Cutting emissions alone isn't enough. We've broken nature's ability to help us, and now damaged ecosystems pump out carbon instead of storing it. Polluted oceans can't absorb CO₂ as they once did. With so much excess greenhouse gas already in the atmosphere, we need nature working at full capacity to pull it back down to a safer level. 

The evidence is clear: we cannot solve climate change without restoring nature, and we cannot successfully restore nature without adapting to climate change. These aren't separate challenges but interconnected parts of the same vital solution. 

Proven UK Success Stories

Peatlands demonstrate this effectiveness clearly. Restoring all UK peatlands to near natural condition would deliver carbon benefits worth £109 billion, outweighing restoration costs by at least five to one. In Somerset, our precious peatlands currently contribute an estimated 10% of the whole county’s carbon emissions whilst they remain too dry. Restoration can bring back vital peatland ecosystems whilst massively reducing emissions, a true win-win. 

Coastal restoration delivers more wins. The Steart Coastal Management Project restored over 400 hectares of natural habitat, including large areas of saltmarsh and mudflat, whilst providing natural flood protection for local communities providing an estimated annual benefit of over £500,000. 

Urban green infrastructure shows significant results too. Birmingham's Future Parks Accelerator programme received £10 million to develop sustainable funding solutions for parks and green spaces, creating green corridors that prevent flooding whilst cooling cities and improving air quality.

The Connected Solution  

Natural systems actively remove atmospheric carbon whilst providing flood protection, clean water, and biodiversity recovery. Wetland restoration proves more effective at preventing flooding than concrete alternatives. Native woodlands store carbon whilst supporting essential pollinators. Though to be effective, these solutions must be designed with future climate conditions in mind. When we prioritise healthy ecosystems, we simultaneously address climate stability, biodiversity loss, flood management, and human wellbeing. 

As a mum, this work isn't just my profession, it's about the world I'm leaving my children. I want them to inherit Somerset's curlews; stable communities protected from flooding; and thriving natural systems that sustain us all. The beautiful truth is that restoring nature creates a world where everyone wins. Every day I witness extraordinary passion from conservationists, farmers, volunteers, and communities who are ready to make this happen. The solutions exist, the evidence is compelling, and people are waiting to act. We just need the political will and sustained funding to match their enthusiasm and deliver the future our children deserve.