14 Nov 2017

The government is seeking views on the development of a national policy statement for water resources and the types of infrastructure that it will apply to. The government wants to know what you think about its approach to developing a national policy statement for water resources. The statement will simplify the process of gaining planning […]

14 Nov 2017

Defra has announced support for further restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides, linked to impacts bees and butterflies. Read Defra’s blog and there is more coverage in the Guardian. According to Defra, Matt Shardlow, CEO of Buglife, warmly welcomes the news in the Express saying Michael Gove’s support for a more comprehensive ban on neonicotinoids is just […]

14 Nov 2017

Nationalisation of the water industry was back on the agenda at the 2017 CBI conference. Jeremy Corbyn denied the suggestion that Labour’s policy was a ‘throwback’ to the 1970s, saying “it’s not good for the image of business when water companies pay out billions in dividend and interest payments through opaque financial arrangements, while households […]

14 Nov 2017

CIRIA has released the results of a Scoping study to explore support for partnership funding in flood & coastal erosion risk management. You have to register to download the publication, but the key points are as follows. In 2011, the UK Government announced a new approach to funding projects that would reduce flood and coastal […]

14 Nov 2017

The European Commission has published a Roadmap for the upcoming Fitness Check of the Water Framework Directive and its daughter directives as well as the Floods Directive. The fitness Check will look at the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and EU added value of the Directives. This will include an assessment of the potential for regulatory simplification and […]

12 Nov 2017

New environmental protections to deliver a Green Brexit Environment Secretary Michael Gove announces plans to consult on a new, independent body for environmental standards   Defra: Plans to consult on a new, independent body that would hold Government to account for upholding environmental standards in England after we leave the European Union have been set out by […]

12 Nov 2017

Thanks to: Emily Cunningham eegeesea@gmail.com The Tyne to Tees, Shores and Seas – Seascape Partnership has been awarded £2.9m by the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop and deliver the UK’s first marine Landscape Partnership Scheme. Boosted by a further £2m in partnership funding, this scheme will deliver over 30 projects to benefit the coast, marine […]

12 Nov 2017

Access to funding, a coherent long-term strategy and greater collaboration are required make wave power work for the UK, says a new report.  Hayley Dunning Wave energy could contribute significantly to the UK’s future energy mix, but only if the mistakes of the past are not repeated, say Imperial College London and Strathclyde University researchers […]