DEFRAs new Rural Policy Statement Dumps Sustainable Development and Ecosystem Services

You could see it coming.

Spelman dumped.

The reaction of the Neanderthal farming lobby last year to the uplands review – pah we dont want payment for ecosystems services – we just want payment for food mountains.  And the reaction of Richard Benyon, yes we get you we arnt into that namby pamby sustinabilility stuff.

So the new DEFRA Rural Statement totally omits all reference to ecosystem services, sustainable development, and even the environment other than the narrow anthropcentric statement on quality of life.  A giant step backwards to rural policy of the early 1980s.

Not even any consultation on the policy.

Expect various wildlife and sustainability groups to throw their toys out of the pram and the new SoS to have his first test of whether he believes in SD at all or whether as is widely known he thinks it fluffy green nonsense.