INDEX
CONSULTATIONS
consultation outcomes
UK NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
PROJECTS & RESEARCH
PUBLICATIONS
REPORTS FROM EVENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
CONSULTATIONS
defra and decc consultation: eu action on the environment and climate change
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Businesses and organisations are being asked for their views on European Union policies to find out whether being part of the EU helps or hinders their work on the environment and climate change. Does EU legislation provide the right balance between protecting the environment and the wider UK economic interest?
This is the first review of its kind. The 12 week consultation is part of a wider review known as the Balance of Competencies which was launched last July. Its aim is to take forward the Coalition commitment to examine the balance of power between the EU and the UK.
The consultation is open until 12 August 2013. The findings will be published next winter.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/eu-and-uk-action-on-environment-and-climate-change-review)
reforming environmental guidance and information obligations
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Defra is starting work with environmental regulators (for example, the Environment Agency and Natural England) and other Government Departments on reforms to make it easier, quicker and clearer to understand what environmental rules apply and simpler to report essential environmental data. This will make it cheaper for businesses and others to comply with regulations and achieve strong environmental standards.
Consultation closes on 31 March 2014.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-environmental-guidance-and-information-obligations)
consultation outcomes
defra’s triennial review of natural england and the environment agency – summary of stakeholder views
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The Triennial Review was launched on 12 December 2012 with the publication of a discussion paper. The paper summarised the outcomes of the Review’s preparatory analysis and set out information on the range of scenarios for reform to the two bodies. Stakeholders were invited to contribute evidence to the Review by responding to the paper and offering views and supporting evidence.
The deadline for responses was 4 February 2013. In total, 357 responses were received – 222 from members of the public and 135 from organisations. In January 2013, Defra held a workshop with stakeholders to discuss the Review.
This document provides a broad overview of the information contained in the responses and feedback from the workshop with stakeholders.
The document can be accessed at:
(https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/triennial-review-of-the-environment-agency-and-natural-england)
update to the UK national implementation plan for the stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (defra)
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Defra gathered responses to this consultation between 21 November 2012 and 21 December 2012. The updated National Implementation Plan (NIP) outlines progress to date and new actions to improve on the previous (2007) NIP and to implement the Convention’s requirements for the nine recently added POPs.
UK NEWS
catchment based approach – defra publishes policy framework and provides £1.6 million for new partnership scheme
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Following a series of successful pilots across the country, Defra has launched this new scheme. There will be 83 catchments across England, supported by local, voluntary partnerships. This should ensure that local projects are targeted to address the specific water and natural environment needs in each catchment. The £1.6m is initial funding to help the creation of these catchment groups. The Environment Agency will work with local groups to ensure the lead for each Catchment Partnership is agreed collaboratively.
To read the full press release, see:
(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/river-health-gets-16-million-boost)
Note that despite the title of the weblink, the figure is £1.6m.
The policy framework document can be accessed at:
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/catchment-based-approach-improving-the-quality-of-our-water-environment)
There will be a call for expressions of interest (June 22nd) timed to coincide with the launch of the EA’s consultation on Significant Water Management Issues.
Scientists urge government to protect our seas
(Posted 19 June 2013)
A total of 86 marine and conservation scientists from across the UK have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to protect our marine environment.
Although 127 Marine Conservation Zones have been identified, the government has decided to consult on only 31 of these. The scientists believe that these areas are not sufficient to provide the protection and restoration required for our marine biodiversity.
(http://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/scientists-urge-government-to-protect-our-seas,1075,NS.html)
house of commons science and technology committee:
marine conservation zones (MCZs) are vital
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The creation of new MCZs, vital to protect biodiversity in UK waters, should not be stalled by government fears of judicial review, the Science and Technology Committee has warned, but it is important that the government consult effectively.
Read more at:
(http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news/marine-science-report/)
sepa launches new mobile website for water users
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has announced the launch of a new mobile-friendly website to make it even easier for fishermen, canoeists, walkers and other water users to plan their activities. Water levels monitored by SEPA at over 330 gauging stations across Scotland will be available to view through the new website. The free site will enable water users and managers to check current river, loch and tide levels via supported mobile devices, and is updated on a minimum daily basis to provide an accurate snapshot of conditions.
