Welsh Water fined over mystery sewage dumps in River Wye – The Independent
‘A water company fined £90,000 for dumping sewage into a river has been unable to explain two of the spillages.’
The Independent, 22nd June 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Category: environmental health
Nature groups launch legal bid over wildlife loss – BBC News
‘A coalition of more than 80 nature conservation groups is launching a legal bid to force whichever party is in power next month to improve government targets on tackling wildlife decline in England.’
BBC News, 7th June 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Pensioner fined for huge pile of scrap metal – BBC News
‘A pensioner has been fined thousands of pounds for illegally storing waste, including scrapped cars, at a site in Somerset.’
BBC News, 29th May 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Biodiversity Net Gain: Big Impacts on Small Sites? – No.5 Chambers
‘The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. The headline finding in the State of Nature Report 2023 told us that one in six species is at risk of extinction but this alarming figure obscures greater decline within certain taxonomic groups: 21% of plant species, 39% of vertebrates and 11% of fungi and lichens are classified as being at risk of extinction in Great Britain.’
No.5 Chambers, 18th April 2024
Source: www.no5.com
Environmental Law News Podcast – Six Pump Court
‘In this podcast produced by Lexis PSL, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies look at progress made under the 25 Year Environment Plan, publication of the Green Finance Strategy and more Environment Act 2021 Commencement Regulations.’
Six Pump Court, 18th April 2024
Source: 6pumpcourt.co.uk
Brazil Iron: UK court case launched over mining project in Bahia – BBC News
‘In a small community deep in the remote, lush mountains of Bahia, Brazil, Catarina Oliveira de Silva points down at what used to be a lake. “After the mine started extracting there, waste came down. It fell into the spring. It buried this entire lake. Three metres of silt and ore sludge.” Catarina says dust from this mine covered crops she owned, including coffee bushes and banana trees, until she could not produce them anymore. She and her husband had also taken out a loan in 2015 for a business where people could pay to go angling in the lake. “Our project went down the drain,” she says. Catarina and her family live in a traditional Quilombola community, descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves whose rights to their land and way of life are protected under Brazilian law.
Now, their fight against a UK-owned mining company is set to move to a top court in London.’
BBC News, 24th April 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Environment Agency CARs Under Scrutiny: rights of appeal should generally be available to those aggrieved by these “regulatory decisions” – Francis Taylor Building
‘The common law duty of fairness was, and continues to form, a basis upon which aggrieved parties can challenge regulatory decisions in judicial review. More recently, these standards have been given a legislative footing in the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and the Regulators’ Code, published in April 2014 pursuant to s22 of that Act.’
Francis Taylor Building, 6th February 2024
Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk
Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Explained and Critiqued – Francis Taylor Building
‘This article sets out how the new mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements are to function, but also the missed opportunities that remain present in the legislation. Three points will be made: that the 10% BNG minimum is poor, that the scheme allows for the undoing of increased biodiversity and that there is potential for developers to bypass the hierarchy.’
Francis Taylor Building, 29th February 2024
Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk
Southern Water fined £330,000 for stream pollution that killed 2,000 fish – The Guardian
‘A water company has been fined £330,000 after raw sewage escaped into a stream in Hampshire for up to 20 hours, killing about 2,000 fish including brown trout.’
The Guardian, 27th February 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Legal challenge over plans to relax sewage laws for housebuilders in England – The Guardian
‘The government is facing a legal challenge over plans to permit housebuilders in England to allow sewage pollution “through the back door”.’
The Guardian, 13th February 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Water bosses in England and Wales face bonus bans for illegal sewage discharges – The Guardian
‘Ministers are to ban bonuses for water company bosses in England and Wales who fail to prevent illegal sewage spills that pollute rivers, lakes and seas.’
The Guardian, 11th February 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Environmental watchdog criticises Government over lack of monitoring and transparency – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has attacked the Government over a lack of transparency in measures to protect the environment.’
Local Government Lawyer, 25th January 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Mother of girl whose death was linked to air pollution sues UK government – The Guardian
‘The mother of a nine-year-old girl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution cited on their death certificate has launched a high court claim against the government.’
The Guardian, 25th January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
UN expert condemns UK crackdown on environmental protest – The Guardian
‘A severe crackdown on environmental protest in Britain with “draconian” new laws, excessive restrictions on courtroom evidence and the use of civil injunctions is having a chilling impact on fundamental freedoms, the United Nations special rapporteur has said.’
The Guardian, 23rd January 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sizewell C nuclear plant project upheld by Court of Appeal – BBC News
‘Government approval of the planned Sizewell C nuclear plant was lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’
BBC News, 20th December 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Envrionmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court
‘COP 28 is due to begin on Thursday and already it is not without controversy. First leaked documents have, according to the BBC, revealed plans that the United Arab Emirates had as host of the UN climate talks to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations, including commercial opportunities for its state renewable energy company with the UK.’
Six Pump Court, 30th November 2023
Source: 6pumpcourt.co.uk
Toxic Torts – Law Pod UK
‘Join chemist Professor Roy Harrison and environmental law silk David Hart, for a review of recent personal injury lawsuits where claimants seek damages for exposure to toxic substances. Despite the technical challenges, this litigation is key to environmental protection.’
Law Pod UK, 18th December 2023
Source: audioboom.com
Biodiversity net gain and planning permission – Local Government Lawyer
‘A refusal of planning permission for a quarry has been quashed over an error on biodiversity net gain. Jenny Wigley KC looks at the lessons from the case.’
Local Government Lawyer, 1st December 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Permitted development and the Habitats Regulations 2017 – Local Government Lawyer
‘Anne Gerzon explains how the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 apply to the deemed grant of planning permission set out in the General Permitted Development Order 2015.’
Local Government Lawyer, 24th November 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Shell to face human rights claims in UK over chronic oil pollution in Niger delta – The Guardian
‘Thousands of Nigerian villagers can bring human rights claims against the fossil fuel company Shell over the chronic oil pollution of their water sources and destruction of their way of life, the high court in London has ruled.’
The Guardian, 23rd November 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
