30 Sep 2015

Defra ‘Sir James Bevan has been appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency following a competitive recruitment process. Sir James Bevan has been appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency Sir James has had a long career in government and will leave his current role as the UK’s High Commissioner to India to take up […]

30 Sep 2015

Water Availability and Quality Programme, Defra ‘We are writing to inform you that Defra has earlier this week, issued The Water Framework Directive (Standards and Classification) Directions (England and Wales) 2015 to the Environment Agency.   These Directions have been published as an associated document of the Water Environment (WFD) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, SI […]

30 Sep 2015

Natural England ‘An innovative new approach to protecting great crested newts could enhance their population and reduce delays to major building projects. Natural England is launching a pilot project that will bring more flexibility to the licensing system for great crested newts, while providing more of the weedy ponds which they favour. The aim is […]

30 Sep 2015

Despite tap water being freely available and safe in many countries, bottled water is widely consumed around the world. This has negative effects on the environment, including water wastage and pollution. This study assessed beliefs about purchasing bottled water and tested three strategies to change behaviour, showing that combining persuasive information and social pressure can […]

29 Sep 2015

Guardian ‘Shell has abandoned its controversial drilling operations in the Alaskan Arctic in the face of mounting opposition in what jubilant environmentalists described as “an unmitigated defeat” for big oil. The Anglo-Dutch company had repeatedly stressed the enormous hydrocarbon potential of the far north region in public, but in private began to admit it had […]

29 Sep 2015

MCS ‘The iconic European cod fishery which collapsed in the 1980s and has been ailing ever since, has finally increased above dangerously low levels and hauled itself off the MCS Fish to Avoid list. As part of the MCS autumn update to FishOnline (www.fishonline.org), North Sea cod is now rated 4 and amber, which means it’s showing signs […]

25 Sep 2015

Marine species around the world, including populations of fish critical to human food security, are in potentially catastrophic decline according to a new research report. WWF’s Living Blue Planet report, an updated study of marine mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, shows a decline of 49 per cent in the size of marine populations between 1970 […]

25 Sep 2015

A recent report for FAO highlights the threats to global shark populations, highlighting the point that focussing on shark fins is missing the point on the growth of consumption of shark meat. “There is a persistent belief among many well-intentioned folks that the only threat that sharks have ever faced, or are currently facing, is […]