To view the new mobile-friendly website, please visit:
(http://www.riverlevels.mobi/)
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The Atlas is an assessment of the condition of Scotland’s seas, based on scientific evidence from data and analysis, and supported by expert judgement. It has now been produced in formats suitable for Kindles and iPads.
They are available to download for free from:
(http://www.scotgov.ehublibrary.co.uk/marine-scotland/marine-atlas/)
envia – information discovery and access from the british library
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Envia is a new resource being developed by the British Library to allow users to discover and access environmental information. It will allow researchers and practitioners to access government reports, journal articles, PhD theses, etc. In developing this system, the British Library is working with the UK ‘Living with Environmental Change’ programme, a partnership of 22 major UK funders and users of environmental science research.
During this initial testing phase, the British Library is seeking feedback from expert users of flooding information.
For further details, visit:
(http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/experthelp/science/eventsandprojects/enviatbl/)
pioneering river restoration project in the cairngorms national park
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This project was instigated by the Spey Catchment Initiative, helping to restore valuable riparian habitat and contribute to flood alleviation downstream.
See the full story at:
(http://www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/news/2013/environment_minister_views_pio.aspx)
revised approach to management of commercial fisheries in european marine sites in england
(Posted 19 June 2013)
An implementation group has been set up to put this new approach into practice, consisting of key stakeholders and delivery bodies. The approach will be introduced to current fishing activities on a risk-prioritised basis.
Relevant documents and information can be seen at:
(http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/protecting/conservation/ems_fisheries.htm)
environment agency calls for action to improve bathing water quality as testing begins
(Posted 19 June 2013)
EA sampling teams will be taking a total of 8,400 samples at over 400 bathing sites between now and September. Results from last year’s testing showed that 93% of England’s bathing waters met the current European water quality standards. However, EA analysis suggests that 10% (around 55) of England’s beaches could be at risk of failing new, tighter standards that come into force in 2015.
(http://www.edie.net/news/4/Environment-Agency-calls-for-improved-bathing-water-as-testing-begins/)
blue flag awards given to 55 beaches in england
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The Keep Britain Tidy group has presented 168 awards – 55 Blue Flags and 113 Seaside Awards. This year, for the Blue Flag awards, the water quality criteria has been judged against the EC Bathing Water Directive – 2006/7/EC, and the bathing water must meet the ‘excellent’ standard for both biological parameters.
Thanet in Kent won 8 awards, while the Isle of Wight, Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset, and Torbay in Devon each received 4 awards. Other well-known beaches awarded Blue Flags this year included Central Beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire; Lowestoft South Claremont in Suffolk; Martello Bay at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex; and Whitby in North Yorkshire. Westward Ho! beach in North Devon was awarded a Blue Flag for the 10th year in a row. The Isle of Wight won the most awards nationwide, with a total of 4 Blue Flags and 13 Seaside Awards.
To access the full list of all the Blue Flag and Seaside Award winning beaches, go to:
(http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/News/Default.aspx?newsID=1130)
ea ‘catchment pilots lessons’ portfolio
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The aim of the catchment based pilots was to test approaches to improved engagement, information sharing and co-ordination of action at a catchment level. The lessons identified from the pilots hosted by the EA are collated in this portfolio, and illustrated with case studies as a means of sharing and embedding good practice.
(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/131506.aspx)
uk water research and innovation partnership (UKwrip)
(Posted 19 June 2013)
UKWRIP is composed of private, public and third sector bodies, convened to provide leadership and to facilitate co-ordination of water research and innovation initiatives concerned with UK and global water security. The partnership is chaired by Sir John Beddington and the secretariat consists of Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) and the Government Office for Science (GO-Science). There are six action groups to take forward activities recommended through the UKWRIP framework: water use, water infrastructure, business and the economy, environment and climate change, farming and food, sanitation and health.
