Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 15 December 2022.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 15 December 2022.

At COP15 in Montreal today (15 December), the international donor community came together and committed billions of dollars to support the protection and restoration of the natural world.

The commitment, announced through the Donor Joint Statement, represents a major breakthrough in addressing the twin challenges of climate change and nature loss as the world sees mass species extinctions and habitat loss accelerate at an alarming rate.

Donors have committed to substantially increase their investment by 2025, which will be used to align financial flows from public and private sources to the restoration of nature.

Donor commitments include:

In line with the 50% increase of its annual contribution to GEF-8, the Netherlands announced its commitment to increase its total biodiversity-related development finance by 50% in 2025, resulting in a target of $150 million for 2025.

Spain intends to double its international funding for biodiversity, aiming to dedicate at least 550 million € of its Official Development Aid for biodiversity over the period 2021-2025.

Canada will provide a new contribution of $350 million to support developing countries – home to the vast majority of the world’s biodiversity – to advance conservation efforts. This funding will support the implementation of the future Global Biodiversity Framework.
Donors also reaffirm significant financial commitments made in the run up to Convention on Biological Diversity, COP15. The UK intends to meet its existing commitment of £3bn finance for climate change solutions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage nature as previously stated from 2021-2026.

France has announced it would double its international finance for biodiversity to reach EUR 1 billion per year by 2025, Germany will increase its international biodiversity funding to EUR 1.5 billion by 2025, as part of the increase of its international climate budget to 6 billion euro annually by 2025 at the latest and the European Commission has pledged EUR 7 billion for biodiversity over 2021-27, in particular for the most vulnerable countries.

Other donors Australia, Japan, the United States and Norway have also made significant commitments in the Donor Joint Statement.
These commitments will support developing countries who host much of the most important biodiversity worldwide, to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework once agreed, including protecting 30% of the world’s land and ocean.

In addition, 11 philanthropies have come together to form the Protecting Our Planet challenge and have doubled their support for nature conservation to $5 billion ahead of the COP15. With a strong COP15 outcome philanthropic leaders have indicated they will substantially increase their contributions further. Multilateral development banks are also stepping up and committing to increase their finance for biodiversity and support countries in delivering the new deal for nature being negotiated in Montreal.

These announcements respond to the 10 Point Plan for Financing Biodiversity, developed by the UK, Ecuador, Gabon and the Maldives to increase international development finance for nature as part of a comprehensive plan to finance nature recovery globally.

Forty countries have now announced their support for the plan, which sets out an ambitious and credible blueprint for closing the biodiversity finance gap. This agreement not only calls for greater mobilisation of domestic resources but for better alignment of financial flows with the Global Biodiversity framework to support nature recovery.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

A healthy and thriving natural environment underpins the social and economic prosperity of our livelihoods, which is why it is pivotal for the international community to put nature on the road to recovery.

The 10 Point Plan provides a clear vision for action, and I welcome the strong response to the plan from the international community with this significant increase in international public finance to protect our planet’s biodiversity hotspots”.

The announcement was made at an event held during the High-Level Segment, where Environment Ministers from around the world attend negotiations at COP15. Leaders from government, international financial institutions and civil society joined the event which outlined why ambitious, global action is needed to bridge the gap in financing biodiversity loss.

The UK hosted the event alongside Gabon, Ecuador and the Maldives, the key signatories of the 10 Point Plan for Financing Biodiversity. This landmark framework responds to calls from low and lower-middle income countries for additional international aid to enable them to better protect nature.

It commits the international community to create just transition in the economy to benefit the communities embedded in nature, the removal of subsidies which are harmful to biodiversity and the use of public and private investment to mobilise domestic resources, including green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 December 2022.

Further £12.5 million for projects focused on cutting-edge agriculture and horticulture innovation to boost productivity, reduce labour demands, and create more sustainable farming practices.

