13 Sep 2016

Recently there have been three major flood – storm events in 2012, 2013-14 (SW coasts & Somerset), and 2015-2016 (Cumbria and the north of England). These have been characterised by a series of storms, following in close succession, covering different geographic locations but with quite devastating effects. In terms of costs and damages each of […]

13 Sep 2016

Forest Enterprise England, the land management agency of the Forestry Commission, has become the first organisation to publish an organisation-wide Natural Capital Account. It seeks to quantify the full value of the services provided by the natural assets on its entire 254,000 hectare landholding. Although the account is initially only partial, it includes detailed management […]

13 Sep 2016

MPs on the Energy and Climate Change Committee have warned the Government that, on its current course, the UK will fail to achieve its 2020 renewable energy targets—to provide for 15% of its energy needs from renewable sources. The overall obligation includes three sub-targets: 30% in electricity, 12% in heat and 10% in transport. The […]

13 Sep 2016

Researchers at Cranfield University are looking at how the UK’s fruit and vegetable systems can be more resilient to water-related risks such as drought. Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of our diet, but they are mainly grown in the driest parts of the UK, such as East Anglia or the South East, […]

12 Sep 2016

South-west beach & offshore sediment dynamics study – NERC – Gerd Masselink Cornishman  ‘The beaches of the Westcountry have still not fully recovered after they were battered by the ferocious storms of 2013 and 2014. Now a new research project is setting out to discover why much of the sand on Devon and Cornwall’s chief […]

12 Sep 2016

The race for vast remote ‘marine protected areas’ may be a diversion  Peter Jones The seas around Hawaii are set to become the world’s largest marine protected area, US president Barack Obama has announced. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument will be expanded to more than 1.5 million square kilometres – that’s as big as France, […]