For more information, go to:
(https://lwec.centraldesktop.com/ukwrip/FrontPage)
scotland’s 2013 bathing water season starts
(Posted 19 June 2013)
From 1 June to 15 September, officers from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) will collect and analyse over 1,500 bathing water samples from 83 bathing waters. SEPA’s electronic bathing water signage system, one of the largest real time public information systems in the UK after roads and rail, will operate daily at 23 locations telling beach visitors the predicted water quality by 10.00 on the day of their visit. Information will also be available on SEPA’s website, via the mobile bathing waters site and through Beachline.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
europe’s bathing waters continue to improve
(Posted 19 June 2013)
A total of 94% of bathing sites in the EU meet minimum standards for water quality, according to the European Environment Agency’s annual report on bathing water quality in Europe. Water quality is excellent at 78% of sites and almost 2% more sites meet the minimum requirements compared to last year’s report.
For further information, go to:
(http://www.eea.europa.eu/pressroom/newsreleases/europe2019s-bathing-waters-continue-to-improve?&utm_campaign=europe2019s-bathing-waters-continue-to-improve&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EEASubscriptions)
eu fisheries policy reform – progress
(Posted 19 June 2013)
As reported in the Guardian newspaper: fisheries ministers from across Europe came to an agreement on a sweeping reform of fisheries policies on 15 May, but fell short of the most ambitious changes that green campaigners had demanded. They agreed to ban the wasteful practice of discarding healthy fish at sea, but most of the ban will be phased in from 2015 instead of this year as had been proposed, and there are significant caveats for some species. Fish quotas will be based on scientific advice on what is the “maximum sustainable yield” for each stock, but there is no date on when stock levels must be restored, to the deep disappointment of greens for whom this was a central issue. Key aspects of the management of stocks will be devolved to member states instead of decided centrally in Brussels.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the chef who has spearheaded a campaign to ban discards, told the Guardian: “It’s been a long grind to get to this point, but the news this morning is broadly good. There will be a discards ban – and that is a vindication of the huge public support for our Fish Fight campaign to end this disgraceful waste of good fish”.
The exhaustive process of fisheries reform – the biggest shake-up of fishing in the EU for four decades – has taken more than two years of close negotiations.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/15/eu-fisheries-reform-plan-discards-ban/print)
PROJECTS & RESEARCH
SEPA ISSUES NEW REPORTS ON MARINE SEDIMENT CHEMICAL LEVELS
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has published the results of surveys showing the levels of certain chemicals, used in fish farming, present in Scotland’s marine sediments. ‘The Occurrence of Chemical Residues in Sediments’ covers a variety of areas of the west coast and the Western and Northern Isles.
This can be viewed on SEPA’s website:
(http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/water_regulation/regimes/aquaculture/marine_aquaculture/reports_and_publications.aspx)
uk water research directory passes the 900 mark
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The directory is a comprehensive, searchable listing of individuals active in water research. It provides summaries of expertise and full contact details. It was launched in April 2012 with 300 entries and now includes over 900 active researchers. The directory is designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking between UK research providers and research users.
To access the directory, go to:
(http://www.ukwaterresearch.net/)
new barrier to stop invasive crayfish
(Posted 19 June 2013)
New barriers have been developed to prevent invasive American signal crayfish from moving upstream and colonising important European crayfish habitat. The barriers, designed to stop crayfish but allow fish to pass, have been found to be effective where water flow rates are sufficiently high.
To read a summary and details of the full reference, go to:
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/archive_yr/archive2013.htm)
plastics can concentrate toxic pollutants, endangering marine ecosystems
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Plastic debris is a serious environmental concern, as a physical pollutant as well as a chemical pollutant when it breaks down in the marine environment. A new study has now shown that plastics can also concentrate other pollutants, with significantly higher concentrations of toxic pollutants adhering to soft, rubbery plastics, rather than hard, glassy plastics.
To read a summary and details of the full reference, go to:
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/archive_yr/archive2013.htm)
safeguarding the provision of ecosystem services in catchment systems
(Posted 19 June 2013)
Focusing on ecosystem services provided by river catchments, this study recommends that more needs to be done on a practical level to support decision-makers, in a way that recognises the relationships between different types of ecosystem services.
