Net zero: the role of consumer behaviour
Achieving net zero is expected to require changes in consumer behaviour and habits. What are the challenges and how can they be overcome?

This POSTbrief describes approaches to and challenges of restoring different semi-natural habitat types in England including native woodlands, heathlands, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats. This brief complements POSTnote 678 which focuses on terrestrial habitats and their restoration for the wider habitats target in England. Terrestrial habitats are usually described as including freshwater and coastal habitat types.
Restoration and creation of semi-natural habitats (1 MB , PDF)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PB48
The UK has lost more of its nature than most countries globally. Of the four UK countries, England is the most nature-depleted. Species listed as conservation priorities that are most threatened under Section 41 of the NERC Act 2006 (‘priority species’) continue to decline. A major driver of this decline is the degradation, fragmentation and loss of habitats that species depend on.
Ecological restoration is the process of promoting the recovery of an ecosystem from a degraded state. Restoration can deliver for ecosystems, habitats, and species; or it can prioritise outcomes for each individually. Ecological restoration can improve the condition of habitats, expand their size, and connect them with other habitat patches as suggested in the 2010 Lawton review which was commissioned to make recommendations on improving England’s wildlife (‘bigger, better and more joined up’). Habitat creation is where habitats are re-established on land where that habitat type no longer exists often because of historic land-use change.
The Government has consulted on environmental targets for England. These are part of the framework which sets the direction for achieving the 25 Year Environment Plan goals. They include a ‘long-term wider habitats target’ to create or restore 500,000 ha of wildlife-rich habitat outside legally protected conservation sites by 2042. Increasing the area of good quality habitat for wildlife would contribute to the key target to halt the decline in species abundance (the number of individuals per species) by 2030 (with further longer-term targets proposed on species abundance and extinction).5 Other complementary targets to restore and create specific semi-natural habitat types are also being set.
The restoration approaches used, time taken for habitat recovery, costs and challenges will be partially dependent upon the type of habitat being restored. Therefore, this POSTbrief describes approaches to and challenges of restoring different semi-natural habitat types in England including native woodlands, heathlands, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats.
POSTbriefs are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
Bethany Chamberlain, BES Policy
Dr Daniela Russi, BES Policy
Peter Shepherd, BSG Ecology
Jamie Robbins, Buglife B-lines
Rachel Richards, Buglife B-lines
Jason Reeves, CIEEM
Harry Greenfield, Country Land and Business Association (CLA)*
Professor Jim Harris, Cranfield University/RestREco
Freya Dixon van-Djik, Defra*
Eleanor Andrews, Defra*
Hugh Loxton, Defra*
Judith Stuart, Defra*
Henrietta Appleton, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust/Allerton Project
Alastair Leake, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust/Allerton Project
Dr Ted Chapman, Kew/UK Native Seed Hub
Dr Christopher Cockel, Kew/UK Native Seed Hub
Professor Simon Caporn , Manchester Metropolitan/CARE PEAT Project*
David Payne, Mineral Products Association (MPA)*
Dr Rosie Hails, National Trust
James Grischeff, Natural England
Verity Pitts, Natural England/Dynamic Dunescapes*
Dr Louise Denning, Natural England/Dynamic Dunescapes*
Katey Stephen, Natural England*
Frances McCullagh, Natural England*
Emma Goldberg, Natural England*
Dr Louise Denning, Natural England*
David Glaves, Natural England*
Dr Alice Noble, Natural England*
Dr Isabel Alonso, Natural England*
Clare Pinches, Natural England*
Poppy Sherborne, NFU*
Professor David Gowing, Open University/Floodplain Meadows Partnership*
Jenna Hegarty, RSPB
Nigel Symes, RSPB/Nature After Minerals
David Edwards, Sheffield University
Professor Kirsty Park, Stirling University/RestREco/WrEn
Dr Emma Toovey, the Environment Bank
Dr Jo Treweek, Treweek Environmental Consultants/UK Hab/eCountability/Wendling Beck Environment Project
Professor James Bullock, UKCEH/RestREco
Dr Nick Isaac, UKCEH
Katie Powell, UKCEH/BES Policy
Professor Richard Pywell, UKCEH/RestREco
Bob Edmunds, UKHab
Professor Douglas Yu, University of East Anglia/Nature Metrics
John Martin, University of Plymouth
Glenn Anderson, Wendling Beck Environment Project
Richard Benwell , Wildlife and Countryside link
Christine Reid, Woodland Trust*
Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, ZSL/IUCN Rewilding Working Group
*denotes people and organisations who acted as external reviewers of the briefing
Restoration and creation of semi-natural habitats (1 MB , PDF)
Achieving net zero is expected to require changes in consumer behaviour and habits. What are the challenges and how can they be overcome?
New parliamentary research project approved to explore the impacts of birthrate decline
This POSTnote will outline the challenges and options for addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance pollution.