This summer, join us as we #VoteForRivers, sending a clear message to all political parties that action for our precious waterways is vital and is an issue that we the public care strongly about. Whether we live in rural environments or big cities, clean and healthy rivers are something that we all need.

We need the new government to:

• Prioritise nature recovery – make nature-based solutions like trees and wetlands to improve the environment and tackle climate change first choice, rather than relying on chemicals and concrete.

• Improve our understanding of rivers – support better data and evidence to improve regulatory monitoring and recognise the value of citizen science alongside it.

• Make polluters pay – drive strong enforcement of those who pollute to turn the tide on the abuse of our rivers.

• Manage land with water in mind - empower collaborative working that gets everyone involved in restoring our rivers.

Use the Rivers Trust email template

Dear [Candidate name],

I will be voting for rivers in the General Election on 4th July 2024 and, as a local resident and voter, need to know how you intend to stand up for our waterways.

The Rivers Trust’s State of Our Rivers Report 2024 lays bare the dire health of our waterways, which are facing devastating levels of pollution, swinging between extremes of flood and drought, and experiencing shocking drops in biodiversity:

• 0% of stretches of river in England are in good or high overall health.

• 0% of stretches of river in Northern Ireland are in good overall health.

• 44% of Wales’s river stretches achieve at least good overall status.

• 57.2% of Scotland’s river stretches are in good or better overall condition.

This is not breaking news – the issues faced by our rivers have been hitting the headlines for years and causing widespread public outcry. Yet not enough is being done to restore or protect our waterways.

Healthy rivers should be a priority for the next Government. From re-wiggling rivers, restoring floodplains, and greening our urban spaces, restoring our rivers means securing community resilience, a future for wildlife, and action for climate.

This is why I am supporting The Rivers Trust’s 4 asks for political candidates and parties:

• Prioritise nature recovery – make nature-based solutions like trees and wetlands to improve the environment and tackle climate change first choice, rather than relying on chemicals and concrete.

• Improve our understanding of rivers – support better data and evidence to improve regulatory monitoring and recognise the value of citizen science alongside it.

• Make polluters pay – drive strong enforcement of those who pollute to turn the tide on the abuse of our rivers.

• Manage land with water in mind – empower collaborative working that gets everyone involved in restoring our rivers.

Please let me know what actions you and your party intend to take to deliver the asks above and restore the health of our waterways.

I look forward to hearing from you and, if possible, please copy info@theriverstrust.org & info@northwalesriverstrust.org in your reply.

Yours sincerely,

[Sender name]

Find the candidates running in your area using The Electoral Commission.