Consultation webinar 8 April 2020 Aim To consider how to shape our - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

8 April 2020

Food and Drink Federation

Challenges and Choices

Consultation webinar

To consider how to shape our future water environment

Aim

• Understand the pressures facing the water environment
• Consider the implications of too much, too little water

and achieving an environment with good water quality

• Inform and influence strategic approaches

Objectives

Challenges and Choices

Damian Crilly

Manager, Strategic Catchment Partnerships Environment Agency

A public consultation on:

• Challenges facing water environment
• What is needed to return 75% of waters to

their natural state

Challenges and Choices consultation

Consultation runs from Oct 24 2019 to 24 April 2020

https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/challenges-and-choices

Consultation responses will help update the River Basin Management Plans: 1. What are the challenges that threaten the water environment? 2. What choices do we need to make to manage them? 3. How can we work together better?

Challenges and Choices consultation

“Nationally strategic, locally

• wned”

Assess the current and future state of the environment Set binding statutory water body objectives Make the economic case for the water environment Set out what needs to happen and when to achieve

• bjectives

Engage and inform stakeholders and the public Facilitate collaboration and partnership action Shape government water policy and future regulation

River Basin Management Plans

Working Together: statement of steps and consultation measures Challenges and Choices: significant water management issues Draft river basin management plans Publish river basin management plans

June 2018 6 month consultation Oct 2019 6 month consultation Oct 2020 6 month consultation Dec 2021

River Basin Planning timelines

Consultation will address the biggest challenges facing the water environment:

• Climate and biodiversity crisis
• Changes to water levels and flows
• Chemicals in the water environment
• Invasive non-native species
• Physical modifications
• Pollution from plastics
• Pollution from abandoned mines
• Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
• Pollution from towns, cities and transport
• Pollution from water industry wastewater

Challenges and Choices topics

41% 36% 40% 18%

Water industry and private discharges

14% of rivers, 76%

• f elements at good

ecological status Climate change and population

% of water bodies impacted by each pressure

National Challenges

12% 13%

Projected increase in population of England from 55.3 million in 2016 to 62 million in 2041 Freshwater and wetland species are threatened with extinction and two-thirds are in decline

Net zero 1,200

hectares

We all have our part to play in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 Internationally protected inter-tidal habitat and a further 500 hectares of freshwater habitat will be lost due to coastal squeeze over the next 5 to 10 years

4oC

Work together to plan for a range of future climate scenarios, including a 4°C rise by end of century

Creating wetland habitat

Government committed to restoring or creating more wetland and water features as part of Nature Recovery Network, with 500,000ha

• f new or restored wildlife rich habitat

Biodiversity and Climate Crises

A public consultation on:

• Challenges facing water environment
• What is needed to return 75% of waters to

their natural state

How do we bridge the gap and change trajectory?

Outcome gap between 25 Year Environment Plan (YEP) aspiration and current reality

The Outcome Gap

• Awareness and education
• Bans on pesticides and household chemicals
• Beavers
• Misconnections
• National grid for water
• Over 120 litres/day = price increases
• Tighter regulation of abstraction
• Tighter regulation of farm chemicals
• Water meters
• Wetland restoration

Headline responses and issues

https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/challenges-and-choices/

Can be done as individuals, one organisation or collaboratively as a group.

Consultation submissions

Key themes

• Too little - how can businesses adapt to using less water?
• Too much - how to manage flood risk?
• Not the right quality - why does water quality matter?

Thank You