08 Jan 2025
Some prominent environmental leaders were included in the New Year Honours List for 2025, which “recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK”. They included Chris Stark, former CEO of the Climate Change Committee and head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030 Dr Loyd Grossman, Chair of The Royal Parks Tamara […]
08 Jan 2025
Campaign group 38 Degrees is encouraging people to share their views on sewage by participating in a consultation that was covered in this newsletter before Christmas and relates to the Public Bill Committee, which has asked for written evidence on the Water (Special Measures) Bill by Thursday 16 January. Photo credit: Karen Laårk Boshoff […]
31 Dec 2024
An investigation by The Guardian has found that Thames Water intentionally diverted millions of pounds pledged for environmental clean-ups towards other costs including bonuses and dividends. The company, which serves more than 16 million customers, cut the funds after senior managers assessed the potential risks of such a move. Discussions – held in secret – […]
31 Dec 2024
Just before Christmas, the government (Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) published a Planning Reform Working Paper. The paper invites views on the government’s proposed new approach to development and nature recovery. It forms part of a series of working papers on different aspects of planning reform, designed to inform further […]
31 Dec 2024
The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has concluded that there have been failures to comply with environmental law by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat following an investigation into the regulation of network combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The OEP has sent each of the public authorities […]
31 Dec 2024
The boss of Southern Water has apologised after parts of Southampton and Eastleigh experienced either low pressure or a loss of water supply The company blamed a technical issue at the Testwood Water Supply Works, which left customers dependent on bottled water. CEO Lawrence Gosden said that “it was the single biggest water supply incident […]
31 Dec 2024
The Drinking Water Inspectorate, part of Defra, has published the second 3-yearly report on the quality of drinking water supplies in England, covering 2020 to 2022. It summarises the quality of public supplies and the largest private supplies serving more than 5,000 consumers or 1,000 cubic metres (m3) a day. The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates […]
31 Dec 2024
A complete ban on use of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides has moved a step closer after the government set out its plans to deliver a key election pledge. Despite being banned from general use in the UK, the last government authorised the use of neonicotinoids every year for the last four years in England via a […]
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