BES Ecology & Policy Blog

UK Environmental Observation Framework Launched

2008-07-17T12:04:00.004Z

Today marks the launch of the new Defra Initiative: "UK Environmental Observation Framework," aimed at helping researchers access information about a whole range of monitoring activities that are ongoing.

Researchers often remark that there is too little coordination between monitoring efforts - this being an issue highlighted at the recent BES-Defra workshop on Modeling Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity. The new initiative looks as though it will contribute to addressing this problem.

The launch was marked by presentations from chief scientific advisor Professor Bob Watson, Alan Thorpe the chief executive of NERC, Professor Maggie Gill, Chief Scientific Adviser, RERAD, Scottish Government and Doug Wilson, Head of Monitoring Assessment, Environment Agency.

The Environmental Research Funder's Forum (ERFF) outline the theme of the initiative with the following summary:

"[ERFF aim to] articulate a vision and a high-level plan to define and resolve UK environmental monitoring issues, so improving our ability to understand the natural environment and address current and future environmental policy priorities for economic benefit and quality of life."

If you are interested in getting involved in the monitoring programme or find out more about it please contact Beth Greenaway: bethg@erff.org.uk

Government Scientists' Climate Change Report Suppressed by White House

2008-07-16T13:46:00.006Z

A report outlying the dangers posed by climate change was suppressed by U.S Government officials, in an effort to avoid having to sign-up to binding emissions reduction targets set out in the Kyoto protocol.

The Environmental Protection Agency made clear the severity of their findings in the report, stating that: "Risk (to human health, society and the environment) increases with increases in both the rate and magnitude of climate change," making clear the unequivocal evidence for global warming and its human cause.

The report, unveiled in today's Telegraph suggested that there would be an increase in human mortality through increased disease prevalence, drought, and worsened allergy reactions from increased pollen. The article made reference to potential conflict across the globe resulting from competition from increasingly scarce resources such as water. Because the Bush administration fear that the U.S economy would suffer as a result of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the link between human health and climate change has been played down, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence.

The leaked 149-page report further adds to the current U.S Administration's track-record of hindering progress towards curbing anthropogenic-induced climate change.

POSTnote Published on Biodiversity Indicators: Assessing the 2010 Biodiversity Target

2008-07-15T09:05:00.010Z

The UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has recently released its latest publication on the theme of Biodiversity Indicators. The article is published at a time when the European-led target of halting the loss of UK Biodiversity by 2010 is widely perceived to be failing. As confirmed by the BES's expert membership, in the BES Science Policy Team's official response to the environmental audit committee's enquiry.

The POSTnote examines the value of the biodiversity indicators identifying two key questions posed by an inquiry launched by the Environmental Audit Committee:

Are the indicators meaningful?
Are there enough data to assess progress and define targets?

1) The indicators have been good where knowledge has been available, in terms of their usefulness to policy-makers, whereas others have suffered as they more difficult to unravel in terms of biological meaningfulness.

2) For some groups, e.g. birds, there is more than enough biologically meaningful data to draw confident conclusions from about their status, whilst for other groups as found in the Red List Index, data are available for only a few species and even where found the resolution of the data is at too coarse a scale to make competent assessments. Many species are 'data deficient' making it almost impossible to assess their true status.

The BES offers the opportunity to third year PhD students to work in the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on a relevant ecological topic. For further information go to: http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/articles/publicaffairs/POST/

Motorway Verges Benefit Biodiversity

2008-07-11T08:46:00.009Z

New research published in Biological Conservation suggests that strips of land alongside motorways play an important role in maintaining plant and spider diversity within intensive agricultural landscapes.

The research was conducted along one 50km stretch of Motorway near Paris, collecting data from 25 individual sites. Where possible, sites with hedgerows were selected within 1.5km from sites without hedgerows.

The researchers found that hedgerows were positively associated with plant diversity - being twice as rich as the grass verges (without hedgerows). Spider diversity was closely associated with proximity to natural woodland, with little significant difference in diversity between hedgerows and grassland. Spider community structure differed between habitat types; hunting and ballooning spiders were found more often in open grassland, whereas web-building and 'non-ballooning' spiders were most common in hedges.

Future research may benefit from looking at strips on different motorways in comparable landscapes rather than replicating along the same stretch of motorway. However, this preliminary research is important in that it has shown that the means in which motorway verges are planted and managed can increase plant and insect diversity in different ways.

