We have signed up Hitchin MP Bim Afolami as a regular Nub News columnist.

Read Hitchin Nub News for Bim's new and exclusive monthly column.

While Hitchin Nub News is resolutely non-political we will feature our parliamentarian's exclusive column every month.

Please note our platform is open to local politicians of every hue who take the trouble to write for us.

So, read on for the latest on all things Hitchin-related from our town's MP in his exclusive, must-read monthly column as he discusses action to protect our environment

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Hitchin MP Bim Afolami's latest Nub News column: Taking Action to Protect our Environment

Both in Westminster and in Hitchin and Harpenden, I am taking action to protect our environment and our beautiful local countryside.

We face a number of threats. From climate change, to biodiversity, to chalk streams.

Last month, I was proud to bring together leaders from across business, industry and politics in our constituency for a conference to discuss strategies for sustainable growth as we work towards our Net Zero by 2050 target.

Net zero transition can catapult our economy into the green industrial revolution

The economic opportunities of being the first mover in things like carbon capture and storage, nuclear fusion, green and blue hydrogen, battery technology, lab grown meat and many other things will be transformative for the UK.

With COP26 being held in Glasgow later this year, the UK is set to be at the forefront of this global conversation about how we can protect our planet and its natural resources.

In Westminster, I am chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Renewable and Sustainable Energy (PRASEG) and a Bankers for Net Zero Champion.

Through these roles, I have been able to play a leading role in conversations around the transition to Net Zero in everything from the Energy Market right through to greening Financial Services.

I also sat on the Bill Committee for the Environment Bill, which will play a vital part in giving us the legislative basis and strategies to fight climate change.

Planning policy is something that I often hear concerns about in relation to the environmental impact of development.

I have been pushing the government to bring forward the roll-out of the biodiversity net gain policy, which would force developers to leave local biodiversity in a better state after development has taken place by making improvements to overall biodiversity in and around construction.

We need to protect our countryside

We also need to ensure that our beautiful countryside is as protected as possible.

With that in mind, following discussions with Hitchin Councillor Dr. Simon Harwood, I have now begun a campaign to extend the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the south of Hitchin.

This would provide vital protections to both the flora and fauna and from development to a whole swathe of countryside and pave the way for this area to be included in plans for a Chilterns National Park.

In Hitchin we are also fortunate to have some fantastic local chalk streams, including the Hiz, Purwell and Oughton.

Chalk streams are a wonderful natural resource and an extremely rare and highly endangered habitat.

Water consumption in Hertfordshire – both domestic and in industry – is extremely high and I am working hard with local stakeholders and in Westminster to ensure that our chalk streams have the protections they need.

This includes doing more to improve domestic water efficiency, particularly in new build homes, and I will continue to do what I can to pursue improvements in this area.

Air pollution is another important local environmental concern – particularly given our proximity to a major international airport and with local concerns over air quality around schools and in and around our industrial estates.

Local authorities are able to make a real difference to local air quality with funding from the Government's £9m Air Quality Grant Programme.

I have written to our local council leaders to urge them to bid for funding from the programme and I hope that we can work together to tackle local air quality.

It is important to ensure that we have the right transport infrastructure to enable people to travel in sustainable ways.

I am committed to doing what I can to improve our local walking and cycling infrastructure, ensuring our bus services are adequate and serve resident needs, and rolling out more Electric Vehicle Charging Points across Hitchin.

I was very pleased to see the government's recent announcement that all new houses will need to have EV charging facilities built in, but more needs to be done to improve on-road charging access and this is something I am working to deliver in Hitchin.

Action on fly-tipping and litter

Protecting our environment also requires us to tackle issues like fly-tipping and littering.

I am working with our local councillors and the Police and Crime Commissioner to help tackle this growing local issue.

In Westminster, I am campaigning to secure higher fines and tougher sentences for those prosecuted of fly-tipping.

It is important that we catch the perpetrators of fly-tipping, which is why in the Environment Bill I was pleased to support a number of measures to make it easier to pro-actively identify and tackle waste crimes like these.

Offsetting our carbon footprint

Finally, it is important that we are mindful of our own impact on the environment.

I am committed to offsetting the carbon footprint of my work as your MP.

This year I embarked on the first stage of a major tree planting campaign, working with local councils to plant trees in every community in Hitchin and Harpenden.

As well as offsetting my own environmental impact, I hope this will benefit local residents by increasing biodiversity, reducing flooding and improving mental and physical wellbeing.

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