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The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Interim water review ‘not the finishing line' to fix failures, campaigners warn
The National Water Commission's interim review of the sector is 'not the finishing line' to fixing the failing system, environmentalists have warned. The independent commission, headed by Sir Jon Cunliffe, said the water sector in England and Wales needs a 'fundamental reset' as it published a report on Tuesday. The panel of experts called for a rebalancing of Ofwat's regulatory role, urged the Government to provide clearer direction, proposed greater regional decision-making around local water systems and a greater focus on long-term responsible investment and ownership in the sector. Reacting to the report, Wildlife And Countryside Link (WCL), a coalition of 89 nature organisations, said ministers must start work now on vital reforms that will cut pollution, restore nature and reform water companies' governance. The groups said the Government must not only follow the advice of the report but go further, highlighting that the review stops short of final recommendations. Richard Benwell, WCL's chief executive, said: 'This interim report is a clear signpost, not a finishing line. 'The public are rightly angry about pollution and regulatory failure, and nature is in crisis. 'Politicians must stop equivocating and set clear strategic direction for environmental recovery. 'Where in the past polluters have got away with profiteering, public interest tests must be built into every layer of operations and governance with consequences for failure.' Mark Lloyd, chief executive of The Rivers Trust, said: 'Water is fundamental for nature's recovery, for the growth of the economy, for the health and security of communities and for life itself. 'We will press the commission over the next month to shoot for the stars rather than the moon in its final report. 'We will then expect to see the Government move swiftly and boldly to realise this high level of ambition.' Ali Morse, water policy manager at The Wildlife Trusts, said: 'The commission's interim report emerges at a time when environmental protections are under threat from proposed planning laws, and budgets for nature look set to be slashed. 'This doesn't look like the actions of a Government that is serious about restoring our chalk streams, or averting the extinction of water vole and Atlantic salmon. 'To convince us otherwise, we need to see Government responding with measures that ensure water companies prioritise the health of rivers and seas, that past harms are made good, that other sectors too play their role, and that environmental regulators are equipped and supported to do their jobs.' Two organisations, River Action and Surfers Against Sewage, went further to say the interim review stops well short of real reform and offers few concrete solutions. They argued that it does not match up with the Government's manifesto commitments and speaks more about attracting investors than cleaning up pollution and serving the public. James Wallace, chief executive of River Action, said: 'This interim report signals some progress on regulation, but it reads more like a sales pitch to international investors and overpaid CEOs than the urgent restructuring of corrupted water companies. 'We ask the commission to learn from other countries how to ensure water companies are owned, financed and operated for public benefit.' Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said: 'The criminal behaviour, chronic lack of investment and woeful mismanagement which has led to sewage-filled seas is a direct result of our profit-driven system. 'This interim report begins to recognise this, but as yet does not spell out the need to end pollution for profit. 'The commission's final recommendations must reshape the water industry to put public health and the environment first.'
Sky News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Government accused of watering down environment rules in housebuilding proposals
The government has been accused of watering down rules that require developers to leave wildlife habitats in a better state than they found them when building new homes. Ministers are seeking to give a boost to smaller housing developments with faster planning decisions and financial backing to speed up building new homes. Under the proposals, Labour would cut red tape and shift planning decisions away from councillors and towards expert officers - all as part of efforts to meet Sir Keir Starmer 's pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029-30. Politics latest: Farage says 'yes' he can be PM The consultation will also consider easing biodiversity net gain requirements for minor developments. At the moment, these mean builders must pay to boost nature habitats if they are impacted by the development process. But the government hopes to create a new category for medium-sized developments - those with between 10 and 49 homes - with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. An 89-strong coalition of environment groups has warned that these reduced biodiversity rules would mean the vast majority of housing developments would no longer need to compensate for nature loss. The Wildlife and Countryside Link also suggested that developers could be allowed to break up large projects into smaller ones to avoid the rules. Richard Banwell, the group's chief executive, has urged the government not to "turn back the clock to the days of damaging development" with changes to this system. He said: "Exempting small sites would mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss - let alone enhance it. "These changes could leave the biodiversity net gain system dead in the water and, with it, the government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning." However, the government has described the simplified biodiversity net gain rules for medium-sized developments as a "win-win for nature and development". Ministers are also seeking to support smaller firms by offering £100m in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options - such as revolving credit - for small and medium-sized enterprises. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said it was time to "level the playing field" for smaller housebuilders. "Smaller housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and fix the housing crisis we've inherited - and get working people on the housing ladder," she said.
