Good effort - must work
harder Environmental 'report card' reflects
mixed ability New report from the Environment
Agency on the state of the environment in
England and Wales 2005
09/06/2005 - Real progress has been made in
improving the environment, but the latest
facts also reveal some worrying trends, the
Environment Agency said today.
Publishing its latest 'report card' on the
state of the environment in England and Wales
ahead of next month's G8 summit, the Agency
said that climate change, wildlife and flood
risk had the greatest ground to make up, and
that these must be among the top priorities
for future action.
A better place, published today, draws together
all the very latest information from 80 of
the most dependable and revealing environmental
data sets for England and Wales, giving the
most a comprehensive picture of environmental
trends in 2005.
Overall, only the quality of water is unequivocally
classed as 'better'. Although there are measurable
improvements within categories elsewhere,
most fall down in key areas, achieving at
best qualified ratings.
Air quality, for example, is rated 'overall,
much better' but many towns and cities suffer
from traffic pollution, the Agency says, and
industrial emissions of nitrogen oxide have
increased by 5% since 2000 as a result of
an increase in coal-fired electricity generation.
Wildlife is rated 'slightly better but still
poor'. Many habitats are improving and several
species, including coarse fish, otters and
woodland birds, continue to colonise new areas,
but significant numbers of plants, reptiles,
amphibians, freshwater fish and invertebrates
remain under threat. Some 70% of UK marine
fish stocks are below sustainable limits,
due to the effects of climate change, over-fishing
and habitat damage.
Consumption of resources and waste creation
get a qualified 'slightly better'. Despite
strong economic growth, the amount of raw
materials we use has been maintained close
to 2000 levels. And households in England
might just have managed to turn the rising
tide of domestic rubbish. The total tonnage
of household waste in England fell for the
first time in 2003/04. At the same time, recycling
reached its highest level to date, with on
average 17% of the domestic bin being put
to new use. It still takes 75kg of raw materials
to make a mobile phone, however, and we are
using more and more water despite the signs
that climate change will put further pressure
on this already scarce resource.
Land is rated 'slightly worse'. We are getting
better at cleaning up contaminated land, the
Environment Agency says, but poor soil management
and careless use of land continue to have
damaging effects on our environment.
For climate change and flood risk, the picture
is definitely 'worse'. The impacts of climate
change are becoming more real, the Environment
Agency says, but while we will meet our Kyoto
target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by
12.5% by 2012, we will not meet our own more
challenging target to cut carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions by 20% by 2010. This is partly due
to emissions from growing traffic. Road traffic
levels increased by 7% between 2000 and 2004.
By 2002, vehicles accounted for a quarter
of CO2 emisssions in the UK.
Rising sea levels, heavier rain and increasingly
stormy weather could see the number of people
at 'high' risk of flooding increase from 1.5
million today to more than 3.5million by 2080.
We cannot eliminate the risks but we can do
more to manage them. Major investment by Government
has seen the Environment Agency build or improve
defences for around 100,000 homes in England
and Wales since 2000. Our infrastructure,
warning systems and flood risk management
work already prevent around £3.4billion
of flood damage from occurring every year.
More people now know how to respond to a flood.
The number is increasing, but at 16% of those
currently at risk, the rate of increase is
too slow.
A better place? Our environment - how is
it?, the Environment Agency's latest assessment
of the state of the environment in England
and Wales, can be found on the Agency's web
site (see link) where it is supplemented by
detailed web pages setting out key data and
trends.
Alternatively, a copy of A better place can
be obtained free by calling the Environment
Agency on 08708 506 506, or order through
the online publications catalogue on the web
site.
Key findings
1) Air
Although air quality has generally continued
to improve, the effects of climate change
and pollution in our cities – mainly from
traffic – are still causing poor air quality.
During the 2003 heat wave up to 800 people
may have died prematurely because of air pollution.
Good news…
In 2004, there were just 22 days of poor
or moderate air quality in towns and cities
– down from nearly 60 days in the early 11000s.
Cuts in most kinds of pollution from regulated
industry continue. Since 2000, emissions from
the sites the Environment Agency regulates
have fallen by 15% and particulates by 48%.
But there is some bad news, including…
Vehicle use has increased by seven per cent
over the past four years and traffic pollution
in towns and cities is harming people’s health.
Since 2000 industry’s nitrogen oxide emissions
have increased by 5% because of increased
electricity production from coal-fired power
stations.
2) Water
Our rivers and coastal waters are the cleanest
on record. But we have not yet fully addressed
our ageing sewerage system and widespread
pollution problems caused by inadequate drainage
systems and run-off from roads and fields.
Good news…
Water quality continues to get better – 80%
of bathing waters now meet the toughest EU
standards.
Since 2000 pollution from hazardous substances
has fallen – mercury discharges to sea are
down by 33% and cadmium almost 80%.
But it’s not all good news…
Improvements to water quality are beginning
to slow – and fewer than half of our urban
rivers are of good quality
Nutrient levels in England’s rivers have changed
little since 2000, with sometimes damaging
impacts on wildlife
3) Wildlife
Some wildlife species are beginning to recover
but we still risk losing parts of the complex
web on life on which we all depend. The causes
include pollution, climate change, the spread
of alien species and damage to habitats through
urban development or agricultural practice.
More wildlife habitats are improving and some
wildlife numbers are on the increase – otters
have spread to 36% of rivers in England, up
from 23% in the last decade, and to 71% of
rivers in Wales, up from 53%.
Coarse fish numbers are much healthier today
than a decade ago thanks to investment in
water quality improvements and effective regulation.
But…
We have lost 4% of our wildlife species altogether
and one quarter of our animals and plants
are declining – farmland bird populations
are at only 57% of 1970 levels.
