12 Sep 2024
Green infrastructure in urban areas
Natural England hosted a webinar focused on the growing importance of green infrastructure in urban areas, highlighting new tools and policies to integrate nature into urban planning. Alan Law, Chief Officer for Strategy, introduced the event, discussing the government’s focus on balancing economic growth, housing development, and infrastructure investment with nature conservation. He emphasised that […]
12 Sep 2024
New water breakthrough competition
Ofwat has opened its fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge innovation fund competition. Water companies in partnership with innovators can apply for funding for projects to address the sector’s most pressing challenges, including climate resilience, enhancing the environment and finding better ways to meet customer expectations. Up to £40 million will be awarded through two streams: Catalyst […]
12 Sep 2024
UK to receive earlier flood and drought warnings
The government says that predicting where future flooding and droughts will strike next in the UK will be made easier under a new project for scientists using the latest tech and real-time data. It will help key bodies, like local authorities and the Environment Agency, to stem the worst of extreme weather’s impact on communities, […]
12 Sep 2024
Sewage spills in Scotland in spotlight
Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) has published a new report which finds that action needs to be taken to improve monitoring, regulatory guidance and the operation of storm overflows in Scotland. The report ‘Storm overflows: an assessment of spills, their impact on the water environment and the effectiveness of legislation and policy’ sets out that: there […]
12 Sep 2024
New tool to support retrofitting SuDS
UKWIR has published a useful new report: Improved understanding of retrofit SuDS whole life cost, carbon and delivery to enable deployment It shows that the costs, carbon and wider delivery complexities of retrofitting SuDS are generally poorly understood and very sensitive to assumptions and the local context. This is a risk for companies when committing […]
12 Sep 2024
Prescribing nature can improve happiness and reduce anxiety
Research led by the University of Sheffield, in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, University of Exeter and University of Plymouth, shows Green Social Prescribing – supporting people to engage in nature-based activities – is an effective way of supporting people to improve their mental health More than 8,300 people with mental health needs took part […]
12 Sep 2024
Environmental Targets Bill proposed
Crossbench peer Lord Krebs last week introduced the Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill to the House of Lords. This would give public bodies a statutory objective to support the targets set under the Environment Act 2021 and Climate Change Act 2008. If passed the Bill would apply to over 40 government departments and agencies, including […]
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