After construction of future motorways, some restoration can be achieved by creating a mosaic of hedges and grassland, providing spatial and temporal refugia for biodiversity as well as increased ecological connectivity.

Full reference: Le Viol, I., Julliard, R., Kerbiriou, C., et al. (2008). Plant and spider communities benefit differently from the presence of planted hedgerows in highway verges. Biological Conservation. 141(6): 1581-1590.

EU Targets Renewables over Biofuels

2008-07-09T13:59:00.010Z

EU ministers have admitted being 'grossly confused' over renewable energy targets. There has been widespread belief amongst European ministers that the EU renewable energy target stipulates all fuels must contain 10% biofuels by 2020.

However, it has recently come to light that the original policy documents have been woefully misunderstood by ministers.

At a recent meeting, the French energy and environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo pointed out that: "The member states realised that the commission's plan specifies that 10 percent of transport needs must come from renewable energy, not 10 percent from biofuels."

There has been widespread condemnation of the European policy position on biofuels from heavyweight non-government organisations (NGOs) such as the RSPB and the WWF. At this stage however, there may be a new opportunity for NGOs to influence EU renewable energy policy direction. Mr Borloo now believes that the policy could be interpreted to infer that renewable energy could come from fuel cell technology and electricity from renewable sources, rather than biofuels or other unsustainable sources.

Despite the political distancing from biofuel policy after the recent hiatus, there has been no official EU policy change towards biofuels. The Green MEP Claude Turmes has proposed a bilateral agreement with Brazil to import biofuels from sugarcane stocks - the only biofuel source he considers sustainable.

The BES invites members and readers of the blog to contribute to the Biofuels debate: does the EU renewables policy need a better focus? Might it be sensible to distinguish between ecologically unsound biofuels and more sustainable biofuels? Should the EU place stronger emphasis on energy efficiency in transport, housing and business?

The BES strongly welcome your views!

The Copenhagen Challenge: Communicating Climate Change Science

2008-07-07T14:44:00.004Z

With the wealth of independent research institutes and bodies, and the host of acronyms, figures and predictions associated with climate change, it is little wonder that yet still doubt is cast by some sections of the media on the evidence for climate change, and effective mitigation strategies remain to be implemented.

The Copenhagen Challenge project, which took place in Copenhagen last week (26 June) at the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) conference, aimed to respond to this challenge. "The challenge comprised discussion topics, such as how to communicate climate change to communities without access to modern mass media"- Benita Marcussen

Despite unilateral agreement in the scientific community that climate change is a fact, the media, and subsequently the people remain to be convinced. One of the challenges elucidated by the conference was how to overcome the contradiction of supporting development whilst mitigating climate change. Recommendations made from the event will be considered by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Biodiversity on Islands: IUCN Summit Begins

2008-07-07T08:35:00.009Z

The IUCN, the world conservation union, has today produced a publication examining the challenges facing the 28 overseas entities of the European Union. The release of "Climate Change and Biodiversity in the EU Overseas Entities" coincides with the start of a five day conference on Reunion Island, where delegates will discuss strategies to counter climate change and biodiversity loss.

EU overseas entities (including the UK's overseas territories and crown dependencies) are, in the main, small tropical islands. Many depend on the integrity of their natural environment to provide employment in fishing, tourism or in the trade of natural products. Many are threatened by climate change and sea level rise, unsustainable development of infrastructure for recreation and leisure, unsustainable fishing practices and over exploitation of natural resources. These factors pose tremendous threats to the many endemic species which are found in these areas.

The BES is a member of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) which exists to promote the conservation of the species and habitats of the UK's Overseas Territories. It acts as a central point of liaison between NGOs and Government in the UK and in the Territories. The BES is present at the IUCN conference in Reunion as an observer.

View Live Webcast of IUCN Reunion Conference: 7 - 11 July 2008

World Leaders Meet in Japan for G8 Summit

2008-07-07T08:35:00.007Z

The leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised nations meet in Japan today to discuss the challenges posed to global development by climate change, rising food prices and escalating energy costs.

