01 Nov 2023

An exclusive investigation by the Guardian suggests England is to diverge from EU water monitoring standards. Campaigners fear the change of approach could lead to more pollution in England’s rivers and waterways if the new measuring methods are less rigorous. While in the EU, England was covered by the water framework directive (WFD), and a […]

01 Nov 2023

The world is approaching a series of climate risk tipping points, according to a major new report from the UN University. It is also on the brink of irreversible changes to nature, water systems and pollution in space, which would drastically damage our ability to cope with disasters, including the withdrawal of home insurance from […]

01 Nov 2023

The Environment Agency (EA) claims that an estimated 96,000 properties have been protected and as part of the EA’s response to flooding caused by Storm Babet. Further, twenty high volume pumps and five small volume pumps were deployed across several sites. The EA’s flood warning service sent out over 300,000 messages by email, telephone and […]

01 Nov 2023

On Tuesday, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee questioned the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, and the Department’s Permanent Secretary, Tamara Finkelstein. Highlights: She said that the recent floods caused by Storm Babet were exacerbated by the impacts of rain coming from the opposite direction. She admits the Environment […]

01 Nov 2023

The government has published its response to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 2023 progress report. The CCC’s report was scathing, saying progress was slow and the publication of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP), setting out how the government plans to get to Net Zero, raised further concerns, with reduced confidence in the UK […]

01 Nov 2023

Ofwat has published the Monitoring Financial Resilience (MFR) report 2022-23, which aims “to promote a focus on efficient investment that secures long-term resilience and delivers long-term value for money for customers and the environment”. According to the report, the water sector has attracted £4.6bn in additional money from shareholders since 2020, helping to improve the […]

01 Nov 2023

Writing The Mint magazine, Justin Taberham examines the prospects for the UK water sector. Near daily media interest and criticism of water companies’ pollution performance has lately been often stimulated by public reporting or legal action against them. In addition, debt loadings for some companies are at unsustainably high levels and investors have had to […]

01 Nov 2023

Defra has published draft versions of the biodiversity gain plan template and guidance documents for developers and for local planning authorities. These will aid preparation for the commencement of BNG, which is now due to start from January 2024.