Ahead of its launch in January, Defra has today published guidance for the third round of the Farming Futures Research and Development Fund competition focusing on agriculture and robotics.

In partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Defra will match-fund projects which will boost productivity and sustainable farming practices through the development of automation and robotic technologies on farm.

The fund aims to bring together agri-food businesses and researchers to address strategic and sector-wide challenges through transformative solutions. Previously funded projects have included fruit scouting robots, automated vegetable harvesters and new types of fertiliser.

Farmers, growers, businesses and researchers are being invited to apply for a share of £12.5 million, with grants for projects worth between £500,000 and £1.5 million available.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

This is an exciting opportunity for farmers and growers to come together with businesses and researchers to invent ingenious solutions to the problems our agriculture and horticulture sectors face.

Automation and robotics has huge potential to improve productivity and sustainability and by supporting some of the most promising ideas to get off the ground we are investing in a successful agriculture and horticulture industry for generations to come.

Katrina Hayter, Industrial Strategy Challenge Director – Transforming Food Production at UKRI, said:

Innovation through automation and the use of game-changing technology is one of the central pillars of a future food system in the UK. The ability to plan, monitor, alert and review through digital systems brings substantial benefits to farmers and growers – from animal and crop health through to optimising harvest, waste reduction and environmental impact.

The competition will consider ideas for bringing forward this technology, and also look at how automation can support necessary farm labour, making roles more effective and productive for all involved. With such opportunity, we look forward to studying the new concepts within the applications, and to supporting some of the best and brightest ideas in bringing their projects to the next stage.

This investment forms part of our £270m Farming Innovation Programme, which was launched in October 2021. More than £70 million has been spent so far on industry-led research and development in agriculture and horticulture.

Applications can be submitted from 9 January 2023, and project leads should be UK-registered businesses of any size while farmers can participate as part of a wider consortium.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 12 December 2022.

Projects awarded funding in the latest round of the Fisheries Industry Science Partnership (FISP) scheme.

Five pioneering research projects have been awarded over £3.5 million to gather vital evidence to inform how we manage our fisheries and protect marine habitats across the UK.

Successful projects include the University of Plymouth Enterprise Ltd who will collaborate with organisations including the Angling Trust and Professional Boatman’s Association to collect crucial data to help protect species vulnerable to overfishing such as sharks, skates, rays and black bream. Participating boats will tag and track 200 black bream and 100 rays and sharks to shed light on their complex life histories and help ensure the sustainability and survival of these important species.

Meanwhile Bangor University, in partnership with the British Geological Survey, Orkney Fisheries Association and Welsh Fisherman’s Association, have been granted nearly £400,000 to investigate the impacts of climate change on the common whelk. The research will look at how temperature changes and location can impact on the growth, distribution and survivability of this commercially valuable species.

All the projects are from the third round of the Fisheries Industry Science Partnership (FISP) scheme, part of the government’s landmark £100m UK Seafood Fund investment, which brings together the seafood industry with research organisations to improve knowledge and data and help manage and protect often rare and valuable species.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

A proper understanding of important marine species is vital if we are to manage our fisheries sustainably and safeguard the fishing and seafood sector for future generations.

By drawing on the expertise of the fishing community and combining this with our world class researchers, we can discover new ways to manage our stocks and protect vulnerable fisheries.

Dr Emma Sheehan, Associate Professor of Marine Ecology at the University of Plymouth, said:

The UK’s coastal waters are rich and diverse environments home to a huge range of important species. However, many of them are vulnerable to overfishing and exploitation which poses real challenges from both a conservation and an economic perspective. These projects will build on our previous work alongside fishing communities and authorities, and gather much needed data about critically important species such as pollack, black bream, sharks, skates and rays. By studying where they live, and why, we can develop more effective ways of managing their habitats sustainably now and in the future.

In addition, the fourth and final round of the FISP scheme opened last week to eligible applicants and runs until midday on 19 January 2022. Projects which involve a partnership between research organisations and a member of the UK seafood industry are encouraged to bid for funding by visiting GOV UK.

