any height, rather than only high-rise blocks. The forms are required by most mortgage lenders. To make matters worse, there is a shortage of fire engineers to do the surveys and complete the forms, leading to delays and increased uncertainty for leaseholders.

The stress and anxiety that Government failure to take proper action on this cannot be underestimated. I support the 10 steps identified in the ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ campaign.

As a landlord, the council takes its responsibility to be open with residents about safety issues seriously and we are continuing to implement works and improvement as quickly and effectively as possible.

We have carried out external wall insulation surveys of 40 Council high-rise blocks that are over 18m high. Issues needing remediation have either been programmed for works or are being investigated further. We have identified potential problems with the external fabric of four First Wave Housing blocks and will carry out intrusive investigations. However our initial findings indicate that remedial action may be necessary and a waking-watch arrangement has been put in place.

With regards to low-rise properties, we are nearing completion of comprehensively upgrading the fire safety of the communal areas of 1100 blocks including the provision of fire doors to resident flat front entrances. The programme will be complete by March 2021.

We have also carried out external wall insulation surveys of 86 privately owned blocks. From the findings it is clear some privately owned blocks are likely to require remediation work and their building owners have been notified of the problems we found. We have also reported our findings to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Reacting to Cllr Southwood's response Lucie Gutfreund, leaseholder in South Kilburn and #EndOurCladdingScandal campaigner, said:

As a Brent resident affected by the cladding crisis and co-founding member of the #EndOurCladdingScandal campaign, I am pleased that Cabinet member Eleanor Southwood has expressed her support for the EOCS campaign’s aims. The main challenge in the borough of Brent is to hold  the developers and private owners of affected buildings responsible.  They continue to drag their feet on cladding remediation of high-risk buildings and the surveying of buildings of yet unknown risk. Whilst no doubt the resolution of the many problems lies with the Government, we hope that leaseholders in privately owned buildings can count on Brent Council’s support to apply pressure on private building owners and housing associations to establish full transparency with leaseholders and tenants about building safety issues. 

 

We want Brent to set clear expectations that developers, private owners and housing associations will rectify building defects caused by failure in building regulations and skimming by developers, without passing the costs on to leaseholders. We look forward to constructive talks with Brent’s Cabinet members on how Brent Council can support residents affected by the cladding scandal.

 

 

Twin oaks of Salmon Street are safe

 

 The oak trees today

Yesterday  morning a Brent Fightback Facebook member saw work going on at the twin oak trees at the corner of Salmon Street and Queens Walk and fearing that the mature trees were about to be removed, raised the alarm.

Number 44 Queens Walk is the site of the controversial demolition of a detached suburban house to make way for a block of flats.

Brent tree protectors swung into action and soon ascertained that the trees were protected.  Gary Rimmer, Brent Trees Officer, told Wembley Matters that the trees were being 'reduced' by a reputable firm of arboculturalists.  He said that the new development was being built back from the road to leave room for the tree roots.

Much relief all round but is is good to know that locals have their eyes open, especially as Salmon Street has some lovely specimen trees.

Detectives investigating Northwick Park murder renew appeal for information as they name the teenage victim.

From the Metropolitan Police

Police were called at 15:50hrs on Thursday, 12 November to Northwick Park in Harrow, following reports of a stabbing close to the underpass leading to Northwick Park Underground Station.

Officers attended, and a 17-year-old was found suffering from stab injuries. He was given first aid at the scene by officers prior to the arrival of the London Ambulance Service. 

Despite the best efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at 16:31hrs.

He has been named as Jamalie Maleek Deacon Matthew, from the Harrow area. His next of kin have been informed.

Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command (Homicide) are investigating.

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Topping, said:  

I am urging anyone who witnessed the moments leading up to Jamalie’s murder, or the stabbing itself, to come forward and speak with us. A young man has lost his life in the most tragic and needless of circumstances. His, and his family’s future, has been taken from them. 

I need to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time; I am certain that someone has that piece of information that will help us to trace the person responsible. Please do the right thing, and come forward.

Jamalie’s family, said: 

The whole family is deeply saddened and utterly devastated about the passing of Jamalie. We all knew of his ambition to study Law, and coming to terms with the tragedy that has unfolded still feels so surreal. We are pleading with the public to share any piece of information regarding this incident.

There have been no arrests made at this time and enquiries continue.

Anyone who has information, video / images that could assist police is asked to call the incident room on 020 8358 0100 or via 101 quoting reference Cad 4735/12Nov.

If you don’t want to speak to the police, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.