08 Nov 2023
This week’s King’s Speech set out the government’s priorities for the next parliamentary year and is the final legislative programme before the next general election. It includes plans for new oil and gas drilling licences in the North Sea, contrary to advice from climate scientists, the International Energy Agency and many others, and despite the […]
08 Nov 2023
Last week’s news included an investigation by the Guardian suggesting that the Government could abandon Water Framework Directive standards in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have said that the investigation is inaccurate, claiming that no decision to diverge from EU standards on water quality monitoring has been made and stressing a continuing commitment to […]
08 Nov 2023
Ministers and government departments have a new legal obligation to consider the impact their policies will have on the environment, as the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) comes into effect. Under the duty, ministers and policy makers must consider the environmental impact of new policies, following a framework of key principles: The integration principle, which […]
08 Nov 2023
UKWIR (UK Water Industry Research) has published a new report ‘Enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK & Irish water industries’. Commendably, the water industry has recognised a lack of diversity, identifying that the workforce across the sector is not representative of the communities they serve. The project used a mixed method of research […]
08 Nov 2023
A new report by the influential Broadway Initiative, The State of UK Nature Markets 2023, finds ‘some progress’ has been made towards the goals outlined in the ground-breaking Financing Nature Recovery UK Report published in July 2022, but the most significant opportunities lie ahead. The report called for actions including a plan for nature market […]
08 Nov 2023
The Welsh Government has published a review of the costs and benefits of different storm overflow control policies for Wales. The analysis considers capex, opex, bill impact, benefits, net present value and carbon associated with both traditional infrastructure and “blue green” approaches. The report finds that The capital costs of removing the harmful environmental impacts […]
08 Nov 2023
A new piece in the International Water Association’s Source magazine argues that a focus on conventional, centralised systems has failed to deliver adequate access to sanitation. By Kala Vairavamoorthy The United Nations Water Conference has been hailed as a landmark event. In many respects it was, being the first since 1977. But as I reflect […]
06 Nov 2023
The Sea-Changers Marine Conservation Social Fund 2023/24 has opened. The aim of the Marine Conservation Social Fund is to support socially beneficial marine conservation approaches and solutions. Its unique emphasis is that (as well as supporting marine conservation outcomes) projects will support or enhance participants’ health and well-being and / or deliver benefits for disadvantaged communities. […]
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