Expert Comment: National Emergency Briefing - Nature is not a ‘nice-to-have’, it is critical national infrastructure

Nathalie Seddon, Professor of Biodiversity and Founding Director of the Nature-based Solutions Initiative in the Department of Biology and Smith School for Enterprise and Environment and Director of the Agile Initiative, was one of eight experts invited to deliver evidence at the UK’s first-ever National Emergency Briefing on the climate and nature crises, held last week.  Before an audience of over a thousand MPs, senior civil servants, industry bosses, and civic leaders, she argued that nature should not remain on the fringes of policy, but be recognised for its essential role in building resilience, and supporting the foundations of a safe, happy, and prosperous society.