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has called on the US to take the lead on fighting climate change, stating in an interview with AFP that "it's desirable for industrialised nations to lead by example". Ban said that "political will" was lacking in the fight against climate change. In the same article it is reported that the chief of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has said it's unlikely that specific targets for emissions cuts will be agreed by leaders at the summit. However, he says he hopes for agreement to "a long-term commitment of a 50 per cent reduction by 2050 and a principle agreement for a mid term reduction [for each G8 nation]".

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to call on G8 leaders to accelerate efforts to tackle global warming, seeing this as integral to the development agenda.

Future Farming and its Impact on Biodiversity

2008-07-04T06:03:00.003Z

Ths BES's Science Policy Team yesterday attended a fascinating conference at New Hall College, Cambridge, organised by the Cambridge Conservation Forum. "Future Farming in the UK: Global Implications for Society and Biodiversity" was an opportunity to discuss and debate the impacts which farming methods and models of the future could have on biodiversity, and how such models could be affected by climate change.

Presentations ranged from a discussion of the potential for miscanthus and short-rotation-coppice willow to meet our future bioenergy needs, to the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and the future impacts of UK agriculture to peoples internationally. We heard too from a farmer, Nicholas Watts of Vine House Farm, who discussed his shift to organic farming and measures on the farm to encourage biodiversity. A presentation from the BTO outlined the measures which farmers could adopt to encourage late-breeding in the turtle dove (leaving fields as whole or part stubble following the harvest) and skylarks (in-field undrilled patches to create suitable nest sites).

During the day, participants were given the opportunity to suggest possible solutions to problems of food security, climate change and consequent pressures on biodiversity. Delegates voted for the 'top' solution as; recognising that population growth is part of the problem. Increased investment in education for girls, along with greater access to birth control for women, must be part of the solution.

Professor Bill Sutherland (University of Cambridge), a co-organiser of the conference, concluded the meeting, stressing the importance of horizon-scanning to ensure that the science community is prepared, with the results of relevant scientific research, when challenges emerge. There are serious challenges ahead, and the science community has to think about how it will address these; conservationists should be part of the dialogue and part of the solution.

Access the 'top solutions' to the challenges, as voted for by delegates, plus presentations from the day, at the website of the Cambridge Conservation Forum.

Were you there? Share your thoughts on the conference with us by leaving a comment on the Blog

Badger Cull Proposals Rejected

2008-07-04T05:53:00.003Z

The BBC has this morning reported that the Government has decided not to press ahead with the proposed cull of badgers in England. The formal policy announcement is due on Monday 7 July.

The NFU is disappointed by the decision and has accused the Government of lacking leadership. The organisation plans a demonstration outside Parliament next week. The NFU claim that, unchecked, bovine TB could cost the economy £1 billion in compensation and control measures.

Last year, the Independent Scientific Group looking at this issue published the results of their long-term study into the effectiveness of culling badgers to control the spread of TB to cattle. They concluded that whilst a long-term, large scale cull could be effective, the impact was inconclusive and culling was likely to be an uneconomical solution. Scientists have argued that better biosecurity is the way to keep the disease under control, along with the use of any vaccine which may be developed. The Government's then chief scientific advisor, Sir David King, published a report following the ISG publication, arguing that a cull should go ahead.

Carbon Capture and Storage Consultation Launched

2008-07-01T14:50:00.004Z

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has launched a consultation on the future of Carbon Capture and Storage.

A burgeoning population and consequent increase in demand for energy means that meeting global, national and regional carbon emission reduction targets will become increasingly difficult. In response, the government has proposed to build additional coal-fired power stations to meet the growing demand for energy. However, these proposals have been met with fierce criticism from environmental campaigners and leading scientists such as the President of the Royal Society, as the government's commitment to energy supply is not presently concomitant with appropriate measures to reduce carbon emissions using carbon capture and storage technology.

The consultation document seeks a range of perspectives on various components of the regulation of Carbon Capture and Storage. Specifically, the document will consult on aspects of the proposed EU Directive on the Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide and welcomes views on the principle of ‘carbon capture readiness’ for combustion plants and the regulation of Carbon Dioxide storage.

BES members are invited to take part in the consultation response, and contributions are strongly welcomed from readers of the blog.

Report Challenges Reliance on Citations

2008-06-27T13:51:00.003Z

A report by the International Mathematics Union, profiled in the Times Higher this week, argues that an over-reliance on the use of citation figures is damaging as such statistics can be as subjective as other forms of assessment, such as peer-review. Citation metrics will be used to rate researchers in the forthcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF), the replacement to the RAE.

