3-Apr-2006 - The cleanest
river and bathing water in living memory, the
purest air in more than a century and a flood
management strategy that prevents more than £3
billion in flood damages each year, are a few
of the achievements the Environment Agency is
celebrating on its tenth anniversary this week.
"On our 10th anniversary
we can see that the Environment Agency has played
a major part in overseeing a remarkable change
in the quality of our environment," said
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the Environment
Agency.
"Since 2000, 100,000 homes
have had flood risk reduced through new or improved
flood defences. Those who treat the environment
with contempt, such as fly-tippers and rogue businesses,
now face the likelihood of an appearance in court
thanks to the Environment Agency’s hard working
enforcement and legal teams. Air and water is
cleaner than it has been for 100 years,"
she said.
However, we now have to look
forward to meet the big environmental challenges
facing us now:
Climate change is the number
one global challenge to the environment and it
is happening now. Its effects are being seen across
the world and here in England and Wales. We all
need to reduce emissions of gases that affect
the atmosphere to limit more damaging changes,
and we need to adapt to the effects of climate
change we are experiencing already, such as rising
sea levels and changes in seasonal rainfall.
The way our society uses resources
cannot continue. We are using more and more water.
Taking too much water from the environment is
damaging wetlands and the wildlife that depends
on them and risking essential supplies to the
environment and business.
Building development puts pressure
on water supplies and the ability to deal with
sewage and waste. We also need to plan the location
and design of new development carefully to make
sure people are not put at risk from flooding.
We need to reuse and recycle products more to
make more efficient use of materials and reduce
the amount of waste we produce.
As regulated industry reduces
its pollution, other diffuse pollution from land,
roads and urban areas has emerged as a major cause
of poor water quality. Traffic emissions also
affects air quality, often close to where people
live, and damages wildlife habitats.
The environment is important
to everyone’s wellbeing. People tell us that they
are concerned about the quality of the environment
where they live and the effect of pollution on
their health. The poorest people often live in
the worst environment.
A good environment is good for
business. More and more companies are finding
that it pays to be green, and investors increasingly
look at companies’ environmental records. Tourism
and sports such as boating and fishing make a
major contribution to the economy.
"Our environment is affected
by changes to the whole world, as well as national
policies and local decisions. We will play our
part in responding to all of these and to improve
and protect our environment internationally, nationally
and locally," Barbara Young said.
"Only by doing that can
we achieve a better place for future generations".
Ten years on: ten of the Environment
Agency’s successes in its first decade
1. Wildlife is benefiting: Otters
have spread to 36 percent of rivers in England,
up from 23 percent a decade ago, and up from 53
percent to 71 percent of rivers in Wales.
2. Rivers continue to improve:
In 2004, 71 percent of rivers in England and Wales
were of ‘good’ or ‘very good’ biological quality,
compared with 68 percent in 1995. 65 percent of
rivers were of good chemical quality compared
with 59% in 1994.
3. Coastal water quality is
the best on record: Eighty-five percent of England
and Wales’ bathing waters now meet the toughest
EU standards compared with 50 percent in 1995.
Mercury discharges to sea are 33 percent less
and cadmium almost 80 percent less than in 2000.
This has reduced chemical contamination of our
wildlife including fish.
4. The industry we regulate
is cleaning up its act: Since 1998, sulphur dioxide
emissions have fallen by over 50 percent and particles
have gone down by over 55 percent. Over half (53%)
of all waste produced in 2004 was recovered, compared
to less than a third (30%) in 1998.
5. We are managing risk: Since
2000, we have built or improved defences and reduced
flood risk for 100,000 homes. Our flood risk management
strategy prevents more than £3 billion of
flood damage each year.
6. We are climate change champions:
Methane emissions from UK landfills fell by over
55 percent between 1995 and 2003 reflecting better
waste management and the capture of methane for
energy production.
7. We have greener business:
Pollution incidents caused by businesses were
the lowest on record. Between 2000 and 2004, serious
incidents declined by more than a quarter. Hazardous
waste production at the sites we regulate is at
its lowest on record, declining by almost a fifth
between 2000 and 2004.
8. More people are enjoying
their environment: rod licenses have increased
by over 250,000 between 1995 and 2005 - an increase
of 26% and there has been a 66% increase over
the past 5 years in the number of narrowboats
cruising the rivers cared for by us.
9. People are listening to what
we say: over the last decade we have worked with
farmers to help them reduce damage to the environment.
As a result, pesticide levels in rivers dropped
by 23 percent in 2003, compared to the mean for
1998-2002. Serious pollution incidents by farming
fell from 256 in 2000 to 145 in 2004: a 43 percent
decrease.
10. Major cuts in pollution:
serious water pollution incidents went down by
70 percent between 1995 and 2004.
