13 Mar 2024
While sewage and intensive farming pollution steal the media headlines, an eco-toxic cocktail of hydrocarbons, metals and plastics runs off our roads into rivers and streams when it rains. Stormwater Shepherds and CIWEM have been pulling together the evidence. Poly aromatic hydrocarbons are nasty, toxic organic substances. They are carcinogenic; they cause mutations and deformities in aquatic organisms and they affect their […]
13 Mar 2024
A joint statement between DLUHC, Defra, the Environment Agency and Greater Cambridge councils (Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire districts) sets out the government’s position on addressing concerns raised about water scarcity issues in the Greater Cambridge area, which have led to a sizeable number of sites remaining in the planning process. This is published alongside […]
13 Mar 2024
Ofwat is consulting on a £400m Innovation Fund for AMP8. The plan is to keep the annual Water Breakthrough Challenge ‘Catalyst’ and ‘Transform’ competitions for water companies, but to boost the value to £250m. The remaining £150m would be split between two rounds of the Water Discovery Challenge for external innovators; a new stream for strategic […]
13 Mar 2024
The Environment Agency (EA) consultation on charge proposals for water quality permits closed this week. the proposals would see charges increase significantly, especially for water companies. The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators (WCWC) has published its considered response. The WCWC welcomes the increase of resources for the Environment Agency to inspect sewage effluents and suggests […]
12 Mar 2024
Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe is taking a proactive approach to combat the declining health of the ocean, launching its inaugural Ocean Restoration Programme. This initiative aims to address marine biodiversity loss in Europe by partnering with expert organizations to restore 1,500 hectares of marine habitats – equivalent to around 3,700 football pitches – by 2030. […]
12 Mar 2024
Experts from across the UK met for the first time in Cardiff as part of the new Severn Estuary Commission to re-examine the potential for a world leading tidal energy scheme in the area. Alongside this, the commission will be publishing a new report from the consultants WSP explaining why there is now a case […]
12 Mar 2024
Protected areas are set to cover one-third of oceans by 2030 yet rigorous empirical estimates of the relative performance of different marine protected area (MPA) types are few, so states a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study compares the benefits from no-take vs. multiple-use MPAs, providing insights […]
12 Mar 2024
A new suite of reports has been released which examine Blue Carbon sequestration in restored saltmarsh sites across England. There is growing interest in restoration and creation of coastal wetland habitats from both a biodiversity and blue carbon perspective. Areas of interest for understanding the carbon offsetting potential and natural capital benefits include: Evaluating carbon […]
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