Representation by Penny Sarchet
- Date submitted
- 28 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wish to register my deep concern and dismay about the proposed Sizewell C development, due to the huge threat it poses to the RSPB Minsmere Nature Reserve. Minsmere is where I fell in love with nature. While I grew up in London, my family visited Minsmere several times every year throughout my childhood and adolescence, and these trips had a formative influence on me. Not only is Minsmere where I learned to birdwatch – which remains a treasured hobby - my experiences there taught me the vital role that natural spaces play in wellbeing and mental health, and the utmost importance of preserving the few remaining fragments of land that are still protected for wildlife. Minsmere was where I first saw conservation in action. In 1997, when there were only 11 booming male bitterns left in the UK, I had the privilege of both hearing and watching this iconic bird. Minsmere played a critical role in saving this species from extinction in the UK, where there are now around 150 or so adult males. Watching this species steadily recover was a meaningful experience for me, and one that I drew upon whilst applying for university to study a degree in Biological Sciences, followed by a doctorate. Now, in my career as a science journalist and podcaster, I still draw upon my many early experiences at Minsmere. As part of my job, I am faced with the realities of our impact on nature every day. 41% of UK species are in decline, and 1 in 10 are facing extinction, largely due to habitat loss and a failure to protect our most precious wild places. A 2019 analysis found that as little as 5% of land in this country is being effectively managed for nature. Amid this crisis, I was horrified to learn of the plans to build a new nuclear power station on the boundary of the RSPB’s flagship nature reserve. It is hard to see how this could be anything other than catastrophic for the wildlife there. The building work could increase erosion and affect water levels, putting many species – including the bittern – at risk. Construction noise and light pollution is likely to have long-term impacts on many iconic species, including the site’s spectacular marsh harriers. It will surely also severely impact ecotourism to the reserve, which has previously enjoyed fame as the host of the BBC’s popular Springwatch. As an energy solution, expanding nuclear power on a coastline significantly threatened by rising sea levels seems nothing but an act of folly. By the time Sizewell C is operational, the Suffolk coastline is likely to be much altered, and renewable energy sources offer a faster and cheaper way to prevent this. In the meantime, construction could ruin a truly special site that has shaped the lives of many. Having recently started my own family, the prospect of not being able to share Minsmere with my own children fills me with a profound sense of loss.