News
Environment Bill Postponed Again
The government has said it has decided to postpone the environment bill (which was first launched in July 2018), a move that has drawn criticism from campaigners who say that the delay will mean it is harder to achieve targets to improve water, protect wildlife, reduce waste and so on.
According to the BBC, the government has said ministers are still committed to the legislation but, because of the pandemic, there isn’t enough time to scrutinise it properly.
Targets are now in place to drive improvements for water, waste and wildlife, but these won’t be legally binding until 2027 and campaigners are now saying this is far too late.
Commenting on the new development, chief executive of the RSPB Beccy Speight said the “stop-start nature” of the passage of the bill through Parliament isn’t allowing the country to take the “rapid action” that is required in order to tackle the climate emergency head on.
She said the only hope now is that the delay will mean the bill can be improved, adding: “Environmental groups including the RSPB have made a series of measured and sensible improvements, such as legally binding targets to turn the tide on the loss of nature, and these should now be seriously considered.
“These changes would help us get our own house in order at a time when the prime minister wants to show international leadership in the runup to the key global biodiversity and climate summits later this year.”
Chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts Craig Bennet made further comments, describing the latest delay as “deeply troubling” and saying that ending the Parliamentary session more than a year on without delivering on this bill will raise questions over how committed the government is to improving the environment and leaving it in a better state for future generations.
In the meantime, businesses around the country can start doing their bit to reduce their impact on the planet and help give the environment a serious boost by learning more about water efficiency and what can be done in this regard.
The good news for companies of all shapes and sizes, and across all sectors, is that there is a lot that can be achieved! The first step to take is to have a site audit carried out so you can see how and where you use water, and so you can identify any leaks you may have on your premises, organising repairs immediately.
Water leakage is a big problem and you may not even know you have them onsite, so it’s certainly worth investigating so you can prevent water from being wasted in this way. It also means you can save yourself money at the same time, since you won’t be paying for something you’re not using. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with H2o today.