Latest news with #environmental crisis
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
‘Less reorganising, more doing': landmark report alone won't fix broken water sector
It started with sewage. Few environmental crises evoke such visceral public anger as pumping poo into waterways, but for years, that is exactly what water companies in England and Wales have done in large volumes. Their failure to build infrastructure, plug leaks and protect nature has infuriated customers who at the same time have struggled with soaring water bills. It has also shocked European neighbours whose publicly owned water companies keep things far cleaner. Critics say the increasingly sorry state of the UK's waterways is the result of mismanagement and underinvestment by debt-ridden water companies who were allowed to run wild by toothless regulators. The problem, as they see it, is the environmental conundrum at the heart of the modern consumer paradigm: public goods such as healthy rivers and clean beaches do not appear on company balance sheets. Why should corporations – which have a duty to create value for their shareholders – look after public goods? And if governments won't force them to, should we really expect them to look after the environment? In this case, after a landmark report into the troubled sector on Monday, the government announced it would combine the powers of four water industry watchdogs – which had competing economic and environmental aims – into one entity with oversight for the sector. It promised 'strong ministerial directives' and an end to its light touch approach. 'A single, powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment, and prevent the abuses of the past,' said Steve Reed, the UK environment secretary. The adopted proposal is just one of 88 recommendations from a report by an independent water commission– the bulk of which the government will consider over the summer – and the response from environmental experts has so far been muted. Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist at the University of Reading, said water industry reforms were 'long overdue and badly needed' but warned against spending years setting up new structures while rivers stay polluted and reservoirs run dry. 'The real challenge isn't designing better systems on paper – it's getting companies to actually fix leaking pipes, stop dumping sewage, and build the infrastructure we need,' she said. 'Less reorganising, more doing.' The report contains a number of recommendations that could help improve water quality and manage its supply, such as better third-party monitoring, new infrastructure standards, compulsory smart meters and a ban on wet wipes with plastic. It considers drawing from new EU rules to make polluters pay for the extra treatments needed to clean up emerging micropollutants, which could eventually include long-lasting Pfas and microplastics. The report also calls for the updating of existing environmental laws, in addition to overhauling the regulators. The proposed 'streamlining' includes setting a new long-term target for the health of water bodies in England and Wales – though the move might tempt ministers to lower ambition, given that the existing targets are set to be missed. Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Rivers Trust, said it was understandable that 'many people will have wanted this report to go further' but that he believed the recommendations, if implemented, would lead to a 'dramatic improvement' in the water environment and more cost-effective delivery. Most of all, though, the report has also come under fire for what it has left out. Adrian Ramsay, co-leader of the Green party, compared the proposed regulatory changes to 'rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic'. 'Not only that, but the majority of the public are going to be expected to pay more in bills, as we watch the industry continue to sink under the failed model of privatisation,' he said. 'The government deliberately left out the option of public ownership from the review, but that's the only real way to get the water industry to clean up its act.' That outcome isn't guaranteed. When the water companies were privatised in 1989, the UK was regarded as 'the dirty man of Europe'. A trip to its beaches shows it has come full-circle.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists stunned after finding one of Earth's most remote places blanketed in dangerous material: 'Is it snowing plastic … ?'
Scientists stunned after finding one of Earth's most remote places blanketed in dangerous material: 'Is it snowing plastic … ?' Early findings from an ambitious global research project show that microplastics might truly be everywhere on our planet — even in the world's most remote locations. What's happening? Alan Chambers has gained acclaim for exploring some of the world's most extreme locations. He has skied across Iceland and led a team that walked from Canada to the North Pole. His latest mission, CNN reported, is for an important scientific cause. Chambers is heading up Mission Spiritus, an initiative aimed at assessing the global spread of microplastics and nanoplastics. His goal is to gather samples from remote locations on every continent. "Mission Spiritus aims to deliver evidence-based insights that enable impactful solutions, driving meaningful transformational change on one of humanity's most pressing environmental crises," the organization says on its website. The first journey took place last year, as Chambers and a fellow explorer spent two months skiing from the Antarctic coast to the geographic South Pole. Over the 715-mile journey, the pair filled tins with snow, which were eventually tested by a scientist in Chile. Although the research into those samples is ongoing, initial results have raised some eyebrows. "The researchers found some traces of plastic in (samples from) the middle of Antarctica. The only way it can get there is the wind system," Chambers told CNN. "Is it snowing plastic in Antarctica?" Chambers retrieved samples earlier this year from the world's largest sand desert in Oman's Empty Quarter. This summer, he'll do the same in the Faroe Islands. If the project receives enough funding, Chambers also plans to explore remote locations in Chile, the Comoros Islands, Canada, and Western Australia. Why are microplastics important? Microplastics are tiny, sometimes imperceptible pieces of plastic that are no bigger than 5 millimeters, or the size of a pencil eraser. Tiny pieces of plastic can be manufactured for various uses, such as beads and microfibers, or they can break off from larger pieces of plastic. No matter how they are created, however, microplastics are everywhere. Along with Antarctica, they're found commonly in our oceans, drinking water, soil, and the air we breathe. They're even in human brains. Do you think Americans use too much plastic? Absolutely Only in some states We're getting better We're doing fine Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The health effects of microplastic pollution are still largely unknown, but new research frequently emerges that paints a worrying picture. Recent studies have linked the issue to health problems such as diabetes, digestive issues, and multiple cancers. What's being done about microplastics? Chambers told CNN his goal is to raise awareness for plastic recycling in an attempt to keep microplastics out of the atmosphere and water. And although reusing and recycling plastic will help (while also promoting the circular economy), so will using less of the material. Whether it's by choosing natural cleaning products or reusable shopping bags and food-storage containers, every time we choose to avoid plastic, we create fewer opportunities for plastic waste. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
