Download or read book Climate Change Water Security and Flooding Sixteenth Report of Session 2003 2004 Report Together with Formal Minutes Oral and Written Evidence written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Committees report examines the actions that will be necessary to adapt to changes in flooding and water availability caused by climate change. There are a number of steps that the Government should take to reduce future flood risk, with a key consideration being the planning of new housing developments to avoid building on flood plains, where possible. Where this is necessary, developments should be designed to be as resilient as possible to flooding, utilising sustainable drainage systems and including areas such as parks in order to contain floodwater. Existing sewer systems will need upgrading and new systems must be built to cope with higher storm flows. Greater attention needs to be paid by the Government to the issue of water shortages due to drier summers, including considering alternative water pricing mechanisms to relate costs more directly to amount used, and ensuring building regulations pay greater attention to water efficiency. Water companies must also do more to reduce water leakages.
Download or read book Agriculture and Eu Enlargement Seventeenth Report of 2003 2004 Report Together with Formal Minutes Oral a Written Evidence written by Jack Michael and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agriculture plays a larger role in the economies of the new Member states of the EU than it does in EU-15. There have thus been fears of the market being flooded by cheap agricultural exports and controversy about the extension of CAP payments. This report, therefore, looks at the impact of enlargement on agriculture both in the new Member states and in the UK. It concludes that structural fragmentation and the lack of capital investment mean that the new Member states are not in a position to undermine EU agricultural markets. However there are concerns about the quality of inspection and food quality. For the UK the Committee think that enlargement is more of a challenge than a threat, especially if the government does more to help promote UK food exports and investments.
Download or read book Dismantling Defunct Ships in the Uk Eighteenth Report of Session 2003 2004 Report Together with Formal Minutes Oral and Written Evidence written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is estimated that, worldwide, about 700 large commercial vessels have to be scrapped each year, as they reach the end of their working life. Much of the material they are made from can be recycled, but many ships also contain hazardous materials, such as asbestos, PCBs and waste oils, which need to be disposed of safely. The Committee's report considers how defunct ships are dismantled and why most are currently dismantled in developing countries, mostly in Asia; health and safety protection for workers, and environmental protection standards; the international regulatory framework, including legislation such as the Basel Convention and EC regulations, IMO guidelines and enforcement problems; the principles of responsible ship recycling; the Government's approach to ship recycling and a UK ship recycling industry. Findings include that the Government has an important role to play in ensuring this issue receives sufficient international priority, particularly during the UK's forthcoming EU Presidency and chairmanship of the G8; as well at home in helping persuade UK-based shipowners to arrange for their vessels to be disposed of responsibly. As a first step, it should ensure that all naval and other publicly-owned vessels are dismantled to the highest health, safety and environmental standards.
Download or read book Waste Policy and the Landfill Directive written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 400 million tonnes of waste is produced in England and Wales from industrial, commercial and household sources, with 375 million tonnes produced in England alone. Following on from its previous report on waste management issues (HCP 385-I, session 2002-03, ISBN 0215010876) published in May 2003, the Committee's report focuses on the progress being made to meet targets for recycling, and the impact of the EU Landfill Directive on reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, particularly in hazardous waste landfill capacity. Findings include that waste policy has a lower public profile than many other environmental issues, and its development is hindered by a lack of quality data. Concerns are raised about the level of hazardous waste that is unaccounted for, following the ending of co-disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste in the same landfill. Government funding for research into new treatment technologies is welcomed, but more investment is needed; and the planning system is a key influence on the country's waste management capacity. The Committee also recommends that the Landfill Tax should be increased to £35 per tonne; and that the introduction of local authority schemes to promote household waste recycling should be left at the discretion of local councils, with variable charging schemes only introduced if this can avoid disadvantaging low-income families.
