INDEX

Consultation

UK NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PROJECTS

PUBLICATIONS

EVENTS

 

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 

CONSULTATIONS

the Fitness Check on Freshwater Policy

European Commission, Environment, Consultation

(Posted 18 January 2012)

As part of its Smart Regulation policy, the European Commission announced in its Work Programme for 2010 that, "to keep current regulation fit for purpose, the Commission will begin reviewing, from this year onwards, the entire body of legislation in selected policy fields through "Fitness Checks". The purpose is to identify excessive burdens, overlaps, gaps, inconsistencies and/or obsolete measures that may have appeared over time. The consultation offers an opportunity to all interested parties to express their views on issues of relevance to the European Commission’s Fitness Check of EU Freshwater Policy.

The consultation is opened from 06 December 2011 to 28 February 2012.

For information how to respond and to read the consultation document visit the Europa website:

(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/freswater.htm)

 

Water Efficiency in Buildings

European Commission, Environment, Consultation

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The European Commission (EC) is exploring the ways in which the EU can address water scarcity and droughts (WS&D) problems, by reducing water uses in key areas and will communicate about this in the Blueprint to safeguard Europe's waters (end of 2012). The EC wants to gather views and additional information on the possible introduction of EU wide measures related to water efficiency in buildings. The consultation offers an opportunity to all interested parties to express their views, to give their opinion on the identified policy options.

The consultation is opened from 16 November 2011 to 08 February 2012.

For information how to respond and to read the consultation document visit the Europa website:

(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/water_efficiency.htm)

 

Water white paper

The Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee (Efra) inquiry

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The Efra Committee has announced a new inquiry looking at key issues relating to the Water White Paper published on 8 December 2011. The Committee wishes to receive evidence from interested parties on the key issues raised in the White Paper. In advance of any draft legislation, the committee is seeking evidence on whether the White Paper’s aims are supported and the likelihood of these objectives being effectively fulfilled by the approaches it proposes. In particular, the Commission is inviting submissions on the following:

  • Does the White Paper set out the right principles for customers and the water and sewerage industry for taking forward reform of the market for water supply?
  • Are the proposals to protect and enhance water resources, for example on abstraction regime reform, likely to be fully effective?
  • How best can the White Paper’s aims to promote water efficiency and the use of sustainable drainage be implemented?
  • Do you support the White Paper’s proposals on affordability of water bills for householders?
  • Does the White Paper omit any key issues where further policy action is required to ensure sustainable, reliable and cost-effective water supplies?

Submissions in writing should be submitted by 23 January 2012.

For further information about the inquiry visit the Parliament’s website:

(http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/news/water-white-paper/)

 

Implementation of the Nitrates Directive in England 2013-2016

Defra Consultation

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The Nitrates Directive is intended to reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. Defra is required to review the implementation of it every four years. Since its agreement in 1991, implementation in the UK has evolved. The last review, in 2007, eventually resulted in the designation of 62% of England as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) and introduced a strengthened range of measures in the Nitrates Action Programme that farms within NVZs must comply with. The purpose of this Consultation Paper is three-fold:

  • To seek views on options for revised Action Programme measures to control nitrogen pollution from agricultural sources from 2013 onwards
  • To ask whether the consultees think these measures should be applied within discrete Nitrate Vulnerable Zones or throughout the whole of England
  • To set out some proposals to rationalise the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010.

Consultation started on 20 December 2011 and ends on 16 March 2012

The consultation and other relevant documents are available on the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/20/nitrates-directive/)

 

Implementation of the Sustainable Drainage Provisions in Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act (2010)

Defra Consultation

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This consultation presents our proposals to implement the requirements for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in new and redeveloped sites in England, which are provided for in Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act (2010). The Welsh Government will be consulting separately about implementation in Wales.

Consultation started on 20 December 2011 and ends on 13 March 2012.

For further information on how to respond and to view the consultation documents visit the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/20/sustainable-drainage-systems-1112/)

 

Defra discussion paper on the impact in England of EU Commission regulatory proposals for Common Agricultural Policy reform, post 2013

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This discussion paper invites views on the European Commission’s recently published Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Regulatory proposals for the period 2014 – 2020 that were released on 12 October 2011. Defra is seeking views from (English) farmers, environmental groups, rural communities, non-governmental organisations and other interested parties on how these proposals may impact those directly affected by the CAP.