The report 'Citation Statistics', looks at journal impact factors and citation counts. The authors stress that metrics should only be used as part of a wider package which includes peer review and "esteem indicators", such as conference invitations and membership of editorial boards. Following concerned feedback from the scientific community to a HEFCE consulation published earlier this year, the REF is to include peer-review alongside the use of citation indicators.

Access original article (Blind faith in metrics is 'unfounded': 26 June 2008)

Conservatives Launch Policy on Environmental Education

2008-06-27T06:45:00.002Z

Tuesday saw the launch of 'Root to Branch', a paper developed by Gregory Barker MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, together with the Education Commission, at Frost and Reed Gallery in London. 'Root to Branch' explores the place of the Environment in schools, examines the barriers to a hands-on understanding of the natural world amongst school children and highlights the lack of a 'green' approach in many school buildings.

Both the BES's Policy Officer and Education Officer attended this event, at which David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, delivered a short speech on his vision for a green Britain, with sustainability developed using market forces.

The BES contributed to the early stages of development of the policy paper, briefing the Shadow Minister's office on the Society's education work and vision for encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of ecology in our schools. While the paper acknowledges the importance of engaging young people with the natural world and reflects many of the concerns teachers have with delivering practical experiences we feel that it's disappointing that the paper goes on to make recommendations that seemingly focus on popular sustainability recommendations such as children walking and cycling to school rather than addressing some of the more complex issues it’s own research highlights.

The BES will continue to engage with the Shadow Minister's office as Root to Branch develops.

BES Facilitates 'Knowledge Transfer' Between Science and Policy

2008-06-26T18:55:00.002Z

The BES, together with Defra, Natural England, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Woodland Trust, today held a workshop in Reading to explore the use of models, experiments and other techniques in assessing the possible future impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Participants were drawn from both science and policy. The morning began with an exploration of the policy context surrounding biodiversity conservation in the UK, followed by a presentation on the science to policy relationship. One key point here was the need to understand that policy does not proceed in a linear way but that multiple factors, aside from scientific evidence, including anecdote and lobbying activities, public perception and the media, all act to influence how policy is produced.

A series of scientific presentations then explored means to project the direct and indirect impacts on climate change. It was clear from the presentation on the 'indirect impacts' that models linking socioeconomic factors to changes in biodiversity need further development. Finally, participants received a presentation from Alex Harvey, UK Climate Impacts Programme, on the forthcoming UKCIP08 scenarios, expected in November this year. UKCIP08 should provide a broader range of emissions scenarios for use by the community, along with a greater consideration of socioeconomic factors.

The main themes to emerge from the afternoon session, break-out groups to consider the morning's issues in more depth, were: the need for greater integration across Europe of the biodiversity monitoring activities already being taken; the need for investment in gathering greater basic data about individual species, their interactions and how this effects ecosystem response to climate change; and the need for greater knowledge transfer between scientists and policy-makers, in both directions. One specific issue highlighted was the limited funding available to allow methodologies developed to study the responses of a small number of species to climate change or other environmental factors, to be 'rolled out' and applied more widely across species.

To close the day there was a commitment from Defra to review the day's findings and use these in developing the Department's research programmes. The information would also be fed into other research funders, including into the Living With Environmental Change initiative, and into the devolved administrations. The BES looks forward to continuing to work with Defra and others to facilitate knowledge exchange between science and policy as this develops.

The full report of the workshop will be produced in due course and will be published on the BES's website.

An Ethical Approach to Environmentalism

2008-06-25T20:49:00.002Z

The Science Policy team today attended an extremely interesting conference at New Hall College, Cambridge, on 'The Root Causes of Unsustainability'. Organised co-jointly by the Faraday Institute and the John Ray Initiative, two organisations which aim to foster the dialogue between science and religion, presentations explored the causes of unsustainable development and consumption from scientific, economic, ethical and theological perspectives.

Sir John Houghton FRS, Chairman of the John Ray Initiative and former Chairman of the Scientific Assessment Working Group of the IPCC, defined sustainability as: not cheating our children; not cheating our neighbours and not cheating the rest of creation. In explaining to the audience, of theologians, philosophers, ecologists and economists, the magnitude of the impacts which could be expected under 'business as usual' approaches to climate change, Sir John stressed that tackling environmental change is a moral, spiritual and scientific challenge.