The £100m UK Seafood Fund was set up to support the long term future and sustainability of the UK fisheries and seafood sector and provides funding under four pillars: science and innovation, infrastructure, skills and training, and export support.

Last month also saw the second round of the UK Seafood Fund Infrastructure scheme open to applicants. With £30 million of funding now available to help pay for upgrades to ports, processing and aquaculture facilities, these schemes are ensuring the sector is equipped to meet future demand. A further round of the infrastructure scheme is set to open in 2023 to support fleet modernisation in the wild catching sector, with another future round focusing on the recreational fishing sector.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 December 2022.

The UK has reached agreements with the EU and Norway, and wider coastal states, to secure valuable fishing opportunities for the UK fishing industry.

The UK has secured fishing catch limits worth £202 million to the UK fishing industry, a £33 million increase from last year, after reaching an agreement with Norway and the EU, Defra has announced today (Friday 9 December).

Negotiating as an independent coastal State, the UK agreed catch levels for 2023 for six important fish stocks in the North Sea including North Sea cod, haddock and herring.

This comes as the UK also concluded negotiations on catch limits with coastal States in the North East Atlantic on three more key stocks to the UK fishing fleet – blue whiting, mackerel and atlanto-Scandian herring. In total, UK quota in these stocks will be worth around £256m to the UK fishing industry next year.

Sustainability has been at the heart of the UK’s approach to these negotiations, pushing for decisions based on the best science available to ensure key fish stocks are protected and to support the long-term viability of the UK fishing industry. All catch levels were set in line with, or lower than, the level advised by scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

I’m pleased we have reached agreements with the EU and Norway, and wider coastal states, to secure important fish stocks worth over £450 million for the UK fishing fleet in 2023.

The deals will help support a sustainable, profitable fishing industry for years to come while continuing to protect our marine environment and vital fishing grounds.

The catch levels agreed for North Sea stocks for 2023 (compared to 2022) are:

• Cod +63%
• Haddock +30%
• Herring -7.3%
• Plaice +5.8%
• Saithe +18.7%
• Whiting +30%

Last month, the UK reached an agreement with Norway, with the UK fleet benefiting from fishing opportunities worth £5 million. Further talks with the EU are continuing over the total allowable catches and other stock management measures

Throughout the negotiations, the UK Government worked closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that fishing communities across the UK will benefit from the agreement.

An assessment on the number of individual Total Allowable Catches set consistent with ICES advice will be published on the conclusion of the UK’s annual fisheries negotiations.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 December 2022.

The United Kingdom Government is set to lead a coalition of high ambition countries in crucial UN talks with the aim of halting species extinctions and biodiversity loss.

The UK Government is today (7 December) calling on the world to unite and agree a deal that delivers for nature and ends species extinction.

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) is taking place in Canada from today until 19th December. The meeting will set the framework for the next decade of global action on biodiversity loss.

We are losing nature around the world faster than ever before, with more than 1 million species at risk of extinction, and there is stark evidence of habitat loss as coral reefs, rainforests and peatlands reduce in numbers globally. Nature is the foundation of our livelihoods, supporting food production, economic prosperity and security.

The UK has already led the way in driving action to tackle these challenges and is a global leader on the environment and nature. Under the UK’s COP Presidency, 145 countries – representing over 90% of the world’s forests – signed a pledge to halt deforestation and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and rural transformation. At home, we have introduced the Environment Act which delivers a raft of measures to protect our rivers, tackle deforestation and preserve habitats, and will be backed up by a set of legally binding targets due to published soon. This government has also committed £750 million of nature for climate funding to restore peatlands, drive tree planting, and create wildlife rich habitat.

