Last week we provided a link to an article by George Monbiot criticizing using the idea of natural capital to inform conservation measures. The Natural Capital Coalition have issued a response. They state that natural capital proponents share his concern with ‘pricing’ and do not advocate the ‘pricing of nature’. Their core assertion is that […]
The Financial times has reported that plans for a tidal power lagoon in Swansea Bay are about to be rejected by government. The £1.3bn renewable energy project would involve building a six-mile horseshoe-shaped seawall with underwater turbines generating energy on the outgoing tide. The company hoped that it would be the first of a series […]
Sumburgh Head lies at the southern tip of mainland Shetland. This dramatic 100-metre-high rocky spur has a reputation for being one of the biggest and most accessible seabird colonies in Britain. Thousands of puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars gather there every spring to breed. Or at least they used to – for this year Sumburgh […]
The Dutch government has announced plans to build three more windfarms off the Noord-Holland coast and north of the Wadden Islands, in addition to five new windfarms already agreed upon. A Dutch energy network also has plans for an island of wind turbines on the Dogger bank. Local fishermen claim that 25% of Dutch fishing […]
An EU project led by the German Geomar Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research is looking for jellyfish with a talent for catching microplastics. The objective is to develop, test and promote a gelatinous solution to microplastic pollution by developing a microplastics filter (GoJelly) for commercial and public use. The main raw material would be jellyfish […]
New ‘State of the Environment’ reports from the Environment Agency have been published, covering: water resources – how much clean water we have available water quality – including rivers, estuaries, coasts and groundwater The reports include status and trends, as well as current and future pressures. According to the water resources report, rivers and wildlife […]
Defra has published its Water abstraction plan 2017. This sets out how the government will reform the way it manages water abstraction, to protect the environment and improve access to water. It has been updated to include the first four Initial Priority Catchments: Idle & Torne in East Midlands, The South Forty Foot in Lincolnshire […]
The European Environment Agency (EEA) reports that 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2017 met the European Union’s highest and most stringent ‘excellent’ quality standards for waters mostly free from pollutants. The results give a good indication where holiday makers can find the best quality bathing waters this summer. Nearly all 21.801 bathing […]