This was a theme echoed throughout a day that saw presentations from, amongst others: Dr Jim McCarthy, President of the AAAS, on the role of corporations and lobby groups in spreading climate change 'misinformation'; Professor John Guillebaud, UCL, on tackling 'the elephant in the room', population growth, including a highly informative video on world population growth over the past 100 years; Donald Hay, Oxford University, on 'discounting the future', and whether such a standard economic tool is ethical or appropriate when applied to the environment and Professor Ian Arbon, Newcastle University, on unsustainable energy.

It was fascinating to explore the ethical and moral, aside from the scientific, impetus to tackle climate change, with a group largely outwith the ecological community, and to consider how the perspectives represented could work together in engaging the public and policy makers with the key issues considered.

Access the presentations and a web-cast of the event at the website of the John Ray Initiative (available shortly)

Access the World Population Video on You Tube

Parliamentary Links Day: Science in an Uncertain World

2008-06-24T13:43:00.007Z

Yesterday, the BES policy team attended the Parliamentary Links Day today at Portcullis House, Westminster, hosted by the Royal Society for Chemistry.

Politicians and leading scientists gave talks throughout the day, followed by the opportunity to interact with them afterwards at the reception.

Speakers included Dr Brian Iddon CChem FRSC MP Member Commons Select Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills; Rt Hon John Denham MP, Secratary State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, former and present chief scientific Advisors Professor Sir David King and Dr Bob Crawford, and Professor Rosemary Hails of the Institute of Biology and CEH. Numerous politicians and representatives from NGOs were amongst the audience too, including Rt. Hon Tony Benn and Rt. Hon Kenneth Clarke.

Research and Development

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, led the proceedings citing a doubling in the research budget in the last two years and the UK's leadership in scientific output - second only to the USA. Mr Denham ranked the energy programme as the chief scientific priority for the UK with Aging research and security coming second and third. The Living With Environmental Change programme was mentioned, being particularly topical since food supply, energy security and terrorism present challenging and uncertain prospects.

Climate Change

Sir David King put forward a compelling and urgent case for the reduction of carbon emissions globally, in light of a projected 2-3 degrees centigrade rise in global temperatures. Historically, some important global and local environmental issues have been identified by scientists, leading to policy change resulting in positive outcomes. These include London smog, addressed by the banning of coal fires in 1963, and global ban on CFC use in refrigerators and aerosols resulting in 'rebuilding' of the ozone layer. In this sense, Sir David King believes that, with global ratification of binding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, through 'decarbonisation' of the global economy, the negative consequences of climate change can be abated.

Questions led by the British Psychological Society prompted Sir David to reiterate the need for government cabinets to really take on board the idea of decarbonising the economy. The need for a frameshift in national psychology, in that as a society we must stop idolising celebrity over-consumption, is imperative.

Ecosystems Approach

Professor Rosie Hails focused on the need for an ecosystems-based approach to valuing biodiversity in future development proposals, given society's dependence on nature's goods and services for food, materials and environmental regulation. This approach is also in accordance with the guidelines of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment and the UNEP-Global Outlook-4 ProfessorHails called for an end to the extensive bureaucracy associated with GM crops applications on the basis of scientifically unvalidated safety and environmental concerns. Particular emphasis was made on the need for regulation that is proportional to benefits and risks, rather than sentiment.

Overall, the day presented the opportunity to both meet high profile scientists and key politicians as well as ascertain the hot scientific topics scientists are hoping politicians and policy-makers will act upon.

Knowledge and Policy Gaps in Coastal Invasive Species Management

2008-06-20T11:27:00.004Z

New research published recently in Estuaries and Coastal Science indicates that current policy and knowledge of invasive species in coastal and estuarine areas is seriously lacking.

Shipping may introduce invasive non-native species (INNS) through the emptying of ballast water in estuarine areas, or through species attached to the hull, often these may have originated thousands of miles from where they are released. Fish farming and aquariums are also significant potential INNS sources.

The authors of the paper call for further research by scientists and greater attention from policy-makers and stakeholders. The researchers suggest that prevention and early detection are the most effective methods of dealing with INNS. Further, screening using historically invasive-traits and matching previous habitats with potential new habitats, could help predict the likelihood of future invasions into alien environments.

