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The Government published the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) on 25 January 2012, the first assessment of its kind for the UK and the first in a 5 year cycle.
Information on this page includes:
- The CCRA UK Government Report
- Summary of the key findings from the CCRA
- UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2012 Evidence Report
- Reports and Summaries for each of the eleven sectors
- Other reports: Devolved Administrations, Climate Change Partnerships etc
The CCRA has reviewed the evidence for over 700 potential impacts of climate change in a UK context. Detailed analysis was undertaken for over 100 of these impacts across 11 key sectors, on the basis of their likelihood, the scale of their potential consequences and the urgency with which action may be needed to address them.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/government/risk-assessment/
Implementation of the Nitrates Directive in England 2013-2016 (Deadline Friday 16 March). The Nitrates Directive is intended to reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. We are required to review our implementation of it every four years. Since its agreement in1991, implementation in the UK has evolved as we have developed our understanding of the Directive itself and as the evidence base has grown. 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.
Please visit the Defra website to access the consultation document and related information:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/20/nitrates-directive/
The 8th MCZ newsletter published
The Marine Conservation Zone Project was established to make recommendations to the government on new marine protected areas called Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) to help meet the requirements of the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009).
In this update:
- How the Project involved stakeholders early on
- How Natural England and JNCC produce their advice
- What work is still to be done
- The MCZ designation timetable
For further details see:
Click to view full size image
Mating in harbour porpoises is seldom seem let alone photographed. This remarkable image by David Jenkins shows 3 animals taken at a coastal on the North Devon coast in the summer of 2011. He has observed porpoises at a number of North Devon sites for over 10 years and has been able to identify a number of sites where they feed regularly in close alignment with coastal reefs and in association with other species like gannets highlighting the importance of particular coastal sites. This has also enabled him to start taking photo identification shots of individual animals from the shore. The designation of sites for mobile species in the marine environment under the Habitats Directive is a significant issue that remains both seriously delayed and largely unresolved causing concerns to conservationists and developers alike.
A sustainable development bill has been outlined by John Griffiths speaking to 100 representatives from Wales’ public, private and the third sectors at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in December; he is Environment and Sustainable Development Minister . The Welsh Government committed in its legislative programme to introduce legislation on sustainable development, in order to: Make sustainable development the centre of all activities and decisions of the Welsh Government and devolved public bodies in Wales; and Create an independent sustainable development body for Wales. The Welsh Government will now formally consult on the purpose and extent of a Sustainable Development Bill during 2012 and hopes to introduce the Bill to the National Assembly in 2013 or 2014.
http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2012/01/welsh-government-sets-out-vision-for-sustainable-development-bill/
MMO newsletter current topics:
Marine planning in the East of England Public invited to marine planning drop-in sessions – can you help spread the word?
We are holding 12 public sessions along the East coast of England in February to explain what marine planning is, and what it means to coastal communities....
Future consultation on the draft vision and objectives
We are in the process of generating the draft vision and objectives for the East Inshore and East Offshore marine plan areas. ...
Consultation on the Draft Evidence and Emerging Issues Report – revised version published soon
The informal consultation on the Draft Evidence and Emerging Issues Report for the East marine plan areas closed on the 10 January 2012.....
Marine Planning ‘Out and About’ Diary
We have been very busy since our last newsletter in November with our December workshops in Hull, Norwich and Peterborough, drop-in sessions in the reporting areas (London, Newcastle and Scarborough) and the release of the Draft Evidence and Emerging Issues Report....
Marine planning outside the East of England
Following on from the workshops, the future planning unit held drop-in sessions in December in the reporting areas (areas outside the plan areas that will be affected by the decisions made in the current plan areas such as shipping) for the East marine plans. A wide spectrum of stakeholders attended sessions in Scarborough, Newcastle and London.....
You can follow these topics on:
Current news covers:
- Climatic Change Special Issue: Guidance for Characterising and Communicating Uncertainty and Confidence in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- JRF report – ‘Climate change and sustainable consumption: What do the public think is fair?’
- Met Office 2012 annual global temperature forecast
- New climate change assessment report published by the MetOffice
For details see:
A consultation on the sustainable drainage provisions in schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act has been commenced by Defra. 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.
We welcome your views on the:
a. Impact Assessment;
b. National Standards; and
c. Statutory Instruments including proposals for approval and adoption.
We also propose developing guidance to support the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage in collaboration with interested parties (paragraphs 1.30 to 1.32 of the consultation document refer). Expressions of interest from anyone who would like to contribute to the development of the guidance should be submitted to SuDS@defra.gsi.gov.uk by 20 January 2012.
Please visit the Defra website to access the consultation document and related information:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/20/sustainable-drainage-systems-1112/
Peter Jones writes Analysis of emerging EU policy landscape for Marine Spatial Planning is a working paper provides an overview of the emerging policy landscape for marine spatial planning (MSP) in Europe, which consists of various policies, directives and regulations related to MSP in the EU. In recent years, with the passage of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Integrated Maritime Policy, there is a clear trend towards integrated planning and management in marine waters, underpinned by an ecosystem-based approach to achieve sustainability. This paper explores the interactions, both in terms of potential synergies and tensions, between different policies in the European context e.g. the Lisbon treaty and directives, and discusses the main challenges for their integration. For details see:
Funding to support UK marine industries research (Technology Strategy Board) is open for proposals in shipbuilding (design/production); maritime equipment & services; ship and port operation services; offshore industry/technology; offshore structures for renewable energy; safety; security; and /or environmental and climate impact. Deadline is 30 Apr 2012, for work to start in 2013.
http://www.ukmarinealliance.co.uk/news/uk-supports-marine-industries-research
EUR 3.2 billion over 2014-2020 to a new Programme the EU Commission has announced; it proposes to allocate for the Environment and Climate Action - LIFE. The proposed new programme will build on the existing LIFE+ Programme but will be reformed to have a greater impact, be simpler and more flexible and have a significantly increased budget.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/news/newsarchive2011/december/index.htm#life
The Environment Agency’s Water Framework Directive 2011 progress update is now available. 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%. For further information see the EA website:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/data/97343.aspx
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