rising food poverty and the threat of ecosystem collapse

This post is written from the perspective of those living in Cornwall UK

Post has since been updated following a reply from Jayne Kirkham MP

This is an open public letter which has been sent to MP Jayne Kirkham. It draws on the recent government report on what the threat of ecosystem collapse poses for our national security. Protecting our environment and ensuring our food security is no longer an environmental issue, it is a ‘national security issue’. Please read the letter and please do your own letter to your MP.

Update 2 March: Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum has received a response to our letter to Jayne Kirkham. It is a sincere and well intentioned letter which sets out the detail of government efforts to address the nature emergency. However, according to the Office of Environmental Protection the implementation of environmental policies in England is lagging behind government commitments. The reply by Jayne Kirkham MP is here – and below the letter, I set out some of their concerns:

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has said that the implementation of environmental policies in England is lagging behind government commitments. In their Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2024/2025 report published in January 2026, the watchdog warned that the government is largely off track to meet the majority of its environmental targets and obligations. Its headline finding (see executive summary) is:

that while more progress has been made this year compared to last, very
substantial challenges remain and government remains largely off track to meet EA21 targets and EIP ambitions, targets and commitments

And further that:

Across the breadth of our work, we find repeatedly that environmental laws are not delivering the intended benefits, not because the law is wanting,but because it is not being implemented effectively or at the pace and scale needed. (pg 7 of report)

of 43 individual targets and commitments examined, the OEP found the government is “largely off track” for 21, partially on track for 16, and on track for only five. In particular, the report singles out failures by Defra and the Environment Agency to comply with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) Regulations, with plans often too generic to address specific site issues

Despite signs of short-term progress, there remains a lack of coherent, detailed delivery plans to address all major pressures, and there is insufficient action directed towards achieving the EA21 agriculture watertarget and Water Framework Directive Environmental Objectives. (pg 74 of report)