The consultation started 12 December 2011 and ends 5 March 2012

For further information visit the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/12/cap-reform-1112/)

 

Water storage schemes for hydropower generation

Improving the Water Environment without a Significant Adverse Impact on Renewable Energy Generation

SEPA Consultation:

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The river basin management plans for the Scotland and the Solway Tweed river basin districts include improvement objectives for around 70 water bodies that have been assessed as adversely affected by the operation of hydroelectricity schemes. Delivering improvements to the affected water bodies may require changes to the way water is managed within the hydroelectricity schemes and potentially to the volume of water that can be used for electricity generation. The use of the water environment for electricity generation is licensed under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. The regulations allow SEPA to vary the terms of licences for the purpose of securing appropriate environmental improvements. When doing so, SEPA has to strike the right balance between supporting renewable energy generation and improving the water environment.

The deadline for comments is 30 January 2012.

To view the consultation document and to respond visit the SEPA website:

(http://www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/consultations.aspx)

 

future engagement arrangements for epacs and rlfacs

Defra Consultation

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This consultation details proposals, subject to passage of the Public Bodies Bill, on future arrangements for the role of Environment Agency’s statutory Environment Protection Advisory Committees (EPACs) and Regional and Local Fisheries Advisory Committees (RLFACs) in England. Views are being sought on:

  • Whether consultees agree with the principle of abolition of the EPACs and RLFACs and the establishment of flexible non-statutory arrangements?
  • Whether consultees agree with the proposed high level principles against which to design future stakeholder engagement? And are there any gaps?
  • Whether consultees support the more flexible and region specific engagement models being developed to allow more engagement at the local level. And are there any gaps?

Responses should be received by Monday 23 January 2012.

For further information on how to respond and to view the consultation documents visit Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/11/01/consultation-epacs-rlfacs/)

 

UK NEWS       

Environment Agency’s Water Framework Directive 2011 progress update

(Posted 18 January 2012)

River Basin Plans will be published every six years. Baseline results from the River Basin Plans were published in 2009. The Environment Agency has now published the 2011 progress update. The results are based on monitoring data taken over the period 2008 to 2010 inclusive. In England and Wales, 28% of surface water bodies (rivers, lakes and coastal & transitional waters) are at good ecological status/potential or better. The assessment in 2009 was 27%. For rivers, 27% of water bodies are at good ecological status/potential or better. The assessment in 2009 was 26%.

A summary of 2011 results for surface waters (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal) can be viewed on the EA website:

(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/data/97343.aspx)

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

European Water Stewardship (EWS) Launched

(Posted 18 January 2012)

EWS is a voluntary scheme for Sustainable Water Management (SWM). It is an integrative system for business and agriculture to assess, verify and communicate sustainable water management practices. It is the result of a wide stakeholder process, coordinated by the European Water Partnership (EWP), and embodies the collective effort and know-how of water users in agriculture and industry. The EWS follows on the Water Vision for Europe by defining a system of clear steps towards sustainable water management at operational and river basin levels. The EWS comprises:

  • The European Water Stewardship (EWS) standard
  • The referring glossary and guideline
  • The EWS multi-site standard
  • The certification scheme
  • The referring EWS group certification scheme
  • The communication scheme

EWS was launched on 24 November 2011 in Brussels, Belgium. Highlights of the EWS Launch have been published online in ‘Voice of Water’, the December 2011 issue of the EWP newsletter.

For further information on the EWS visit the EWP website:

(http://www.ewp.eu/activities/water-stewardship/project-communication-swm/)

 

PROJECTS

RESTORE – Partnership for European River Restoration

(Posted 18 January 2012)

RESTORE is a partnership for sharing knowledge and promoting best practice on river restoration in Europe. It is supported by LIFE+ funding from the European Commission and works closely together with the European Centre for River Restoration (ECRR). RESTORE is a partnership between the Environment Agency, Defra, River Restoration Centre (RRC - UK), Wetlands International (WI - Netherlands), Government Service for Land and Water Management (DLG - Netherlands), Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Italian Centre for River Restoration (CIRF). The Environment Agency is the overall project leader of RESTORE. The first issue of RESTORE newsletter is available on the RESTORE website.

This month the partnership selected SFW to develop an interactive knowledge management system to compile and share information on at least 500 river restoration projects throughout Europe. The Wiki-style online information source will be used by European government agencies, engineers, ecologists, planners and other parties involved in restoring rivers. The system will be built using open source software. It is due to be delivered in June 2012.

