When the MCS Beachwatch programme began in 1993-1994 plastic cotton bud sticks were one of the regularly recorded items. They were one of the key indicators of sewage related pollution of our beaches and rivers. It has taken 25 years to get a simple substitution of card for plastic. Can we really afford to take […]
The Government response to Greenpeace’s action at Dogger Bank – Defra Posted by: Defra Press Office Defra – The Government’s response to the Greenpeace Action 23rd September 2020 ‘There is coverage in The Times, Daily Telegraph, The Herald and Channel 4 News (00:48) of the ongoing Greenpeace action at Dogger Bank Special Area of Conservation (SAC), where yesterday Greenpeace […]
The government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund has opened for applications. The fund of up to £40 million will create jobs in nature recovery and conservation, according to Defra. Grants from £50k to £5 million are now available to help the nation build back greener from the coronavirus pandemic, the government announced today [14 September]. The […]
From Defra The chief executives of fifteen water companies met today (8 September) with Environment Minister Rebecca Pow, who challenged them to do more to protect the environment and safeguard our water supplies. Representatives from Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Water UK, The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) […]
From Defra Overview This consultation will inform a new England Tree Strategy which we will publish later this year. The strategy will set out policy priorities to deliver our ambitious tree planting programme. It will focus on expanding, protecting and improving our woodlands, and how trees and woodlands can connect people to nature, support the […]
Legally binding targets to help “build back greener” The Government sets out how it will underpin key environmental commitments with legally binding targets, including for air quality, water, waste and biodiversity. Defra – Published 19 August 2020 Also See current update on the Environment Bill The targets we set under our landmark Environment Bill will […]
Sir James Bevan gave a speech – In praise of Red Tape – which set out a wide range of post-Brexit ideas for simplifying our water regulations as well and for making sure enforcement was possible. However, newspaper articles in the Guardian and separately by George Monbiot and in the Mail online have been highly […]
Phil Bremner, Business Synergies ‘As you will have seen from previous Editor’s Comments I have been supportive of the efforts of the Ilkley Clean River Campaign’s to obtain bathing water status for the River Ilkley in West Yorkshire. No UK river has designated bathing water status while Germany has 38, Italy 73 and France 573, just 14% of Britain’s rivers […]