14 Nov 2023

The Environment Agency (EA) has said it is still working to understand events surrounding an oil spill at a harbour seven months after it occurred. About 200 barrels of reservoir fluid including oil leaked into the water at Poole Harbour in Dorset. A major incident was declared when a leak occurred at a pipeline operated […]

14 Nov 2023

An international group of scientists has cautioned against reliance on mechanical clean-up devices as a means of addressing the plastic pollution crisis. The researchers say they appreciate the clear and pressing need to tackle the millions of tonnes of waste that have already accumulated in the ocean and waterways. However, they caution that plastic removal […]

14 Nov 2023

Dutch researchers and fishing industry have developed an AI-based tool for the Fully Documented Fisheries (FDF) project. The problem of unwanted catches has always been present in fisheries. In the EU, fishers must register all catches and bring them to shore (land), which takes up time, space and is very costly. This is where artificial […]

14 Nov 2023

From an article by Professor Sarah Hamylton in The Conversation:  Women coastal scientists face multiple barriers to getting into the field for research. These include negative perceptions of their physical capabilities, not being included in trips, caring responsibilities at home and a lack of field facilities for women. Even if women clear these barriers, the […]

14 Nov 2023

The Crown Estate is taking steps to enable the generation of up to an additional 4GW of green electricity from several offshore wind farm projects in development, within the timeframe of the Government’s offshore wind target of 50GW by 2030. This follows requests from the developers of seven offshore wind farm projects who believe additional […]

08 Nov 2023

This week’s King’s Speech set out the government’s priorities for the next parliamentary year and is the final legislative programme before the next general election. It includes plans for new oil and gas drilling licences in the North Sea, contrary to advice from climate scientists, the International Energy Agency and many others, and despite the […]

08 Nov 2023

Last week’s news included an investigation by the Guardian suggesting that the Government could abandon Water Framework Directive standards in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have said that the investigation is inaccurate, claiming that no decision to diverge from EU standards on water quality monitoring has been made and stressing a continuing commitment to […]

08 Nov 2023

Ministers and government departments have a new legal obligation to consider the impact their policies will have on the environment, as the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) comes into effect. Under the duty, ministers and policy makers must consider the environmental impact of new policies, following a framework of key principles: The integration principle, which […]