13 Aug 2024
Government to double water bill compensation for poor customer service
The government is consulting on plans to double compensation payments for customers when their basic water services are disrupted. Subject to an eight-week consultation, the proposals will double payments for all existing standards and will more than double the payments for certain highly disruptive incidents, such as when water companies fail to provide notice of supply […]
13 Aug 2024
Conservative minister tried to block release of sewage pollution figures
A Conservative minister repeatedly tried to stop England’s environment regulator from publishing data showing a sharp rise in recorded sewage spills into waterways, according to emails obtained by Unearthed. The Environment Agency (EA) is obliged by law to publish annual statistics on how often overflow pipes released sewage into rivers and seas, and how long the […]
23 Jul 2024
Water and environment in King’s Speech
Last week’s King’s Speech included 35 bills and draft bills, setting out the new government’s plans for this parliament and recognising “the urgency of the global climate challenge and the new job opportunities that can come from leading the development of the technologies of the future”. The government will establish Great British Energy, a new […]
23 Jul 2024
UK off track to meet net zero by 2030
The independent, statutory body which advises the UK and devolved governments on emissions has warned that the UK is significantly off track on its target to achieve Net Zero by 2030. In its 2024 Progress Report to Parliament, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) says that only a third of the emissions reductions required to achieve […]
15 Jul 2024
NGOs call for Special Representative for Climate Change and Biodiversity
A coalition of NGOs has called on the new UK Government to expand the title and function of the role of UK Special Representative for Climate Change to Special Representative for Climate Change and Biodiversity. The coalition, led by the Environmental Justice Foundation, have written to the Prime Minister with the following asks: […]
11 Jul 2024
Government announces first steps to reform water sector
New Environment Secretary Steve Reed has announced a series of initial steps towards ending the crisis in the water sector. He has today announced: He has written to Ofwat to ask them to make sure funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. He […]
10 Jul 2024
New government sets out environmental priorities
New Environment Secretary Steve Reed used x (formerly known as twitter) to set out the top 5 priorities for Defra in the new parliament. These are: Rivers and seas clean up Zero waste economy Support famers for food security Nature recovery Protecting communities from flooding Also of interest, these key points from CIWEM – Labour […]
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