Download or read book The Stationery Office Annual Catalogue written by Stationery Office (Great Britain) and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 790 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Index to Chairmen written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Pricing Follow Up Nineteenth Report of Session 2003 04 Report Together with Formal Minutes Oral and Written Evidence written by Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2004 review of water prices will determine water bills until 2010, and so is an important process for water companies, their customers and other stakeholders. The Committee finds that Ofwat could do more to explain to customers the impact of changes in price limits. In particular there is a need for clear information about the costs and reasons for the necessary environmental works and how they contribute to the overall bill. The "horse trading" inherent in the bidding process, where the companies and the regulator produce starkly different estimates of costs, value for money and scope for savings, needs re-examination. Other specific topics addressed by the report include diffuse water pollution and flooding caused by urban run-off, sewer flooding, and the serious problems faced by poorer sections of society in paying their water bills. The Government is advised to examine the long term risks, including climate change, faced by the water industry and identify means of managing them.
Download or read book The United Nations World Water Development Report 2020 written by UNESCO and published by . This book was released on 2020-03-27 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2020 edition of the WWDR, titled Water and Climate Change illustrates the critical linkages between water and climate change in the context of the broader sustainable development agenda. Supported by examples from across the world, it describes both the challenges and opportunities created by climate change, and provides potential responses – in terms of adaptation, mitigation and improved resilience – that can be undertaken by enhancing water resources management, attenuating water-related risks, and improving access to water supply and sanitation services for all in a sustainable manner. It addresses the interrelations between water, people, environment and economics in a changing climate, demonstrating how climate change can be a positive catalyst for improved water management, governance and financing to achieve a sustainable and prosperous world for all. The report provides a fact-based, water-focused contribution to the knowledge base on climate change. It is complementary to existing scientific assessments and designed to support international political frameworks, with the goals of helping the water community tackle the challenges of climate change, and informing the climate change community about the opportunities that improved water management offers in terms of adaptation and mitigation.
Download or read book Future flood and water management legislation written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-12-22 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Government must act to tackle the twin challenges of protecting over five million properties from flooding and maintaining clean, reliable and affordable water supplies. The Committee is concerned that the Government has cut flood defence funding and will in future require communities to pay a greater contribution towards the defences from which they benefit. At a time of budgetary constraint, the committee believes there is no certainty that this funding gap can be filled. The report tells Ministers they must: spell out how the Government will deliver its pledge to focus public money for flood defence on those communities at greatest risk and least able to protect themselves; ensure adequate and stable funding for local authorities and other agencies given new responsibilities under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to plan for and respond to flood events. The report calls on the Government to sharpen the regulatory framework for the water industry to ensure it places customers' views at the heart of a future strategy that will deliver improved affordability and water efficiency. Ministers should: clarify the role for social tariffs in helping those who have difficulty paying their water bills; implement a solution that brings down bills for customers in regions where water charges are at present disproportionately high due to the need for large-scale capital investment in sewage systems; publish a strategy to implement a wider programme of metering and variable tariffs designed to improve water efficiency while protecting those on low incomes from unaffordable price rises.
