Environmental Protection in the UK during the Era of Fossil Fuels

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
The Uk

Environmental Protection and the Economy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Hill
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Environmental Resources

Are environmental protection and economic growth compatible? Without doubt, economic growth has put an enormous strain on the environmental resources that power it. In fact, the environment would not need so much protecting but for the Industrial Revolution and what followed: dependence on fossil fuels,...

scholarly journals Integrating Planning and Environmental Protection: An Analysis of post-Brexit Regulatory Styles and Practitioner Attitudes in the UK

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 570-590
Author(s):  
Richard Cowell ◽  
Geraint Ellis ◽  
Thomas Fischer ◽  
Tony Jackson ◽  
Thomas Muinzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Practitioner Attitudes ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Regulatory Styles

scholarly journals The effects of recent austerity on environmental protection decisions

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1218-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Onyango ◽  
Paola Gazzola ◽  
Geoffrey Wood
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Environmental Decisions ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Austerity Policy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the evidence for, the why and how recent austerity policy atmosphere associated with the UK government affected environmental protection decisions within planning in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative analysis based on perspectives gathered via questionnaire survey targeted at stakeholders involved in planning in Scotland was undertaken. The questionnaire responses were analysed thematically, supplemented by using statistical tests of significance and variance to show how responses differed across participants. Findings The evidence showed that austerity policy atmosphere resulted in a pervasive neoliberal imperative of resuscitating the economy; whilst producing subtle and adverse effects on environmental decisions. This was best understood within a neo-Gramscian perspective of hegemony, borrowed from the field of political economy of states. Research limitations/implications The gathered views were constrained within unknown biases that the participants may have had; and because the case study approach was not equipped to generalise the results beyond the study, more research testing cause-effect between the austerity and selected environmental parameters is needed, from various contexts. Practical implications Decision-making frameworks should explicitly acknowledge the unique pressures during austerity periods; and contemplate resilient decision-making frameworks that can withstand the hegemonic tendencies which prioritise economic goals above environmental ones. Originality/value Whilst the area of austerity’s impacts on the environment remains poorly evidenced, empirically, this seminal paper uses robust analysis to establish how the austerity policy atmosphere affects environmental decisions. This is insight into what may be happening in other similar situations outside Scotland, raising concern as to whether and how we should approach the challenge of hegemonic ideas.

scholarly journals Trading deforestation - Why the legality of forest-risk commodities is insufficient

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago N. P. dos Reis ◽  
Vinicius Guidotti de Faria ◽  
Gabriela Russo Lopes ◽  
Gerd Sparovek ◽  
Chris West ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Consumer countries and blocs, including the UK and the EU, are defining legal measures to tackle deforestation linked to commodity imports, potentially requiring imported goods to comply with the relevant producer countries’ land-use laws. Nonetheless, this measure is insufficient to address global deforestation. Using Brazil’s example of a key exporter of forest-risk commodities, here we show that it has ~3.25 Mha of natural habitat (~152.8 million tons of CO2) at a high risk of legal deforestation until 2025. Additionally, the country’s legal framework is going through modifications to legalize agricultural production in illegally deforested areas. What was illegal may become legal shortly. Hence, a legality criterion adopted by consumer countries is insufficient to protect forests and other ecosystems and may worsen deforestation and conversion risks by incentivizing the weakening of social-environmental protection by producer countries.

scholarly journals A Digital-Twin Evaluation of Net Zero Energy Building for Existing Buildings

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakdirat Kaewunruen ◽  
Panrawee Rungskunroch ◽  
Joshua Welsh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
Digital Twin ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
The Uk

With buildings around the world accounting for nearly one-third of global energy demand and the availability of fossil fuels constantly on the decline, there is a need to ensure that this energy demand is efficiently and effectively managed using renewable energy now more than ever. Most research and case studies have focused on energy efficiency of ‘new’ buildings. In this study, both technical and financial viability of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) for ‘existing’ buildings will be highlighted. A rigorous review of open literatures concerning seven principal areas that in themselves define the concept of NZEB building is carried out. In practice, a suitable option of the NZEB solutions is needed for the evaluation and improvement for a specific geographical area. The evaluation and improvement has been carried out using a novel hierarchy-flow chart coupled with a Building Information Model (BIM). This BIM or digital twin is then used to thoroughly visualize each option, promote collaboration among stakeholders, and accurately estimate associated costs and associated technical issues encountered with producing an NZEB in a pre-determined location. This paper also provides a future model for NZEB applications in existing buildings, which applies renewable technologies to the building by aiming to identify ultimate benefit of the building especially in terms of effectiveness and efficiency in energy consumption. It is revealed that the digital twin is proven to be feasible for all renewable technologies applied on the NZEB buildings. Based on the case study in the UK, it can be affirmed that the suitable NZEB solution for an existing building can achieve the 23 year return period.

