04 May 2024
The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), the UK’s oil and gas regulator, has awarded 31 new hydrocarbon exploration licences as part of the 33rd oil and gas licensing round. The licences are part of the third tranche of the NSTA’s 33rd oil and gas licensing round, which has awarded a total of 82 licenses to […]
30 Apr 2024
The world’s biggest floating wind farm has been given the go-ahead off the Aberdeen coast. The £3 billion floating offshore wind project from developers Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn has been granted offshore planning approval. The project titled Green Volt, has now received all its planning approvals and remains on track to be the first commercial-scale […]
30 Apr 2024
The deterioration of the UK’s natural environment could lead to an estimated 12% loss to GDP, according to new analysis led by the Green Finance Institute (GFI). In comparison, the financial crisis of 2008 took around 5% off the value of the UK GDP, while the Covid-19 pandemic cost the UK up to 11%2 of […]
30 Apr 2024
Mairi Gougeon MSP, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform, and Islands, has written to Finlay Carson, the Chair of the Rural Affairs and Island Committee, to address the concerns regarding the sand eel fishing ban in Scotland and the challenge raised by the EU. The European Commission said that the ban […]
30 Apr 2024
The European Union has voted in favour of ratifying the UN High Seas Treaty. The treaty aims to protect marine life in areas that are outside of countries’ maritime borders including the high seas and the seabed. The high seas are areas of the ocean that lie beyond national boundaries, with only 1% of these […]
30 Apr 2024
The UK’s bottle deposit and return scheme (DRS) has faced yet another delay, pushing its launch back to October 2027, four years later than originally planned. The BBC has reported that the delay was primarily attributed to disagreements between the UK and Welsh governments over whether to include glass in the scheme. Prolonged negotiations Initially, […]
30 Apr 2024
The US government has announced the recommendation of $123 million in funding across state and territorial coastal management programs and national estuarine research reserves. The funding will support habitat restoration and conservation, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These recommended funds will support: $59.8 million for state and territory coastal zone management programsfor 22 […]
28 Apr 2024
The decision by the Isle of Man government to close three fishing sites in its waters by banning bottom trawling has raised concerns across the Irish Sea. The closed areas are located within the Western Irish Sea Mud-belt, a vital habitat for various marine species, notably langoustines. Despite decades of extensive trawling, the area is […]
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