Download or read book Addressing Water Security Climate Impacts and Adaptation Responses in Africa Asia Latin America and the Caribbean written by Mishra, Anil and published by UNESCO Publishing. This book was released on 2021-05-04 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The water white paper written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2012-07-05 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Committee heard persuasive evidence about the environmental damage caused by over-abstraction. The reform of abstraction licenses must be brought forward as the Government's current plans - to reform the abstraction regime by the mid-to-late 2020s - will not take effect rapidly enough given that our rivers are already running dry. Defra must also work with Ofwat and the Environment Agency to tackle urgently those abstractions which are already causing severe damage to our rivers. It is "extremely disappointing" that the White Paper fails to set a target to increase levels of water metering. The report also highlights how bad debt in the water sector adds around £15 to each household's water bill every year. Defra must implement existing legal provisions rapidly to tackle this problem. The Committee also examines proposals to increase competition in the sector. They conclude that Defra should set a clear target date for opening a competitive retail market for water, and should take account of lessons that can be learned from Scotland. The Committee believes that the White Paper's proposals will fail to deliver a well-functioning retail market and suggests how to remedy this. The Government also needs to take action to encourage the development of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which can reduce the risk of flooding, and to implement the relevant outstanding provisions of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. It is "deeply worrying" that the Government had not yet reached an agreement with insurers about providing cover for homes in areas of flood risk
Download or read book Flooding written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Incorporating HC 1060-i, session 2006-07
Download or read book Ofwat written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-05-10 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) is the economic regulator of water services in England and Wales, with responsibility for setting price limits that allow the 22 main water companies to secure sustainable supplies at the lowest cost to the consumer. Following on from a NAO report (HCP 150, session 2006-07; ISBN 9780102944181) published in January 2007, the Committee's report finds that Ofwat needs to make changes to its regulatory system, in particular on water efficiency, data quality, and enforcement, given the increasing challenges to water supplies due to low rainfall and predictions of housing growth. Ofwat does not understand clearly how consumers use water and has not collected enough robust evidence on which water efficiency projects are most effective in helping consumers to use less water. Despite some progress, Ofwat still depends on unreliable data with regard to both supply and demand, and also needs much better data on per capita consumption. It has had some success in encouraging sustainable investment by companies, but needs to be more active in using sanctions against companies that under-perform against their commitments to meet all reasonable demands for water, while limiting environmental impacts. Ofwat should press companies to encourage more consumers to use meters by, for example, promoting the benefits of metering to consumers as well as routinely installing meters when there is a change of building occupancy.
Download or read book HC 737 Strategic Flood Risk Management written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2015 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Given financial constraints, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have done a good job in improving the cost effectiveness of their approach to flood risk management. They have adopted rational methods to prioritise spending on both new capital flood defences and maintaining existing ones. However, risks remain to the sustainability of current levels of flood protection. The Agency will need to make difficult decisions about how it prioritises its maintenance budget, including some defences where it will need to reduce or stop maintenance. In these cases, there is a risk that lack of maintenance will mean that capital costs are incurred sooner, when defences require replacement earlier. Since our evidence session, the Agency has published a long term investment strategy, which presents a number of flooding scenarios and outlines how much funding would be needed to protect against these.
Download or read book Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation written by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-05-28 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Extreme weather and climate events, interacting with exposed and vulnerable human and natural systems, can lead to disasters. This Special Report explores the social as well as physical dimensions of weather- and climate-related disasters, considering opportunities for managing risks at local to international scales. SREX was approved and accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 18 November 2011 in Kampala, Uganda.
Download or read book Climate Change and Water Resources Management written by Levi D. Brekke and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2009-11 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many challenges, including climate change, face the Nation¿s water managers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has provided estimates of how climate may change, but more understanding of the processes driving the changes, the sequences of the changes, and the manifestation of these global changes at different scales could be beneficial. Since the changes will likely affect fundamental drivers of the hydrological cycle, climate change may have a large impact on water resources and water resources managers. The purpose of this interagency report is to explore strategies to improve water management by tracking, anticipating, and responding to climate change. Charts and tables.
Download or read book Environment Agency written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-05-09 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Environment Agency spent £114 million in 2003-04 on water resources management in England and Wales, in order to ensure sufficient water is available to meet the needs of people and the environment. It recovers the costs through abstraction charges levied on its licence holders, and efficiency improvements helps to reduce the licence fee and, ultimately, could result in lower costs to consumers. Following on from a NAO report (HC 73, session 2005-06; ISBN 012932972) published in June 2005, the Committee's report examines the performance of the Agency in managing water resources across England and the scope for minimising the charges levied on abstractors. The report finds that the Agency has kept the annual increase in the licence fee below the rate of inflation each year, but improvements in efficiency depend upon better cost management data. Although this problem was identified by the Agency in 2001, progress has been slow, and full activity-based costing data are unlikely to be available until 2007-08. The weaknesses in management information have meant that between £650,000 and £1.7 million has been incorrectly allocated between water resource and flood management activities.
