Jonathon Porritt: Britain should have ‘zero net immigration’ policy

Britain should set an example to the world by reversing its steeply-rising population growth and allowing no more people into the country than leave, the Government’s chief “green” adviser has said.

Jonathon Porritt, chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, said it was entirely possible to be “very progressive” on immigration while still having a policy of “zero net immigration” and no further population growth.


Britain should set an example to the world by reversing its steeply-rising population growth and allowing no more people into the country than leave, the Government’s chief “green” adviser has said.

Mr Porritt told an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival, he would like to see Britain’s population on a declining trend, instead of increasing to 65 million in ten years and to 70 million by 2031.

Mr Porritt, who is a patron of the charity, the Optimum Population Trust, warned that globally spending on family planning was “massively” lower than the