For further information visit the RESTORE Partnership website:

(http://www.restorerivers.eu)

 

£100,000 fund to help farmers protect wildlife and manage flood risk

(Posted 18 January 2012)

On 28 December 2011 Environment Minister Richard Benyon unveiled the 12 successful projects that bid for Defra funding to benefit farmers and rural communities across England to reduce the risk of flooding, maintain farmland and create new wildlife habitats. The Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Grant Scheme was launched in August to help IDBs develop innovative ways to improve their efficiency while helping protect their local natural environment. Local IDBs manage water levels in areas that require special drainage, such as farmland in river valleys. Grant funding amounting to £99,796 is being awarded to the 12 most innovative and effective applications from across the country: four in Somerset, two in Nottinghamshire, two in Norfolk, two in Yorkshire & Humber, one in Bedfordshire, one in North Lincolnshire.

For further details visit the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/12/28/100000-fund-to-help-farmers-protect-wildlife-and-manage-flood-risk/)

 

Demonstration Test Catchment (DTC) Project

National DTC Website Launched

(Posted 18 January 2012)

DTC is a UK government-funded project designed to provide robust evidence regarding how diffuse pollution can be cost-effectively controlled to improve and maintain water quality in rural river catchment areas. (DTC) project is currently working in three river catchments across England, the Eden in Cumbria, the Wensum in Norfolk and the Avon in Hampshire. In December 2011 the new national DTC website was launched to provide a key focal point to allow knowledge to be exchanged among all those who have an interest in diffuse pollution management within the national DTC community itself, in addition to encouraging wider international sharing of best practice. The website is being managed by a team from the universities of Newcastle and Lancaster who are running the Knowledge Exchange component of the DTC programme.

The first DTC Newsletter (November 2011) is also available on the new website:

(http://www.demonstratingcatchmentmanagement.net/)

 

Defra River Improvement Fund

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This Fund is grant funding from Defra for projects that contribute towards meeting the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive and achieving Good Ecological Status, the Habitats Directive and the EU Eel Regulation. The fund is administered by the Association of Rivers Trust (ART) and funds disbursed to local Rivers Trusts for approved projects, related mainly to fish passage, SAC & SSSI habitat, Salmon Action Plans and Eel Management Plans. This fund is limited to projects in England. For Phase 3, the commencement date for eligible expenditure is 1 June 2011. All costs must be committed by 31 March 2012, subject to Defra contract. All projects must be completed by 30 September 2012, with final claims submitted etc. by 31 October 2012.

For further information visit the ART website:

(http://www.associationofriverstrusts.org.uk/projects/defra_ri/defra_river_improvements_fund.html)

 

Thames21 - Volunteering Opportunities in 2011

(Posted 18 January 2012)

Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to bring London's waterways to life. Thames21 mobilise thousands of volunteers every year to clean up waterside grot-spots, remove graffiti and create new habitats for wildlife.

A study of rivers running through the London Boroughs of Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest and Epping Forest was published in December 2011. The snapshot water quality testing was commissioned by Thames21 and saw staff working alongside students from Queen Mary’s University London. The report ‘A water quality analysis of the River Lee and major tributaries within the perimeter of the M25, from Waltham Abbey to Bow Locks’. has shown that the Lea and the rivers flowing into it are being damaged by pollution coming from everyone in the valley.

To download the report and for more information on Thames21 visit their website:

(http://www.thames21.org.uk/2011/12/east-londons-rivers-choked-by-our-waste-report-reveals/)

 

URSULA – urban river corridors and sustainable living agendas

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The research addresses the hypothesis that there are significant social, economic and environmental gains to be made by integrated and innovative interventions in urban river corridors. The project URSULA tackles river corridor issues holistically by treating the river and its urban setting as a system. 

The last of the URSULA conferences was two day event held on the 17 and 18 November in Sheffield. The theme was 'integrating multiple facets of river corridor development', so there were a diverse set of speakers, from both URSULA academics and students, and also external speakers. Presentation abstracts and pdfs of slides for the speakers are available on the URSULA website. To disseminate the results of the URSULA project in a format that can be quickly and conveniently understood by people who don't have time to get to grip with the academic literature (e.g. practitioners of urban design), a series of bulletins are being produced which summarise the findings of the research. Further bulletins will be added to this list as they are published.

The Research bulletins and other outputs from the project are available on the URSULA website:

(http://www.ursula.ac.uk/)

 

PUBLICATIONS

PRACTICAL RIVER RESTORATION APPRAISAL GUIDANCE FOR MONITORING OPTIONS (PRAGMO)

Guidance document on suitable monitoring for river and floodplain restoration projects

Published by the River Restoration Centre (RRC), November 2011, 330 pages

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This guidance aims to assist all practitioners involved in the process of setting monitoring protocols as part of a river restoration project. Because there is a wide range of organisations, with a wide range of knowledge and abilities, this guidance seeks to include monitoring strategies suitable for different groups.