To read a summary and details of the full reference, go to:
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/archive_yr/archive2013.htm)
PUBLICATIONS
short and snappy animated film on catchment management
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This excellent animated short on catchment management, spatial planning and ecosystem services has been produced by the Westcountry Rivers Trust. It gets the message across in 2½ minutes!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnsAale9D_k)
(Posted 19 June 2013)
For the first time ever, the UK’s wildlife organisations have joined forces to undertake a health check of nature in the UK and its Overseas Territories. A total of 25 wildlife organisations have compiled a stocktake of all our native wildlife. David Attenborough launched the report at the Natural History Museum. The report reveals that 60% of the species studied have declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether. However, targeted conservation has produced inspiring success stories and, with sufficient determination, resources and public support, the fortunes of our wildlife can be turned around.
For the full report, summaries and speeches from the launch event, go to:
(http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/science/stateofnature/)
demonstration test catchments – june newsletter
(Posted19 June 2013)
The newsletter covers updates from the Wensum, Eden and Avon DTCs, plus information on the DTC farm survey, NERC’s macronutrient cycles programme, and DTC and the catchment based approach.
See the newsletter at:
(http://www.demonstratingcatchmentmanagement.net/?tribe_events=june-2013-dtc-newsletter-available-now)
late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation
(Posted 19 June 2013)
The 2013 ‘Late lessons from early warnings’ report is the second of its type produced by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in collaboration with a broad range of external authors and peer reviewers. The case studies cover a diverse range of chemical and technological innovations, and highlight a number of systemic problems. The ‘Late Lessons Project’ illustrates how damaging and costly the misuse or neglect of the precautionary principle can be, using case studies and a synthesis of the lessons to be learned and applied to maximising innovations whilst minimising harms. Topics covered include invasive species, water pollution, insecticides and honey bees, radioactive pollution, and nanotechnology.
See the full report at:
(http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/late-lessons-2)
european waters: current status and future challenges – a synthesis
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This report is a synthesis of the main messages from nine EEA reports dealing directly or indirectly with water ecosystems or the pressures acting upon them. It is the last in the series of reports published by the EEA in support of water year 2012. It provides an overview of the state of Europe’s waters and the pressures acting on those waters. It then looks in greater detail at the economic and social factors driving these pressures, and concludes with a summary of the societal and policy challenges that must be met if water is to be managed sustainably.
See the report at:
(http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/european-waters-synthesis-2012)
new newsletter – uk and Ireland lakes network
(Posted 19 June 2013)
‘Protecting the Lake District lakes’ and ‘Using lake sediment cores to plan for the future’ are two articles included in issue 1. The newsletter is scheduled to be produced 3-4 times per year.
(http://www.ukandirelandlakes.org/default.asp?textpage=News_and_Events&maincat=ne)
mmo marine planning newsletter
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This newsletter, from the Marine Management Organisation, contains articles covering planning on the South and East coasts.
See the newsletter at:
(http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/marineplanning/news/newsletter13.htm)
fishing focus – the defra and mmo newsletter
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This newsletter, from Defra and MMO (Marine Management Organisation) has articles on the Marine Conservation Zones’ consultation, Common Fisheries Policy reform, the catch quota scheme, protecting dolphins and porpoises, and commercial fisheries in European Marine Sites.
See the newsletter at:
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fishing-focus-issue-29-spring-2013)
(Posted 23 April 2013)
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) have published their annual ‘Good Beach Guide’ online at:
(http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/)
One of the UK’s wettest summers on record has led to a worrying drop in the number of beaches around the country being recommended for their excellent bathing water quality in the annual guide. MCS has recommended only 403 of the 754 UK bathing beaches tested in 2012 as having excellent water quality. That’s 113 fewer beaches than were recommended last year. Relentless rain and flooding in many parts of the country led to an increase in the amount of bacteria and viruses ending up in our bathing waters.
Reports from Events
community led catchment planning and delivery – the rivers trust spring conference
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This conference was hosted by the Rivers Trust and WWF and comprised sessions on the catchment based approach framework; delivery mechanisms; and feedback from the Environment Agency and Wessex Water (who host the Frome and Piddle pilot catchment).
Conference presentations can be seen at:
(http://www.theriverstrust.org/seminars/archive/spring_2013/index.html)
water and environment 2013 – ciwem’s annual conference
(Posted 19 June 2013)
This two-day conference covered a wide range of topics, including environmental economics, flooding, urban drainage, water re-use, fracking, WFD, and diffuse pollution.
See the presentations at:
(http://www.coastms.co.uk/conferences/471/show)