This is of particular relevance given that the draft Marine Bill presently does not provide any reference to the introduction of INNS into the marine environment, nor any legislative preventative measures. The CBD and the Codes of Practice on the Introductions and transfers of Marine Organisms set by the International Council for Exploration of the Seas are not binding and carry no fixed penalties, therefore unless the Marine Bill addresses these issues in its final iteration, a great opportunity will have been missed.

Do readers of the blog agree that the Marine Bill should address the introduction of invasive non-native species into the marine environment?

Read the BES's Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology (POST) fellow's POSTnote.

Further information on the British Ecological Society's POST fellowship can be found on the website.

UK Government Ready to Reignite GM Debate

2008-06-20T09:17:00.003Z

The UK Government is ready to explore once more the use of GM technology in crops, hoping that this will offer a solution to the current world food crisis. Phil Woolas, the UK's Environment Minister, has reportedly held private talks with the Agricultural Biotechnology Council, an umbrella group to promote the role of biotechnology in agriculture.

In an interview with the Independent newspaper yesterday, Mr Woolas said: "There is a growing question of whether GM crops can help the developing world out of the current food price crisis. It is a question that we as a nation need to ask ourselves." Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday called on leaders at an EU summit to consider relaxing rules on the import of GM animal feed, as a way of lowering food costs for the poorest countries.

The only GM food crops currently available commercially are those which have been grown to be herbicide or insect resistant. There are very legitimate concerns that extensive growth of such crops will severely impact on the biodiversity of the countryside; as broad-spectrum herbicides such as Monsanto's 'Roundup' indiscriminately affect wildlife. However, GM technology could offer benefits to developing countries if the focus was on research into higher yields, drought and disease resistance. Downing Street has commented that "GM crops are to be considered on a case-by-case basis, based solely on the science".

Does GM offer a solution to hunger and poverty in the developing world as food prices rise and food shortages threaten?
The Science Policy Team invites you to comment on this article

Significant Shifts Needed in UK Policies Towards Climate Change

2008-06-19T08:11:00.003Z

The front page of today's Guardian reports that the Gallagher Report into the UK's biofuels policy, to be published next week, will call for greater research into the indirect impacts of biofuels on land use and food production before the Government can set targets for their use. The report will say that there is a place for biofuels, as an alternative to fossil fuels and as a source of income to poor farmers with marginal lands, but that a distinction must be made between "first generation" fuels and "second generation" fuels made from non-food plants.

The Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, commissioned Professor Ed Gallagher, head of the Renewable Fuels Agency, to conduct the review back in February. Since then, the Government's "Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation" has come into force, requiring all petrol and diesel sold at Britain's pumps to contain 2.5% biofuels. The EU is pushing for a 10% target across Europe by 2010.

The paper also reports on comments by the Renewables Advisory Board (RAB) that the UK can at best expect to generate 14% of its energy from sustainable sources by 2020, missing an EU target of 15%. The 14% figure could be met through "significant but achievable policy changes". The RAB comments that current policies will produce just 6% renewable energy by 2020.

Energy Minister Criticises NGOs Over Severn Barrage

2008-06-18T16:58:00.004Z

The UK Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks, has criticised the RSPB and other NGOs for adopting a 'no' position to the development of a Severn Barrage.

Mr Wicks, speaking to the House of Commons Welsh Grand Committee, said that the RSPB were "clearly not understanding that unless we are prepared to take some courageous action on climate change the devastation of species will be truly enormous".

He said:"It is the duty of a sensible NGO (non-governmental organisation) supported by the public that occasionally they say yes to projects and (are) not always seeking the comfort zone of saying no to a barrage, no to a wind farm, no to this, no to that." "There needs to be a responsibility and a seriousness in all organisations, especially the environmental ones." Mr Wicks also said that if the Government's assessment of the Severn Barrage, due to report next year, revealed severe environmental impacts, the project would be suspended.

The RSPB has hit back at the Minister, saying that the development of a Severn Barrage would be an extremely costly means to achieve the same benefits as less expensive renewable energy projects, concomitant with tremendous loss of wildlife in the Severn Estuary.

Read the full story online at BBC.co.uk

Satellite Policing to Save Rainforest

2008-06-18T11:35:00.003Z

£108m is to be invested by Britain and Norway in a scheme said to provide a viable alternative to logging in the African Congo basin. The Congo rainforest is roughly twice the size of France, but is being deforested at a rate equivalent to 25,000 football pitches a week.