Hosting a reception with prominent environmentalists at the Natural History Museum (Wednesday 7 December), the Environment Secretary will reiterate the importance of reaching a robust agreement to restore and conserve nature at this year’s summit and set out the UK’s role in helping drive this.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is expected to say:

After two years of intensive global effort towards making ambitious environment targets, it is vital that the world agrees to tackle together the decline in nature and habitats and set out a road to recovery.

WWF Chief Executive Tanya Steele said:

COP15 is about saving our own life support system.  Nature is the source of our health, security and prosperity but WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 revealed the sheer scale of its loss, with an average 69% decline in the size of global wildlife populations since 1970.

The stakes are high, and time is running out.  This summit is a chance the world must not miss to agree a global deal to reverse nature loss by 2030. World leaders must deliver a landmark agreement for nature to bring our world back to life.”

At the conference, the UK will negotiate to:

• Halt and reverse biodiversity loss
• Protect 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.
• Halt species extinctions
• Increase the mobilisation of resources from all sources to fund the global effort to halt nature loss
• Eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies
• Align all financial flows with the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework
• Agree mechanisms for holding countries to account for implementing the framework
• Share benefits that arise from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.

The UK government is also pledging today to launch a new multi-million fund next spring as a key part of our plan to help halt and reverse species decline in England. The new funding will support habitat creation and ecosystem restoration, including in England’s most special sites for nature, and support delivery of our own ambitious commitments at home, including our legally binding 2030 species target and ‘30by30’ pledge.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 December 2022.

The economic value of individual trees planted outside of our forests and woodlands has been revealed for the first time today (Sunday 4 December) at £3.8 billion. The figures are revealed in a new groundbreaking study published by Forest Research and Defra as part of National Tree Week.

Trees outside woodlands are defined as single trees in urban and rural areas and are some of the most iconic trees in our landscape, ranging from the classic, spreading hedgerow to the single trees lining our streets, making up almost a quarter of trees in Great Britain.

The valuation is based on the important role they play in sequestering and storing carbon, regulating temperatures, strengthening flood resilience and reducing noise and air pollution. Together, these help to mitigate against climate change, reducing damage to infrastructure and people from the impact of flooding, cooling our cities in summer and improving health and wellbeing.

By quantifying their significant value, the report will help to incentivise councils, land managers and local communities to plant more trees outside of woodlands for the varied and numerous benefits they provide. As outlined in our England Trees Action Plan, this will contribute to wider Government efforts to treble planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament and achieve net zero by 2050.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

Today’s groundbreaking research reaffirms the unique value of non-woodland trees which exist all around us – from the trees lining our streets to those dotted around our beautiful countryside.

It makes clear the immense environmental and economic value and benefits trees bring to society which cannot be underestimated. As set out in our England Trees Action Plan, we have committed to trebling tree planting rates in England by 2024 and by quantifying the significant value of trees, this research will help to incentivise planting in our communities across our country.

Kieron Doick, Head of the Urban Forest Research Group, Forest Research said:

Trees outside of woodlands are all around us: in our gardens, along our roads, in our parks and open green spaces. Understanding their value can help make sure councils and landowners invest in the planting of more trees, and their aftercare so that they may continue to provide us with their abundant beauty and benefit.

While our valuation of non-woodland trees is substantial, we recognise that our research valued just a handful of the many benefits that trees provide. Future research will allow greater understanding and increased values as more of the benefits are included.

Our report shows that trees are valuable infrastructure assets across multiple land uses, much as one might think about lampposts or drains. Moreover, it highlights the much greater role of mature trees in delivering benefit to society – in comparison to their younger counterparts.

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive, Forestry Commission, said:

This first-of-its-kind research demonstrates the dynamism of trees outside woodlands – from tackling many of the prevailing issues of our time, like air quality and climate change, to damping down noise and helping people to get a better night’s sleep.

This landmark report will inform the continued rollout of our England Trees Action Plan and be instrumental to future policymaking. Continuing to make informed decisions based on robust scientific evidence will help us to realise the numerous environmental, economic and social benefits that trees provide – now and in the future.

