In the UK there has been a significant decline in biodiversity over the last few decades with England becoming one of the most nature depleted nations in Europe. In February 2024 the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation was introduced to try and address the impact of development on wildlife. The idea is to try to ensure an overall improvement to habitats for wildlife when a new development takes place. Developers are legally required to achieve a minimum 110% BNG.   Ecolo

Robert MacFarlane’s latest book is entitled “Is a River Alive?” and it asks what happens if we take seriously the idea of a river being alive in terms of our perception, law and politics. Many indigenous peoples see the living world as an integrated whole both from a practical and spiritual point of view. They believe in an essence or soul in all things, not just living creatures The modern view of the natural world is that it is something quite separate from us. It is a reso

The pictures of the earth at night give most of us a sense of awe as we see a world with the bright lights of the cities and the expanses of darkness. The light dissipating into space is of course a waste of energy. Modern lighting is more controlled and the amount of light directed upwards has reduced over the past decades. However the volume of artificial light at night (ALAN) is still increasing at about 6% per year. Behind the human story we are conducting a giant experim

The term “forever chemicals” was first coined in 2018. This refers to a group of man made chemicals called PFAS which do not break down easily and will persist in the environment for decades.   There are now more than 15,000 variants of these chemicals and they have unique waterproof, durability and heat resistant qualities. Forever chemicals are used for applications such as non-stick pans, grease resistant containers, stain resistant clothing, outdoor clothing, nappies, per

There is a general view that insects are in serious decline - what’s the evidence for this? Anecdotal data There is plenty of anecdotal evidence about the decline of insects such as the much quoted lack of insects found on car number plates or windscreens. Kent Wildlife Trust has run a citizen science survey of bug splats over a number of years that supports this intuitive feeling. There is also the feedback from anglers and ornithologists who informally monitor the same spot

Flooding is a historic natural phenomenon whereby prolonged heavy rain feeds into rivers and then into lowland waterways which can then become overwhelmed and the water spills out onto the floodplain.   However, flooding is getting worse both in terms of the number and intensity of flood events. Flooding also has a knock on impact on the sewage system which can’t cope with the amount of additional rain water in the system. The primary causes of the increase in flooding are cl

If you are interested in environmental issues, it’s hard to know how to keep up with the mass of information that is available. If you are only going to read one thing this year then you should consider reading the People’s Plan for Nature. This report has been drawn up by a hundred ordinary citizens of the UK. The People’s Plan for Nature is part of the Save Our Wild Isles Project which is a partnership between the WWF, the RSPB and the National Trust. A major TV series narr

The connection between mowing and the beginning of the gardening season is deeply entrenched in the psyche of gardeners but the reasons for re-thinking our mowing habits are quite clear. Many British pollinating insects are in decline. Since the 1930s we have lost 97% of our wild flower meadows largely owing to changing farming practices..Between 1980 and 2013, every square kilometre in the UK lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly. No Mow May has now become a regu

In addition to the COP conferences on climate change there is a parallel set of conferences focused on biodiversity. They don’t usually attract as much publicity as the climate change conferences but they are still incredibly important if we really want to protect the living planet. Globally, wildlife populations are in significant decline, plunging by two-thirds over the past 50 years, because of human overconsumption, population growth and intensive agriculture. ( Living Pl

The plastic problem No one really disputes that plastic can be incredibly useful. However, there is increasing awareness of the problems it is causing. In the Blue Planet, David Attenborough said that plastic is “vile” and “horrible” and the amount of plastic floating in the ocean is “horrific”. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world

The state of our rivers None of our rivers are in good overall health. They all fail chemical standards, and just 14% pass the bar for good ecological health. (Source: Rivers Trust) There are several major problems impacting the pollution of our rivers: Agricultural practices such as poor nutrient management (fertilizers) and poor livestock management particularly the management of manure and slurry Discharges of sewage effluent Run off from roads especially in urban areas