Almost two-thirds (62%) of the public want the UK Government to invest more in nature restoration as a way to address future extreme weather events, according to a new opinion poll.

The YouGov polling, commissioned for Rewilding Britain, also shows that 74% of people believe the UK Government is not preparing well for events such as flooding, droughts and heatwaves.

Meanwhile, just 15% of the public think enough is being done already when it comes to investment in nature to address future extreme weather, and only 3% want less to be done.

The findings come as Rewilding Britain urges people to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, calling for large-scale nature recovery to be at the heart of how Britain prepares for and prevents climate shocks.

Kevin Cumming, rewilding director at Rewilding Britain, says:

“Healthy ecosystems retain water where it should be in Britain’s landscapes – helping to protect homes, communities and wildlife from wildfires, droughts, flooding, and record-breaking heat. The message from the public is clear. People want to see more investment by the government in nature restoration, to help Britain prepare for and withstand the increasing threat of extreme weather events.”

Rebecca Wrigley, Rewilding Britain’s chief executive, says:

“With high fire-risk days set to double by 2050, and flooding an increasing risk, we must move past finger-pointing. We must unite land managers, policy makers, and rural communities to protect and restore our landscapes. Rewilding can play a key role because large-scale nature restoration puts the water back into the landscape in the places where it’s meant to be.”