UK failing on environmental issues

UK failing on environmental issues

A new report suggests that the UK is failing to protect the environment.

A report released Tuesday by Great Britain’s Environmental Audit Committee claims that David Cameron’s administration is doing a worse job of protecting the environment than they did four years ago.

The report gave a traffic-light score to 10 areas of environmental concern, such as air pollution, wildlife protection, and water availability. A red color showed deterioration, amber showed “unsatisfactory,” and green showed “progress.” The current state of the country’s environment was compared to its status in 2010.

Red colors were assigned to air pollution, flood control, and biodiversity. The other seven priorities were given an amber rating. This indicates that air pollution is on the rise, biodiversity is declining, and many citizens are in danger of property damage due to floods.

Britain has consistently failed to meet the EU’s standards on air pollution. The country’s nitrogen dioxide levels are far higher than planned. While the EU had intended for Britain to reduce these levels by 2010, a European court heard recently that London’s air pollution levels won’t meet EU criteria until 2030.

As of last December, 3 million properties were at risk from surface water damage and 2.4 million were at risk from river or ocean floods. Dangerous winter storms in 2013-14 resulted in severe water damage to many British homes, causing hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of repairs.

The report also condemns Britain’s biodiversity; invasive species are increasing, while three out of four bird populations have suffered decline.

The Environmental Audit Report’s committee chairman, Joan Walley, stated that “a dedicated, wide-ranging Environmental Strategy is needed, overseen by a new Office for Environmental Responsibility to ensure the Government meets the requirements to protect human health and the natural world.” The new strategy should set local and national goals measurable in five, ten, and 15 years.

 

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