The report also estimates the Natural Capital Value of non-woodland trees to be between £68.5 billion and £151.5 billion, in 2020 prices. This represents the value of the trees over the course of a century and provides a useful means of comparison to other natural assets.

In 2021/22, over half a million trees were planted outside of woodlands thanks to Government grants, such as the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, boosting deprived urban areas; the Local Authority Treescapes Fund accelerating tree planting in local communities; and the Levelling Up Parks Fund which helps people across England to benefit from spending time in nature.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 2 December 2022.

New funding to plant trees in communities nationwide in honour of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has been announced by Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison.

Defra will provide lead delivery partners of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) with half a million pounds in funding to plant trees in communities across the country in honour of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

As part of the national tree planting initiative in Her Majesty’s name – The Queen’s Green Canopy – funding of £499,000 will be provided for a special programme of planting to be delivered by QGC Partners including Trees for Cities, The Tree Council, The Conservation Volunteers and Earthwatch.

Working in cooperation with local authorities and communities, the funding will enable thousands of trees to be planted in over 60 locations across England, engaging communities that have limited access to nature and green spaces. The projects include:

• The Tree Council will plant 69,000 whips to create 14km of hedgerow in up to 50 locations, which will be chosen to increase biodiversity, local nature recovery and future flood alleviation.
• Trees for Cites will extend their “Forgotten Places” programme across five areas that are nature-deprived, planting a total of over 5,000 trees.
• Earthwatch will plant 1,800 trees to create three “Tiny Forests” in urban areas with low woodland cover. A Tiny Forest is a dense, fast-growing native woodland the size of a tennis court.
• The Conservation Volunteers will plant 1,500 saplings and propagate native species, including 2,500 Oak acorns, in their nursery for planting in the future.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a fitting tribute to the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Trees are at the heart of our communities and today’s funding will ensure that thousands more trees are planted across the country in her honour.

Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley said:

Healthy and productive trees play a vital role in tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity. They also make our towns and cities healthier, from improving air quality to providing mental health benefits, enriching the quality of life for people from all socio-economic backgrounds.

This network of trees will provide continue to provide benefits to local communities as a lasting tribute to Her Majesty’s extraordinary service to her country and her people.

Chief Executive Officer of The Queen’s Green Canopy Dan Rex said:

The Queen’s Green Canopy is proud to be working with Defra and delivery partners to continue our programme of nationwide tree planting to honour the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and build a greener environment for generations to come. This funding will make a significant difference to benefit local communities in nature-deprived areas.

As a partner of The Queen’s Green Canopy, Defra is proud to work with QGC delivery partners to bring together this special planting programme in honour of Queen Elizabeth to the benefit of local communities and future generations.

The trees planted will become part of the living legacy which is being created in honour of Queen Elizabeth through The Queen’s Green Canopy, which has inspired over a million trees to be planted across the country in her name.

This Government is committed to trebling tree planting rates in England, as part of the landmark England Trees Action Plan, backed up by £675 million of funding. This will reflect England’s contribution to meeting the UK’s overall target of planting 30,000 hectares per year by the end of this Parliament.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 December 2022.

Defra Minister Lord Benyon has confirmed the appointment of Julia Wrathall as Non-Executive Director of the Animal Health & Welfare Board for England (AHWBE).

Julia Wrathall has been appointed for three years from 1 December 2022 and will replace Emma Slawinski as a Non-Executive Director.

The appointment has been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. Julia has declared that she has not taken part in any significant political activity in the past five years.

The Animal Health & Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) is principal adviser to Defra on all strategic health and welfare matters relating to all kept animals in England. The Board’s role is to set the strategic policy framework, with responsibilities including developing and implementing animal health and welfare policy and ensuring value for money, assessing of the risk of animal disease threats and establishing surveillance and research priorities, monitoring the regulatory framework, approving the operational plans of the Animal and Plant Health Agency and other bodies, and reviewing contingency plans for dealing with new disease outbreaks.