At the launch of the funding event, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We are pledging to work together to secure the future of one of the world's last remaining ancient forests." Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg added that "By doing something about deforestation we can achieve a big and rapid reduction in emissions." Cutting carbon emissions this way is an order of magnitude cheaper than carbon capture schemes.

Projects that receive investment from the fund will be monitored by high definition cameras on mounted on satellites, to ensure that progess is made in areas that have received government funding.

Compensatory Mitigation of Marine Bycatch is Inaffective

2008-06-18T11:02:00.005Z

Many non-target species are killed regularly as a result of commercial fishing activities, these are known as marine bycatch. As well as fish, many seabirds are affected by fishing, particularly by long-line fishing techniques.

A potentially policy-influencing paper was published last year in Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, suggesting that loss of seabirds by fishing activities could be 'compensated' by promoting conservation efforts such as removing rats from islands colonized by seabirds. However new research published in PLoS suggests that this would only work in a limited number of cases, and in the majority of cases, the mitigation scheme would actually be detrimental. This is because the seabirds affected such as albatross, are often long-lived and produce few young infrequently, so they are unable to replace themselves at the rate they are being lost through bycatch. The authors suggest the policy would only benefit some of the species affected by bycatch, whilst others continue to be lost or could potentially be affected worse by inaction.

The authors of the paper urge caution when adopting policies for endangered species.

Ruth Kelly to Urge Shipping Reforms to Cut Emissions

2008-06-16T09:47:00.002Z

Ruth Kelly, Transport Secretary, is to deliver a speech to the UN International Maritime Organisation today, in which she is expected to call for shipping to be included in emissions trading schemes and more research into hydrogen fuel cells. The Minister is also expected to call for a reduction in ships' speeds in shipping lanes. A drop of just two knots, from an average speed of 18 - 19 knots could save 5% of fuel emissions.

A report in today's Guardian highlights the potential to develop new forms of storage for hydrogen, to be used in shipping to cut the emission of greenhouse gases. The Ross Barlow, a canal boat converted by a team at the University of Birmingham to run solely on hydrogen, breaks new ground in running on hydrogen stored in the form of metal hydrides. The project team believe that this technology could offer a solution to the massive carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry, which amount to 1.1 billion tonnes each year, projected to rise by 30% by 2020. Shipping accounts for nearly 4.5% of all global CO2 emissions.

Hydrides are too heavy for transportation in cars, meaning that the issue of storage hydrogen as volatile compressed gas or liquid remains for these vehicles. In shipping however, the heavy hydrides can be used to provide ballast.

The International Maritime Organisation

Conservatives to Reaffirm Green Policies

2008-06-16T09:35:00.003Z

In a speech he is due to deliver today, the leader of the Conservatives, David Cameron, will reaffirm his party's commitment to green policies, stressing that the global credit crunch has not led to a watering down of his commitment to this agenda. He is expected to say that he recognises that it is harder for the public to go green when economic times are hard, but that the world "can not afford" to do more to save the planet.

Mr Cameron is expected to say that the only way to "realistic environmentalism", harmonising social, economic and environmental concerns, is to " develop a strategy... not ignoring economic realities and just pressing on regardless, but understanding economic realities and using them as a spur to innovation and imagination. Although fighting climate change may seem like a step too far to cash-strapped families, Mr Cameron will insist that;"The truth is it's not that we can't afford to go green - it's that we can't afford not to go green."

See original media articles (16 June 2008)

A Single Voice for the Biological Sciences?

2008-06-13T16:52:00.003Z

This week's Times Higher (12 June 2008) has reported some unease amongst the biological sciences community in relation to a proposed merger between the Institute of Biology and Biosciences Federation. The merger has been suggested as a means to counter complaints from policy-makers and opinion formers that biology speaks with multiple voices. A stronger, better co-ordinated effort could lead to a higher profile for the biological sciences in policy circles.

The BSF represents 44 organisations from across the spectrum of the biological sciences, from learned societies such as the BES to private sector pharmaceutical companies. The IOB meanwhile counts 14,000 biologists as members, with a network of affiliated societies, of which the BES is one.

It is anticipated that, if successful, a merger could be complete by mid-2009.