29 Apr 2025

Image description: An aerial shot of a house-build in progress, with scaffolding around the property and two builders on the roof. Image by Steffen Coonan / Pexels.   Planning reforms aim to slash delivery time and cost The Labour Government has said their planning reforms will “slash a year off infrastructure delivery”, after announcing it […]

29 Apr 2025

When bottom trawls are dragged across the seafloor, they stir up sediments. This not only releases previously stored organic carbon, but also intensifies the oxidation of pyrite, a mineral present in marine sediments, leading to additional emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). These are the findings of a new study conducted by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre […]

29 Apr 2025

SkyTruth have released a groundbreaking report that identifies and ranks the world’s most polluting offshore oil and gas facilities. Using advanced satellite technology, researchers documented persistent oil slicks, greenhouse gas emissions, and methane flaring at offshore sites around the globe, revealing a pattern of environmental damage that has largely gone undetected until now.     […]

24 Apr 2025

Disaster planning often overlooks how people truly respond during emergencies. New research, highlighted by CIWEM, using insights from schoolchildren shows how social data can make flood evacuation strategies more effective and inclusive. In July 2021, devastating floods struck Germany and Belgium due to extreme rainfall, submerging many towns. In Germany, over 190 lives were lost, particularly in […]

24 Apr 2025

Welsh Water have called for less concrete and chemicals to be used in the drive to improve river water quality, with more emphasis on the use of schemes that use nature to do the work. A reliance on concrete or ‘grey’ systems to increase storm storage or increase wastewater treatment has resulted in high carbon […]

24 Apr 2025

Two new Bills, introduced as Private Members Bills, both with potentially significant impacts for water companies, are due to have their Second readings in Parliament on Friday 25 April 2025. Water Briefing reported that the Chalk Streams (Protection) Bill had its First reading in Parliament on 21 October 2024. The Bill addresses the creation of a […]

24 Apr 2025

Water companies should no longer be allowed to monitor their own levels of sewage pollution, the industry body has told the BBC exclusively. Instead they are proposing a new, third-party monitoring system to build consumer trust.     The recommendation is part of a submission made to the UK government’s independent review into the water […]

22 Apr 2025

The Trump administration’s decision to halt construction of Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 farm off the coast of New York late on Wednesday sent shockwaves through the offshore wind industry, raising concerns that fully-permitted developments representing billions in investment are not safe.     Donald Trump’s Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has ordered the Equinor project to cease […]