England wildlife watchdog 'has stopped designating special sites for protection'

AI justification

Halt in SSSI designations since 2023 weakens biodiversity protection and enables ecological degradation. | The cessation of new SSSI designations represents a significant setback for biodiversity protection in England, directly undermining SDG 15 (Life on Land) and climate resilience (SDG 13). While existing sites retain protection, the failure to respond to emerging ecological threats or habitat fragmentation reflects a regressive trajectory. This inaction violates principles of intergeneration