29 May 2018
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 […]
29 May 2018
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 […]
29 May 2018
We recently reported on George Monbiot’s attack on natural capital, an approach he describes as “morally wrong, intellectually vacuous, emotionally alienating and self-defeating”. The backlash is now well and truly underway, led by (who else?) the Natural Capital Coalition. According to the Coalition, “he continues to fundamentally misrepresent the approach, leads a named attack on […]
29 May 2018
It is reported this week that the Norfolk Rivers Trust is using a pollution solution including buffer strips and silt traps to help curb run-off from a 1,000-pig farm in West Acre, Norfolk. The sediment run-off came from an outdoor pig unit. During heavy rainfall events, suspended sediment came off the field and onto a […]
25 May 2018
The draft climate change bill sets a target of a 90% reduction by 2050 – which the UK Committee on Climate Change states is currently “at the limit of feasibility” – with the aim of achieving 100% reduction, or “net-zero”, as soon as possible. Tom Ballantine, chair of Stop Climate Change Chaos described the targets as […]
25 May 2018
Giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee last week, Fisheries Minister George Eustice stated that during the transition period “in practice, not much will change”. “We have to whisper in the ear of the Commission and hope for the best. Broadly, that will be the same. That is not going to change. When it comes to […]
25 May 2018
An analysis of the economic impacts of ocean acidification on shellfish fisheries and aquaculture in the UK estimates total loss to UK economy between £23-£88 million. This equates to annual economic losses of between £3-6 billion of UKs GDP in 2013 for medium and high emission scenarios. There are regional variations due to different patterns […]
25 May 2018
The significant role seagrass meadows play in supporting fisheries productivity and food security across the globe is not adequately reflected in the decisions made by authorities with statutory responsibility for their management. This paper reveals why seagrass meadows need targeted policies to recognize and protect their role in supporting fisheries production and food security. Seagrass […]
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