22 Oct 2018
Watch the latest evidence session of the Environment Audit Committee inquiry on Sustainable Sea. The Committee are examining the impact of environmental changes and the legal framework protecting ocean biodiversity, a sustainable blue economy and the impact of marine industries, science and innovation, and blue finance. Topics covered by witnesses last week include plastic pollution, […]
22 Oct 2018
In England, it is estimated that annually we use 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds. An estimated 10% of cotton buds are flushed down toilets and can end up in waterways and oceans. Even though non-plastic alternatives are readily available, these single-use plastic items are used for just a few […]
22 Oct 2018
The 73rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is taking place in London this week. On the agenda is consideration of setting a cap of ship speeds to significantly reduce their contribution to climate change, support for implementation of the new lower 0.50% limit on Sulphur in […]
22 Oct 2018
In a recent interview Daniel Pauly called for a total ban on open-ocean fishing. He argues that such a step is essential for rebuilding badly depleted global fishing stocks and preventing the demise of the fishing industry itself. “People assume that with 59% of the ocean closed, you will have no place left to fish. […]
22 Oct 2018
Successfully managing current threats to marine resources and ecosystems is largely dependent on our ability to understand and manage human behavior. In recent times we have seen increased growth in research to understand the human dimension of marine resource use, and the associated implications for management. However, despite progress to date, marine research and management […]
22 Oct 2018
About 15,000 people were expected to gather for the annual bonfire night celebrations in Gravesend, Kent, on 2 November to see a display set off from a barge on the river. However, council officials said on Friday that they had been advised to put back the event until the beluga whale, who was first sighted in […]
16 Oct 2018
Reaction to last week’s major new climate change report from the IPPC has varied from the hopeful to the absurd. The Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group highlights the opportunities that stem from the “ambitious plan of action” that is needed to deliver on the challenge faced. The pro-fracking government deflected its response by asking […]
16 Oct 2018
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has published a new report, Regulation of the Water Industry. It says that Droughts of the type experienced in summer 2018 will become more frequent and drought resilience will require increasing the supply of water alongside reducing demand. The Committee found that a “shocking” three billion litres of […]
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