Keep Britain Tidy announces ambitious new plan to ‘tackle big global issues with small local actions’. 

 

Over the last century, the constant pressure to buy more and more things has had a devastating impact on our planet. We are using up natural resources at an alarming rate and, in the process, we are producing mountains of litter and waste that are polluting our local environments. 

 

It is in the face of these challenges that environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy launches its new five-year plan to tackle big global issues with small local actions.  

 

Though climate change may feel overwhelming, the answers often lie in the simple, everyday choices we make at home, at work, and in our local communities. 

 

The 2024-2029 strategy comes at a time when the world is facing huge environmental pressures, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. And in the UK, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030 to help the planet stay below the critical 1.5°C threshold. 

 

Keep Britain Tidy's plan sets out three ambitious aims: 

 

• Reduce resource use, waste and litter 
• Help people live more sustainably 
• Improve the quality of public space 

 

Keep Britain Tidy’s CEO Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: "Our 'throw away' culture is causing us to use the Earth's resources at an alarming rate. We need to take action now to protect our planet for future generations. 

 

"Our new strategy sets out a bold vision for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future. We believe that everyone has a role to play, and that by working together, we can make a real difference. 

 

"We are calling on everyone to join us in our mission to think global but act local. By making small changes in our own lives, we can all make a big contribution to solving the environmental challenges on our doorstep, and love where we live!" 

 

Last month, to coincide with the political party conferences, Keep Britain Tidy also released its environmental manifesto, lobbying those in power to save the environment for everyone. 

 

The organisation’s new strategy also supports three of the UK Government's key environmental targets:  

 

• Help contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030 to keep below 1.5°C 
• Help to halt biodiversity decline by allocating 30% of space for nature by 2030 
• Help to reduce environmental degradation by eliminating avoidable waste and doubling resource productivity by 2050. 

 

Allison added: “We're calling on politicians to prioritise a deposit return scheme, commit to quality green space for all, and make polluters pay. 

 

“We are encouraging all parties to protect and transform local environments by incorporating these three critical demands for change into their own policies going into the next election. The changes we need are straightforward but significant.” 

 

The charity has a proven track record of success in getting people to take action for the environment. For example, the 5p bag charge that was introduced in 2015 resulted in an 85% reduction in single-use plastic bags. And in 2023, the Great British Spring Clean saw 348,000 volunteers remove more than 400,000 bags of litter from the environment. 

 

Keep Britain Tidy's new five-year strategy is ambitious, but it is also achievable. By working together, the charity is confident we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for everyone.