Climate talks bring Nature Minister to Exeter

Exeter MP Steve Race has brought together leading grassroots organisations, academics and campaigners for a roundtable focused on climate action and nature recovery in the city.

Held in Belmont Park on 8 April, the discussion welcomed Labour’s Nature Minister Mary Creagh MP, who joined Race in hearing from groups including Exeter Science Centre, Exeter Cycling Campaign, Friends of the River Exe, FLOW River Orchard, Newtown Community Garden and researchers from the University of Exeter.

The roundtable highlighted the collaborative and innovative work being done across the city to tackle biodiversity loss, restore green spaces and strengthen resilience in the face of climate change.

Exeter was named the "greenest city centre in Britain" in 2022 and continues to build on its reputation as a hub for environmental science and community-led nature initiatives.

Among the topics discussed were recent developments such as the government’s first licensed wild release of beavers in England, a move underpinned by research from Devon Wildlife Trust and the University of Exeter.

Organisations also shared stories of reintroducing native plant species and encouraging insect and bird life, as well as supporting food sustainability through community gardening.

Creagh and Race also heard about scientific advancements from local researchers, including the creation of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste at the university and the work of the Citizen Phage Library, which has discovered novel bacteriophages, including the locally named ExeQuayColi.

Steve Race MP said: “Climate change and biodiversity loss are two of the biggest strategic challenges that the UK – and the world – faces. Exeter is a centre for climate science and for climate action at a community level. While the previous government wanted to play politics with the environment, I’m pleased that this Labour Government is quietly getting on with the job of investing in technologies that will help us to grow the economy, creating new jobs in a sustainable way that will help to slow climate change and mitigate its effects.”

Mary Creagh MP added: “It was fantastic to visit Exeter where I saw the flood defences that will be upgraded with £2.8 million of investment from the Labour government. I met people from Exeter working on everything from rewilding small green spaces in the city to world-leading climate science.”

Dr Natalie Whitehead and Dr Alice Mills of Exeter Science Centre said: “This event really highlighted the value and potential of government engaging directly with grassroots organisations: to bring in those voices, learn from their on-the-ground experience, and better support their crucial work.”

Race and Creagh also visited Trews Weir, which has recently been allocated nearly £1.9 million in government funding for repairs as part of Exeter's ongoing flood defence improvement.