29 Nov 2016

Bob Earll      It took years to drag the Government into implementing a plastic bag tax which they now acknowledge is working. The 2016 MCS Beachwatch data also confirms this with an almost 50% decline in plastic bags in the recent Beachwatch survey. Targeting particular items is a powerful tool and begs the question of what […]

28 Nov 2016

Natural England has published, ‘Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment – The national survey on people and the natural environment – Visits to coastal England (NECR226)’. Background: In 2009 Natural England, Defra and the Forestry Commission commissioned TNS to undertake the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey for the first time. […]

28 Nov 2016

Environment Agency. ‘This report sets out a good practice framework for the development of future coastal flood forecasting systems. It examines the components that typically make up a coastal flood forecasting system, such as national forecasts and sea-level translation, and shows how to evaluate the quality of these components to help modellers make better decisions […]

28 Nov 2016

A call for underwater noise assessment guidance Elena San Martin, ABPmer: ‘Human activity in or near to the aquatic environment can generate underwater sound potentially affecting fauna in a number of ways. These range from masking biologically relevant signals, evoking behavioural responses and causing hearing damage resulting in physical injury or even death at very […]

28 Nov 2016

Ocean optimism Much depends on the way one views the world. This TED talk by Heather Koldewey shows what a positive attitude can achieve. It is a talk that works at many levels; it shows: How your career might start simply but then diversify The difference individuals can make How collaboration pays off The circular […]

23 Nov 2016

‘Last week I reported the rather embarrassing discovery prompted by Friends of the Earth through a Freedom of Information request that little or no Defra money had been spent on Natural Flood Management (see below). Andrea Leadsom responding to an ex Defra minister – Richard Benyon – at Defra questions was able to report last […]

23 Nov 2016

While new packages like resilience and wellbeing are currently fashionable these are essentially repackaging the ideas of sustainability. This update includes three articles: BSI publishes sustainable development of communities’ standard ISO 37101 EAC – Sustainable Development Goals in the UK Environmental Audit Committee look at Departmental Sustainability plans and finds the treasury wanting 1. BSI publishes […]