13 Jun 2023
The UK government has launched a six-week consultation on expanding its targets to tackle sewage even further to cover all coasts, estuaries and marine protected sites in England. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, published in August 2022, set out stringent targets to protect people and the environment, backed up by £56 billion capital investment – the largest […]
07 Jun 2023
Government has stepped up action to tackle harmful plastics and clean up our waterways by challenging producers of wet wipes to address concerns over how they label their products. Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has written to wet wipes producers setting out her concerns about the number of wet wipes that are flushed down UK toilets […]
18 May 2023
Defra has set out guidance on how developers can use habitat creation or enhancements to count towards their biodiversity net hain (BNG). If you’re creating or enhancing habitat as part of your development, you may be able to count this towards your BNG. You can still do this if the habitat required for your development is […]
26 Apr 2023
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published a new report ‘Regulating to achieve environmental outcomes’, in which it scrutinises whether Defra is using regulation effectively in pursuit of its environmental agenda. It found green improvements, including those relating to water, are being put at risk by shortcomings in Defra’s oversight of regulation. According to the report, […]
19 Apr 2023
Defra is seeking views on the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflows and final effluent discharges into watercourses. This consultation closes on 23 May 2023. Consultation description The Environment Act 2021 introduced requirements for sewerage undertakers to: monitor sewerage assets and the impact they have on their local environment, and publish data […]
19 Apr 2023
As announced in the recent Plan for Water, the government has published a new National Policy Statement for water resources infrastructure. There is also a summary of responses and government response to the recent consultation on the Statement. In an (un)timely report published the data after the new National Policy Statement, the National Infrastructure Commission […]
18 Apr 2023
Environment and Climate Ministers of the G7 Countries agree actions to reverse biodiversity loss at G7 meeting in Japan. UK Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey and the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Grant Shapps, attended in person. Guest countries included India, Indonesia and the UAE. The G7 members committed […]
12 Apr 2023
Defra has announced (10 April) that four swimming spots in England are being designated as bathing waters ahead of the warmer months and will soon benefit from regular water quality monitoring. Following a two-week public consultation, Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the […]
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