South East Cornwall is blessed with a beautiful natural environment and bountiful resources.

We have a proud mining background, whilst fishing and farming continue to be vital parts of our community, feeding into the very best we have to offer here. Our natural environment is a source of pride that we want to preserve and is also part of what makes our economy tick.

This has been made all the clearer on recent visits to businesses and organisations across our area. The work local groups are doing to protect our environment is phenomenal, and the innovation to harness our powerful resources sustainably is unmatched.

On a visit to see a local group, Drip Drip, we discussed how they are working with the Environment Agency to monitor water pollution in Callington. Local people often tell me that they want their rivers to be clean and safe, and for too long, there has not been the right enforcement and monitoring. Once the Government’s new regulator is in place, it will have more powers and simplify the system, taking firm action to sort the diabolical sewage situation we inherited.

Working with the environment around us is one of our greatest advantages here in Cornwall. It has a lot to offer us, and we need to unlock its best potential to jump on future opportunities. At the forefront of innovation in the energy transition is Eden Geothermal. I saw firsthand how they use heat from underground to power the Eden site with this renewable energy. If we can harness it on a larger scale, it could lower bills for people.

Whilst Eden is just outside of South East Cornwall, the power generated here actually comes from where we live. So South East Cornwall could be a hotspot for this clean energy industry. I’ll be raising this further in Westminster.

Speaking of the energy industry, critical minerals are essential for the energy transition. Cornwall’s rich mining heritage is something we are all proud of. But now the industry is ready to take centre stage again. On a recent visit to Kelly Bray mine, it was great to see that they were awarded Cornwall Council’s Good Growth Funding to expand the mine’s projects. Cornwall played a key role during the industrial revolution, and with our mineral resources and renewable energy potential, we can be at the heart of the green revolution too.

Conserving our natural environment is important for our daily lives and wellbeing, so that we can be connected to nature, breathe fresh air, and swim in clean water. At the same time, what’s underneath our feet, whether geothermal energy or critical minerals, hosts a range of exciting opportunities to fuel our future growth and diversify our economy so that it is strong year-round.

As part of this, I am fighting for our fair share, so that companies and organisations that are doing fantastic work receive targeted investment to propel them to the next step.