Natural habitats created by new biodiversity laws could absorb up to 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of nearly 200,000 round-trip flights from London to New York.
The figures come as a result of research carried out by biodiversity tech start-up Joe’s Bloom, which analysed the carbon storage potential of natural habitats, based on the government”s new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) rules.
They show that new regulations could see England benefit from over 15,000 hectares of biodiversity each year.
The research found that the carbon storage potential of woodland, heath, grasslands, and wetlands equates to emissions released from 4.6 billion kilometres of driving an average car.
As well as the carbon absorption potential, increasing natural habitats through BNG will protect England’s native plant and animal species, with recent data from the Woodland Trust finding that one-third of all woodland species are diminishing.
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Joe’s Blooms advisory board chair Robin McArthur said: “This analysis adds to mounting evidence that nature recovery fuelled by BNG, whether it’s restoring wildlife-rich habitats or creating green corridors to bridge together fragmented habitats, will play a central role in boosting the UK’s resilience to climate change.
“Developers and local authorities have an opportunity to build the homes we so desperately need whilst also making a nature-positive contribution to the climate crisis.”
In September last year, it was revealed the government was set to delay a biodiversity net gain law which campaigners have called a “hammer blow” for nature.
The biodiversity net gain law came into force in February this year.
