As the first of what will be a regular column from me, I would like to start by saying thank you once again to the people of North East Hertfordshire for electing me in July.

I am truly honoured to be representing this vibrant and beautiful constituency.

One of the key pledges I made before the election, a little over 100 days ago, was to fight to restore our nature and wildlife.

Chris Hinchliff MPChris Hinchliff MP (Image: Roger Harris) Since then, I have been out with local residents who are campaigning to restore our internationally significant chalk streams, as well as meeting the trailblazing farmers in North East Herts who are showing how we can grow fantastic nutritious food in closer harmony with nature.

I share local concerns about the risk of inappropriate development on unsuitable rural sites.

Take the proposed Bygrave solar farm, for example. While I am supportive of well-placed, community supported low-carbon energy solutions, this project would see excellent quality arable land which is currently growing high grade wheat, rendered cropless for the next 40 years.

At the same time, far too few of the houses built across our local area are being constructed with rooftop solar as standard.

This is why it is so important we get a proper national strategy for the best use of our finite land, and I am pleased that the new government has committed to getting on with finally delivering this long overdue policy.

These local issues form part of a national context. It is not hard to see the impact that runaway climate collapse could have following the recent flooding in communities like Braughing, with extreme bouts of rain combined with poor drainage leaving residents struggling to get around.

It is with that in mind that I put myself forward to be a member of the Environmental Audit Committee in Parliament.

This cross-party committee has the remit to scrutinise government plans in order to verify whether they are compatible with commitments to protect the environment and deliver sustainable development.

As a first step, I have pledged my support for the Climate and Nature Bill, a piece of legislation that, if passed, would update the UK’s climate and environmental legislation to ensure it is in line with commitments that we have made internationally — first, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting global heating to 1.5°C — and second, to reverse nature loss by 2030.

Protecting our wildlife is also one of the issues I am most often contacted about, and I have made time early on to meet with organisations such as WWF and Animals Matter in Parliament (pictured) to discuss how I can support their work.

The saying 'Think Global, Act Local' works just as well for MPs as it does for climate change!

I now have a regular schedule of surgeries across the constituency which you can find at chrishinchliff.co.uk, and if you would like to raise an issue or invite me to a community event, you can get in touch via email at chris.hinchliff.mp@parliament.uk.