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A new consultation seeks views on an updated Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland, which aims to prevent litter reaching seas and shores, remove rubbish from the marine environment and strengthen monitoring. Fishing and aquaculture nets and gear are currently difficult to recycle as these are usually made of multiple materials. According to the Scottish Government, adopting a circular design, with standardised...

UK homes, university residences and public buildings are set to benefit from 'cleaner, more affordable heat and energy', after £19.1m government funding to further expand Great Britain’s network of low carbon heating was announced on 29th December. The investment will go towards setting up five new heat networks, two in Bristol and three across Liverpool, London and Worthing. Heat networks supply heat from a...

The 2021/22 Scottish Government programme set out the establishment of a new dedicated National Public Energy Agency by 2025. As part of the first stage of a series of collaboration and co-development of the new body, a new call for evidence has been launched. The National Public Energy Agency is set to lead the 'transformational change' in the way Scotland heats its...

A new consultation seeks views to create a 'profitable, productive, environmentally sustainable and resilient' agri-food sector in Northern Ireland. The consultation seeks the views of stakeholders on the policy proposals being developed to achieve the four key outcomes of the Future Agricultural Policy Framework Portfolio: increased productivity, improved resilience, environmental sustainability and a responsive supply chain. Speaking about the consultation the...

The ecological condition of Scotland’s water environment are set to be further protected and improved for future generations through 'a comprehensive' new action plan. The River Basin Management Plans, developed and delivered collaboratively, set out a range of priority measures, including working with land managers to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture, and supporting the passage of migratory fish such as...

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy seeks views and evidence to inform the development of possible options to enable or require hydrogen-ready industrial boiler equipment. According to the government, hydrogen-ready industrial boilers have the potential to help industry decarbonise and kick start the UK hydrogen economy. Today the boilers can run on fossil fuels, but are designed for subsequent conversion to...

People believe children do not spend enough time enjoying the natural world and should spend more of their school time learning outdoors in nature, according to a recent poll commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 adults, revealed: 75% believe children do not spend enough time outdoors enjoying the natural world 72% believe that in school, children...

The UK’s approach to wildlife and forest crime has been praised in a new United Nations report. The 'Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit Report: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', puts forward a series of recommendations as to how the UK can better address key aspects of wildlife crime. Jorge Rios, Chief of the United Nations Office on...

The Work and Pensions Committee has published the Department for Work and Pension's response to its report on the Government’s approach to ensuring pension funds consider the risks posed by climate change and the role schemes can play in meeting emission reduction targets. The Committee’s report on pension stewardship and COP26 was published in September ahead of the UN conference in Glasgow...

Biomass projects across the UK can bid for a share of £26 million as the government ramps up plans to boost the use of materials such as grasses, hemp and seaweed to help the UK reach net zero. Biomass refers to sustainably derived plant material that could be used as fuel to produce energy for heating and powering homes and...