The Independent
11-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Warning over low funding to tackle invasive species damaging British wildlife
Less than 1% of the Government's biosecurity budget goes on invasive species, despite the danger they pose to British wildlife, figures suggest. Conservationists warned the funding to tackle non-native plants and animals was failing to match the risk they posed to 'cherished' native species from water voles to ladybirds, as well as to waterways, homes, businesses and local green spaces. They have called for more resources for border checks to stop non-native species arriving here, and funding for local groups to tackle the problem on the ground. A freedom of information request to the Animal and Plant Health Agency by Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) shows only £2.47 million of the estimated £250 million biosecurity budget was going to tackling invasive species. And just £250,000 of that was being channelled to local groups tackling non-native species on the ground – which range from Himalayan balsam and floating pennywort choking waterways to rhododendrons and giant blackberries strangling woodlands and grasslands, conservationists said. The figures also show £22.7 million of the wider biodiversity budget – around 3% of the spend on protecting important habitats and species – was spent on tackling invasive species. This funding is thought to be going towards areas such as tree disease ash dieback and Asian or yellow-legged hornets which pose a huge threat to honeybees and other insects, WCL said. Spending on stopping the spread of yellow-legged hornets bucks the trend of low funding, the conservationists said – with more than £2.2 million spent over the last two years, compared to just under £500,000 in the same period on local action for wider invasive species. Research has found that efforts to stop the yellow-legged hornets in the UK have delayed the insect's establishment when it has already taken hold in many countries. But Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of conservation groups said while this was a big achievement, the hornet, a voracious predator of other insects which first arrived in Europe on a shipment of pottery 20 years ago, was likely to establish here at some point. And the high costs of tackling it shows the need to give greater border check powers and resourcing to stop these species arriving in the UK in the first place, the conservationists said. The wildlife experts say invasive species play a major role in more than 60% of extinctions worldwide. In the UK, species are in serious decline due to invasive species including water voles, preyed on by non-native mink, red squirrels, which face competition and disease spread from their grey cousins, and white-clawed crayfish that are under threat from North American signal crayfish. Lisa Manning, policy officer at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Invasive species are one of the biggest risks to cherished species from water voles to ladybirds. 'They also wreak havoc on our waterways and cause damage to businesses, homes and to local parks and other green spaces. 'But the funding and support from the Government is failing to match the level of this threat,' she warned. 'We need more border check powers and resources to prevent new harmful species arriving. 'And more funding is needed to fight invasive species that have already arrived, so that local groups can stop struggling on an annual basis and take the long-term action needed for nature,' she urged. Erin Shott, advocacy officer at Plantlife, said: 'Local groups and volunteers are putting up a great fight to halt the spread of invasive species. 'But this action needs further co-ordination and dedicated funding if we're to stop further damage to treasured local nature sites and native British wildlife.' David Smith, from insect charity Buglife, said that despite the UK's success on yellow-legged hornets, 'we cannot afford to rely on reaction alone'. 'With many more invasive invertebrate species on the horizon, such as Chinese mystery snails, which can carry harmful parasites, and Asian longhorn beetles, which threaten our trees, timber, and fruit industries, there is a growing danger to both wildlife and the economy. 'We must focus on prevention rather than cure,' he said. An Environment Department (Defra) spokesperson said: 'This Government will never waver in its duty to protect the UK's biosecurity. 'That's why we are bolstering our national biosecurity with a £200 million investment to set up a new National Biosecurity Centre and just last week announced £10 million of funding for cutting-edge surveillance projects to detect the spread of diseases and non-native species.' An Animal and Plant Health Agency spokesperson said: 'Our teams work hard to tackle the threat of invasive non-native species, which cost the GB economy nearly £2bn a year, and help deliver a seamless border that maintains frictionless trade while protecting biosecurity. 'Members of the public who encounter invasive non-native species should report them following instructions on the Non-Native Species Secretariat website.'
The Guardian
11-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Less than 1% of UK biosecurity budget goes on tackling invasive species, figures show
Less than 1% of the government's biosecurity budget goes on tackling invasive species, despite the danger they pose to British wildlife, figures suggest. Conservationists warned the funding to address non-native plants and animals was failing to match the risk they posed to 'cherished' native species, from water voles to ladybirds, as well as to waterways, homes, businesses and local green spaces. They have called for more resources for border checks to stop non-native species arriving here, and funding for local groups to tackle the problem on the ground. A freedom of information request to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) by Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) shows only £2.47m of the estimated £250m biosecurity budget was spent on invasive species. Of that figure, only £250,000 was being channelled to local groups tackling non-native species – such as the rhododendrons and giant blackberries that are strangling woodlands and grasslands – conservationists said. The figures also showed £22.7m of the wider biodiversity budget – about 3% of the spend on protecting important habitats and species – was put towards stopping all invasive species, including Asian, or yellow-legged, hornets, WCL said. The conservationists said the hornets, which pose a threat to honeybees and other insects, bucked the trend of low funding, with more than £2.2m spent solely on fighting them, while just under £500,000 was spent in the same period on local action for wider invasive species. Research found that efforts in the UK have delayed the hornets' establishment, whereas the insects have already taken hold in many other countries. However, WCL warned the hornet was likely to establish here at some point, showing the need for greater border check powers and resourcing to stop these species arriving in the UK in the first place. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion The wildlife experts said invasive species played a major role in more than 60% of extinctions worldwide. Examples in the UK included water voles being preyed on by non-native mink, as well as red squirrels facing competition and disease spread by their grey cousins. Lisa Manning, policy officer at WCL, said invasive species were 'one of the biggest risks' to cherished species, adding they 'wreak havoc' on waterways while damaging businesses, homes and local green spaces. She warned: 'We need more border check powers and resources to prevent new harmful species arriving. 'And more funding is needed to fight invasive species that have already arrived, so local groups can stop struggling on an annual basis and take the long-term action needed for nature.' A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: 'This government will never waver in its duty to protect the UK's biosecurity. 'That's why we are bolstering our national biosecurity with a £208m investment to set up a National Biosecurity Centre and, just last week, announced £10m of funding for cutting-edge surveillance projects to detect the spread of diseases and non-native species.' An APHA spokesperson said: 'Our teams work hard to tackle the threat of invasive non-native species, which cost the GB economy nearly £2bn a year, and help deliver a seamless border that maintains frictionless trade while protecting biosecurity. 'Members of the public who encounter invasive non-native species should report them, following instructions on the Non-Native Species Secretariat website.'