scholarly journals An overview of forest management and change with respect to environmental protection in the UK

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Farmer ◽  
T. R. Nisbet
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Sustainable Forestry ◽  
Forest Planning ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
The Uk

Abstract. This paper overviews changes in forest management in the UK with respect to environmental protection. The evolution of policy is explained from historical and sustainability perspectives and covers developments in forest planning, accreditation, devolution and future challenges and opportunities. Keywords: forest management, best practice, sustainable forestry, environmental protection, land use change

Exploitation of landfill gas: a UK perspective

1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith A. Brown ◽  
David H. Maunder
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Landfill Gas ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Energy Equivalent ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Trace Constituents ◽  
Landfill Gas Emissions

Landfill gas (LFG) is a flammable and potentially harmful mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and a large number of trace constituents produced when waste decays in landfill disposal sites. The need to prevent damage from landfill gas emissions has been recognised since the 1970s, and is now enshrined in landfill site regulations. Sophisticated gas control measures such as actively-pumped gas extraction wells and multi-layered liners are now being implemented on a wide scale. The exploitation of LFG as a fuel or feed stock can complement the objectives of environmental protection and, at the same time, provide an additional revenue stream and reduce the use of fossil fuels. Exploitation of landfill gas in the UK began in the early 1980s, initially as a replacement fuel in kilns and boilers. There are now 13 such direct use projects saving the energy equivalent 50,000 tonnes of coal per year (January 1993). Use of LFG for power generation began in 1985. Government support for electricity from renewable sources has made power generation the dominant use for LFG in the UK. The UK currently has 42 power generation projects with a combined capacity of 72 MWe, saving the energy equivalent to 263,000 tonnes of coal per year (January 1993). This paper reviews current understanding of the processes of landfill gas formation and outlines the considerations required for its use as a fuel. The paper outlines the technology of gas collection and exploitation and assesses the economics of generating electricity from LFG in the UK, and the scope for further development.

Towards Carbon-Neutral Housing in Scotland - New-Build and Retrofit

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 70-87
Author(s):  
Colin D. A. Porteous ◽  
Rosalie Menon
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Total Consumption ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Electrical Loads ◽  
Barriers To Achievement ◽  
Electrical Demand ◽  
The Uk

Taking its cue from the UK government's declaration that every new home should be ‘zero-carbon’ by 2016, this paper explores how close a flexible, prototype-housing model might come to meeting this target (accepting that there is currently some ambiguity between the respective official ‘zero-carbon’ definitions regarding off-site renewable supply). The prime aim is to design economically (affordable by housing associations) to the European ‘passive house’ standard of no more than 15 kWh/m2 for space heating and a maximum total consumption of 70 kWh/m2 adding in hot water and electricity. The model also prioritizes generous access to sunlight and daylight, as well as realistic levels of air change in a low-volume, intensively occupied scenario. Associated aims are: a) to meet thermal loads without use of fossil fuels such as gas or oil; and b) to employ architecturally integrated active solar thermal and electrical arrays to respectively meet at least one third of the water heating and electrical loads. Micro-wind generation is excluded from the study as too site-dependent. A subsidiary agenda is to achieve a flexible plan in terms of orientation and access, and to provide utility facilities that support the environmental strategy (e.g. drying clothes without compromising energy use or air quality). The paper goes on to address equivalent prospects for retrofit, briefly discusses institutional and other barriers to achievement, and muses on how much of the balance of the electrical demand can be met renewably in Scotland in the near future.

scholarly journals Back to Square One: Revisiting How We Analyse the Right of Access to Environmental Information

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-485
Author(s):  
Sean Whittaker ◽  
Jonathan Mendel ◽  
Colin T Reid
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Environmental Information ◽  
Aarhus Convention ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right Of Access

Abstract The right of access to environmental information has become a key aspect of contemporary efforts to promote environmental governance in the UK. The right is enshrined in international law through the Aarhus Convention which, alongside other legal developments, has influenced how academics analyse the right in the UK. How research into the right has been conducted is significant because it has led to gaps in how we understand the right and undermines environmental protection efforts. This article identifies and critiques the common analytical trends used to analyse the right of access to environmental information in the UK. The article considers two of these trends, examining their negative impact and the role of the Aarhus Convention in creating these trends. The article concludes by discussing the need to critically engage with these knowledge gaps to improve how the right is guaranteed and, ultimately, the implementation of environmental protection efforts.

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