70% of UK marine fish stocks are below safe
limits due to the impacts of climate change,
over-fishing and damage to habitats.
4) Waste and resources
We still produce far too much waste – over
190 million tonnes from households, industry
and businesses in England and Wales every
year. Recycling rates are slowly increasing
and business is gradually becoming less wasteful
but there is a long way to go.
What’s going well…
In 2003/04 the the amount of household waste
produced in England went down for the first
time (to 25.4 million tonnes) and recycling
continued to increase (to 17%) but progress
is too slow.
Serious pollution incidents caused by the
waste management sector went down by a quarter
between 2002 and 2003 thanks to lots of good
work.
But…
The amount of energy we use in our homes
has increased by 2% since 2000, which is generating
more carbon dioxide emissions. Although this
is partly due to our growing economy, it is
also because energy use is inefficient.
Between 1992 and 2002 water use per person
increased by 7%, making drought in some parts
of the country much more likely.
Nuclear waste will continue to rise as nuclear
power stations are decommissioned.
5) Land quality
We still undervalue the resources that land
and soil provide us with. We know very little
about soil, a resource that is as astonishingly
complex as it is vital to our lives. Although
we are getting better at cleaning up contaminated
land, poor soil management and careless use
of land continue to have damaging effects
on our environment.
Some good news…
66% of houses built in England in the last
few years were on previously used land, a
5% increase
We are picking up the pace we clean up contaminated
land – in the first six months of 2004/05,
the Environment Agency dealt with 1,063 hectares.
And some bad news…
17% of soils in England and Wales show signs
of erosion, often due to intensive farming.
This can pollute rivers with pesticides, fertilisers
and suspended solids, sometimes degrading
salmon and trout spawning beds.
6) Climate change
Climate change is already happening – temperatures
are rising and weather patterns are becoming
more extreme. Action to tackle climate change
and prepare for its impacts is too slow. The
carbon dioxide we have already released has
set in motion changes for the next 30-40 years.
Some quite good news…
In the UK, we are still on track to meet
our Kyoto target to cut greenhouse gas emissions
by 12.5% from 11000 levels by 2008-2012.
And some rather bad news…
Although we are on track for the Kyoto target,
we are not on track for our own more challenging
target to cut carbon dioxide emissions by
20% by 2010.
This is partly due to rising traffic levels,
which increased by 7% between 2000 and 2004.
Carbon dioxide emissions from traffic account
for around a quarter of the UK’s total.
We are already feeling the impacts of climate
change. Average UK temperatures are continuing
to rise sharply, the risk of flooding is increasing
and we already seem to be experiencing many
of the weather extremes that scientists have
predicted.
7) Flooding
Climate change could see the number of people
at ‘high’ risk of flooding increase from 1.5
million today to 3.5 million by 2080. We cannot
eliminate the risks but we can do more to
manage them.
What’s going well…
Major Government investment over the last
five years has seen the Environment Agency
build or improve flood defences and reduce
flood risk for around 100,000 homes.
Flood defence, along with other aspects of
our work to manage flood risks such as flood
warning and land management, now prevents
around £3.4 billion of flood damage
every year.
And what’s going badly…
Heavier rainfall, increasing sea storms and
rising sea levels are increasing flood risk.
We are recording higher peak river flows.
Also, of the 55 times we have had to raise
the Thames Barrier against tidal surges since
it was built in 1983/4, 28 were in the last
five years.
Although the proportion of people living in
flood risk areas who would know how to respond
to a flood has increased to 16%, the rate
of increase is too slow.
Why does it matter?
1) Health and enjoyment of life
Our health and wellbeing are inextricably
linked to the quality of our environment.
While reducing pollution levels are generally
contributing to our improving health, many
of us – particularly those living in deprived
communities – still experience potentially
harmful levels of pollution.
A good environment is good for people’s mental
health and contributes to their enjoyment
of life. Access to green spaces, beaches with
clean bathing waters and good quality rivers
are all vital aspects of people’s quality
of life.
We cannot eliminate risks posed by our environment,
particularly flood risks. But if we successfully
manage them we can help protect people’s livelihoods
and even their lives.
2) Economics
Inefficient use of resources such as energy
and water costs UK businesses up to £3
billion a year. Being less wasteful and more
efficient isn’t just good for the environment,
it’s good for the economy.
Ageing sewerage systems, inadequate drainage
and previously unregulated sources of pollution
such as traffic and agricultural land use
are still leaving us with a huge clean-up
bill. It makes more economic sense to deal
with the causes rather than the effects.
A clean, attractive and healthy environment
is good for tourism and local investment.
What needs to happen now?
We need to continue doing many of the things
that we are already doing and in some cases
increase the pace of change. The priorities
include:
1. Taking urgent action to reduce our greenhouse
gas emissions by reducing energy use in every
sector, by investing much more in renewable
energy sources and by addressing aircraft
emissions through the emissions trading scheme.
2. Preparing now for the unavoidable impacts
of climate change, particularly increased
flood risk and pressure on water supplies.
This partly means sustaining the increased
investment in flood risk management.
3. Preparing for the now unavoidable impacts
of climate change, particularly increased
flood risk and pressure on water supplies
4. Getting tougher on those who abuse our
environment, from fly-tippers to business
that flout the law.
5. Encouraging good agricultural practice
to reduce pollution from nutrients and pesticides.
6. Accelerating the clean up and reuse of
contaminated land to reduce pressure on the
local environment.
7. Making sure people and business have the
greatest possible incentives to reduce the
waste they produce and use resources more
efficiently.
8. Providing better, more attractive alternatives
to car use and using congestion-cutting schemes
to reduce pollution.
