Monthly Archives: October 2016

Government committment to Paris Agreement confirmed.

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Speaking to members of the International Energy Agency in Paris today, Baroness Neville-Rolfe – Energy Minister at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – has confirmed the UK Government’s commitment to meeting the requirements of the Paris Agreement, whilst acknowledging that more needs to be done in order to achieve this. Baroness Neville-Rolfe also drew attention to the efforts already made in the UK to improve energy efficiency from changes to the building regulations to support for households … Continued

WRAP recycling guidelines published to help reduce contamination

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The Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP*) have this month published new recycling guidelines to help householders understand what they can and can’t recycle, with a view to improving the quality of material in recycling collections. Although recycling rates in the UK are rising (according to Government figures released this summer), a BBC Freedom of Information request reportedly found that contamination of the materials was leading to increased rejection of materials, with the rejected loads sent to landfill or incineration. … Continued

The Great Repeal Bill – clarity at last?

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Following recent speeches confirming that “brexit means brexit” and that Article 50 will be triggered by the end of March 2017, David Davis (Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union) told the House of Commons on Monday that a new bill – the Great Repeal Bill – will be put before the House “in the next Parliamentary session”. The Bill – if passed –  will take effect on the day that we leave the EU and will ensure that … Continued

ClientEarth report – Climate Change Act “dangerously neglected”

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A new ClientEarth report states that “the Climate Change Act…has in practice been dangerously neglected”, raising concerns over the UK”s ability to meet the reductions set out in the four carbon budgets to 2025. The 55 page report acknowledges both the significance of the Act and the political committment to it, but sets out clear evidence of the gap between vision and reality and calls for the publication of a “new Emissions Reduction Plan by the end of 2016”. The … Continued

Waste panel service suspended for a month

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The Environment Agency updated it’s IsitWaste tool page yesterday, announcing the temporary (3 month) suspension of the Definition of Waste panel. The service will be reviewed in November 2016, according to the webpage. The definition of waste is one of the most hotly contested areas of waste management, and has been since the first definition was included in Directive 75/442/EEC – the first Waste Framework Directive. It defined waste as “…any substance or object which the holder disposes of or is … Continued

EU Parliament approves ‘fast track’ Paris Agreement ratification

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The European Parliament (EP) today approved ‘fast-track’ ratification of the Paris Agreement, allowing the Council of Ministers, meeting tomorrow, to adopt the ground-breaking climate control agreement for the EU. The Paris Agreement support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and is the first legally-binding, universal deal aimed at controlling the global climate. The Agreement, reached at the culmination of meetings in Paris during December 2015, requires ratification by at least 55 parties, responsible for 55% of global emissions … Continued