Page 279 - Freshwater-Biology-and-Ecology-Handbook

4.1 Agriculture

Changes to agricultural policy, and retargeting of subsidies can be
implemented to optimise improvement to the water environment.
Elements of the EU Common Agricultural Policy, specifically Pillar
2, are designed to support rural areas of the EU and to meet the
wide range of economic, environmental and societal challenges of
st
the 21 century. (136)
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/110/
second-pillar-of-the-cap-rural-development-policy
The UK is in the process of changing these agricultural
environment arrangements, post-Brexit. It aims to align
agricultural land management schemes, to reward
environmental benefits, and to optimise progress with the
25-Year Environment Plan.

Current thinking is outlined in The Path to Sustainable Farming: An
Agricultural Transition Plan 2021 to 2024. (137)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-
transition-plan-2021-to-2024

4.2 Water Industry

In England and Wales the privatised water industry has a clear
five-year investment programme, funded by water charge payers.

In 2019, the regulator, the Water Services Regulation Authority
(Ofwat), revealed a spending package of £51 billion for the five
years, 2020 to 2025. (138) A quarter of this, around £13 billion,
will be investment dedicated to providing resilient services and
a better environment in the face of a growing population and
climate change. https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/pn-23-19-ofwat-
gives-green-light-to-massive-investment-programme-to-
transform-water-sector/

Of the £13 billion, the Water Industry National Environment
Programme (WINEP) is the programme of work water companies
in England are required to do to meet their obligations to
environmental legislation and UK government policy. (139) WINEP is
the most important and substantial programme of environmental
investment in England. From 2020 to 2025 it consists of £5.2
billion of asset improvements, investigations, monitoring, and
catchment interventions. It sets out how the water industry
will contribute to improving the natural environment. https://
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-
water-industry-national-environment-programme-winep
A consultation exercise will refine the options to meet the
environmental outcomes required.
Detailed information, including the environmental drivers
for investment, can be found in the Water Industry National
Environment Programme publication. (140) https://data.gov.uk/
dataset/a1b25bcb-9d42-4227-9b3a-34782763f0c0/water-
industry-national-environment-programme

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