Biographical details

Julia Wrathall

• Julia is an independent animal welfare consultant with a background in applied welfare science and policy development across many species and areas of human-animal interaction.
• She worked for the RSPCA for many years, where her roles included Chief Scientific Officer leading the work of the Society’s Science & Policy team, the development of the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards, and the Assurewel on-farm welfare outcome assessment programme.
• She has served on a number of committees in the animal welfare, farming and academic sectors, including the Farm Animal Welfare Forum, Pig Health and Welfare Council, RUMA and Beak Trimming Action Group.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 November 2022.

97.1% of bathing waters in England have passed water quality standards following testing at over 400 designated sites carried out by the Environment Agency (EA).

The results, released today (30 November), show that for the 2022 bathing season, 72.1% of beaches and inland waters met the ‘Excellent’ standard, the highest since new stringent standards were introduced in 2015. 92.8% of beaches and inland waters gained an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ rating, while 4% achieved the minimum ‘Sufficient’ rating. This compares with 99% passing the required standards in 2021.

Bathing waters are monitored for sources of pollution known to be a risk to bathers’ health, with up to 20 samples taken from each site during the bathing season. Each sample is tested for bacteria, specifically E coli and intestinal enterococci.

The EA has been monitoring bathing water sites since the 1990s, and in this time there have been significant improvements. In the early 1990s, for example, just 28% of bathing waters met the highest standards in force at that time. Based on today’s data, over 97% of bathing waters meet the minimum standard, with 72% reaching the highest standards. While progress has been made, there is still much more to be done to ensure cleaner and healthier waters for people to enjoy. The Environment Agency is clear that more needs to be done on the part of water companies, and is taking robust action to support businesses, farmers and councils to help clean up our waters.

Since 2015 the EA has required water companies to install Event Duration Monitors at bathing water sites. This captures data on the frequency and duration of storm overflow discharges, with all the data published online so the public can see what is happening in their local area. More than 12,000 of England’s 15,000 storm overflows now have these monitors, and the remaining 3,000 will have them by end of next year.

As part of the Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, water companies must improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water by 2035; and improve 75% of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites by 2035. The Government has also committed to consult on policy options in 2023 to review the Bathing Water Regulations and revise guidance to make applying for new bathing water designations easier.

Knowing more about water quality helps people make informed decisions on when and where to swim. The EA’s Swimfo website provides detailed information on each of the 400+ bathing waters in England, and notifies bathers when Pollution Risk Forecasts have been issued.

Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said:

“Public confidence in our bathing waters is key to the tourism industry as well as people’s health and wellbeing.

“Overall bathing water quality has improved massively over the last decade due to targeted and robust regulation from the Environment Agency and the work carried out by others. In most places it is now better than it has been for many years, but there is much more to be done to ensure cleaner and healthier waters for people to enjoy.

“We know that improvements can take time and investment from the water industry, farmers and local communities, but where the investment is made, standards can improve.”

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

“I welcome the good news that more bathing waters than ever have met the highest standard of excellent at just over 72% of all our bathing waters – an increase from last year – but there is more to be done to improve our bathing waters and we must not rest on our laurels.

“That is why we are going further and faster than any other government to protect and enhance these precious sites.

“We have brought in strict targets to protect our bathing waters and new rules to crack down on water pollution will require water companies to deliver a £56 billion infrastructure improvement programme – the largest in their history.”

This is the first year that the Wolvercote Mill Stream at Port Meadow, Oxford, and the East Cowes Esplanade in the Isle of Wight have been given official classification after being added to the list of bathing waters in 2022.

Designation does not guarantee clean water for swimming. Bringing rivers up to bathing water standards will be a challenge and places greater responsibility on farmers, water companies and communities to remove pollution that is harmful to swimmers.