There is a growing groundswell of support for a pesticide-free London among the capital’s decision-makers and residents.
One-third of London’s 32 Boroughs have already phased out, or significantly reduced, their use of pesticides while others have commitments in place to take action. London is already one of the greenest cities in the world and the first to be designated a National Park City.
Right now, there is an unprecedented window of opportunity to make the whole of London pesticide-free. By phasing out unnecessary pesticide use, we can make the city greener and support urban biodiversity, as well as the health of those who live, work, study and play in the capital. It’s high time that London followed the example of other major cities like Paris, Toronto and New York by banning pesticides from public spaces.
A pesticide-free London is in our sights and by working together we can secure a healthier and more sustainable future for both people and wildlife.
PAN UK sent Freedom of Information requests to all thirty-two London borough councils in September and October 2021. Thirty-one councils responded (all but Ealing Council). Read a summary of our findings here and find out about the pesticides being used in your borough by clicking on the map below (full list here).
What can I do?
There are lots of ways to make a difference in your borough which you can adapt depending on the amount of time you have available.
1. Sign up for updates
We will keep you up to date on progress, meet up dates and campaigning ideas. Do add your name below.
2. Share the campaign
We have created a number of social media graphics to help you share the campaign online. Feel free to download them here.
3. Join or start a campaign
Try to do some digging on social media or the internet to find out if there is a local group tackling the use of urban pesticides in your community. If you can’t find one, think about starting a local campaign. Send us an email to request a personalised logo so that your campaign can become part of the recognised UK-wide Pesticide-Free Towns network.
4. Get informed
Watch the video below and have a look at our wide range of dedicated resources, such as our Guide for Campaigners which is an easy introduction to the issues surrounding urban pesticides and existing non-chemical alternatives.
Read the manifesto
The case for a Pesticide-Free London lays out the benefits for residents and urban biodiversity. It also provides detail about what we are asking the Mayor of London, individual boroughs, private land managers and residents to do in order to make London pesticide-free. An most practically, it provides a roadmap for delivery.
Be inspired
For some inspiration on ways to green our streets and help local biodiversity thrive, you can watch the recordings of our series ‘Reassembling Our Cities: Creating pesticide-free urban spaces for people, plants and wildlife’. We heard from inspiring environmental communicators, educators and protectors who are leading the way in shaping our cities into green and inclusive spaces.
The following organisations stand in support of a Pesticide-Free London:
If your organisation would like to support the campaign please get in touch here.
Botanical Mixers
Over the summer of 2022, four community gardens hosted a Pesticide-Free London event on our behalf. This enabled us to meet a total of 84 local residents, campaigners, community leaders and even councillors representing 19 different London boroughs. Pesticide-free campaigns are now up and running in 14 boroughs: Lambeth, Bromley, Richmond, Wandsworth, Westminster, Bexley, Barnet, Haringey, Merton, Kensington & Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Kingston and Havering. Thanks to Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses, OmVed Gardens, Phytology at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve and Hammersmith Community Gardens at Phoenix Farm for your generous spirit. If you would like to support the campaign in some way, such as adding your logo to this page, spreading the word on social media or hosting an event please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
What has been promised by London politicians?
In 2019, the London Assembly passed a unanimous Motion urging Mayor Sadiq Khan to phase out the use of pesticides on Greater London Authority (GLA) controlled land. It also asked the Mayor to call on London boroughs to end pesticide use “in all council operations as soon as possible”. To help manage the process of going pesticide-free, the Motion requested that the Mayor create a cross-London stakeholder forum to bring together all key land managers from across the city, including local councils. Reducing the use of pesticides was also included as one of the recommendations in the Mayor’s 2018 London Environment Strategy.
Despite some progress being made on pesticide reduction on GLA land, the majority of the 2019 Motion has still not been implemented. The Mayor has not yet publicly called for London boroughs to go pesticide-free and the London stakeholder forum has not been established, despite PAN UK’s best efforts.
During the run up to the 2021 London Assembly and Mayoral elections, all four main political parties committed to work to phase out pesticide use if elected. While the Green and Conservative parties actually included this commitment in their manifestos, Mayoral candidates for all the main parties voiced their support for a Pesticide-Free London.
A short clip from London’s Mayoral environmental hustings event, hosted by Julia Bradbury, in May 2021 where all political parties supported a Pesticide-Free London.
What is PAN UK doing?
We offer a range of support to concerned residents from across London to push for an end to pesticide use, both within their specific borough and at the city level. For more information on how we can support your efforts see our dedicated campaigner resources here.
We also provide information, bespoke advice and other direct support to London borough councils to help them go pesticide-free. See our dedicated resources for local authorities here.
At the city level, we are working hard to ensure that both the newly elected Mayor and members of the London Assembly from all parties stay true to their promises to work to phase out the use of hazardous pesticides across London.
The London-wide council elections in May 2022 are a key moment to make progress on securing a Pesticide-Free London. We hope you feel inspired to get involved.
Councillor pledges
The councillors below have already pledged to make London pesticide-free. If you have a minute do get in touch with any of your local councillors who have pledged to ask them if they have made progress.
