21 Jun 2017

  A cross party group of MPs, including the current Water Minister Therese Coffey, Sports Minister Tracey Crouch and former Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon, attended a chalk stream discovery day on the River Itchen last week to learn about problems facing all rivers and in particular the English chalk streams. These unique habitats are under […]

21 Jun 2017

  Dismal year for Thames as another fine is imposed this time by Ofwat. WWF responds to Thames Water fine of £8.55m for missing leakage targets by 47m litres per day. Rose O’Neill, Water Policy Manager at WWF responded to news that Thames Water has been fined £8.55m for missing leakage targets by 47m litres per day. […]

21 Jun 2017

Two-thirds of cities experiencing relative economic decline face above average flood disadvantage according to new research by Sayers and Partners for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The report, Present and future flood vulnerability, risk and disadvantage: A UK assessment highlights how flood risks interact with social vulnerability across the UK to create flood disadvantage, an issue […]

21 Jun 2017

The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership ‘The launch of the Natural Capital Protocol has led businesses to become more aware of their impacts and dependencies upon the natural environment. However, the metrics that are used to quantify impacts and dependencies across businesses are inconsistent and do not link to commercial drivers. This working […]

21 Jun 2017

Guardian ‘Ratty returns: hundreds of water voles released in UK’s biggest reintroduction Almost 700 of the endangered rodents, immortalised in Wind in the Willows, will be released in Northumberland – and it’s all thanks really to the otter. The biggest reintroduction of water voles in the UK began this week, with 325 voles released into […]

19 Jun 2017

Seán Lynch [seanlynch@umail.ucc.ie]     I would like to bring Ireland’s “Our Oceans Wealth” strategy into question i.e. the undebated sale of our natural assets. In Bantry Bay, West Co. Cork which is said to have the cleanest coastal waters in Ireland, a licence has been issued to industrially harvest 1,860 acres of native kelp forest with […]

19 Jun 2017

Two articles – one on floating wind research and the other on the variability of the offshore wind resource. Offshore wind speed report   A new study into the UK’s offshore wind resource has revealed that variability in wind speeds is significantly lower than previously understood. The report, undertaken by DNV GL on behalf of The Crown […]