The steps outlined here are therefore intended to support technical staff working for the competent authorities, consultancies and academic institutions as well as organisations with limited funds and a small/volunteer workforce, which may need to demonstrate success to Trustees and other funders.

It is a ‘living’ document and it will be updated as new information and new methods become known.

PRAGMO is freely available for download on the RRC website:

(http://www.therrc.co.uk/rrc_pragmo.php)

 

Investment in natural assets

SEPAView, Published - December 16, 2011

(Posted 18 January 2012)

SEPA has been the guardian of the Scottish Government’s restoration fund for the last three years. The work areas they are targeting are based on the objectives from the river basin management plans to help to meet the environmental targets set out in the plans for Scotland and Solway Tweed river basin districts. The article outlines the past work and areas SEPA is focusing on in the future.

The article is available online at the new SEPAView website:

(http://www.sepaview.com/2011/investment-in-natural-assets)

 

EVENTS

6th World Water Forum – time for solutions

12 – 17 March 2012, Marseille, France

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The World Water Forum is regarded as the world’s largest meeting concerning water. Since 1997 it is taking place every three years.  Thematic process commission has developed 12 priorities of action as well as 3 conditions of success. Regional process commissions have also defined priorities and targets for Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and 2 cross continental regions. The European Regional Process Steering Committee have selected and detailed 12 ‘Specific Europe Region Priority Target’ (SERPT). Among other plans the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) have announced a launch at the Forum in Marseille of the 4th edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR4) - Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk.

Latest news, Newsletters and extensive documentation relating to the preparation of the 6th World Water Forum are available on the event’s website:

(http://www.worldwaterforum6.org/en/)

 

The EU Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water - Highlighting the Critical Issues for the UK

11 January 2012, London

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The aim of the conference was to raise awareness and brief a wide range of stakeholders on the EU’s Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water process.   In particular, it focused on a number of the technical issues that have been raised by the process including: the strategic vision for Europe’s water, water scarcity, research and innovation, ecosystem goods and services, climate change impacts, closer integration of WFD- CAP objectives and water footprinting.

Details of the conference programme and conference outputs are available to download at the CMS website:

(http://www.coastms.co.uk/conferences/453/show)

 

Catchment Delivery: Towards more Effective Environmental and Societal Benefits

CIWEM/CMS Conference

23 November 2011, London

(Posted 18 January 2012)

Jan2012-02
The Coalition Government have given the strongest endorsement for the need for catchment scale delivery fully involving local stakeholders of the Water Framework Directive and other environmental programmes. The aim of this conference was to describe the major catchment scale initiatives and focused on how these can be best drawn together into an overall catchment approach that delivers sustainable, integrated and effective gains for the environment and society

Details of the conference programme and conference outputs are available to download at the CMS website:

(http://www.coastms.co.uk/conferences/450/show)

 

 

Defra Water Stakeholder Forum

18 November 2011, London

(Posted 18 January 2012)

Jan2012-03
The keynote speech at this Forum was presented by Richard Benyon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries (left with R Moore, the Forum co-ordinator, C Ryder, Head of Water Quality, Defra, and R Wallace, Head WFD Team, Defra). In addition to regular updates from Defra and the Environment Agency the presentations included SuDS, CAP reform, non-agricultural diffuse pollution, WFD funding and EU update.

Copies of the documents from the Forum, including the Minutes and all the presentations are available to download from our website:

(http://www.euwfd.com/html/england_and_the_wfd.html)

 

 

Climate change and the Water Sector - Integrating Adaptation and Mitigation in Practice

17 November 2011, London

(Posted 18 January 2012)

The aim of this CMS conference was to take stock of current thinking on climate change, the developing evidence base on emissions and risks, and in covering both adaptation and mitigation and their inter-relationships to look at how this thinking is being put into practice in response to the major drivers. The conference demonstrated the methods and practice being developed and used in response to current policy drivers such as, Climate Change Act, Future Price Limits (Ofwat), EU Directives (e.g. the WFD), and development of new Water Resource Management Plans.

Details of the conference programme and conference outputs are available to download at the CMS website:

(http://www.coastms.co.uk/conferences/451/show)

 

Coastal Flooding and Erosion Risk Management - Understanding Change: Risk and Organisational Responses

20 October 2011, London

(Posted 18 January 2012)

This CMS conference aimed to take stock of the past 18 months of new guidance, legislation and the changing emphasis of the Government’s policies in coastal flood and erosion risk. It also looked at our developing understanding of the risks to coastal communities, businesses and environment and the next steps that are needed.

Outputs from the conference are available to download at the CMS website:

(http://www.coastms.co.uk/conferences/449/show)