Defra wants your response to proposed merger of Natural England & Environment Agency

Defra’s Triennial Review proposes to merge Natural England and the Environment Agency.

Defra is inviting anyone with an interest in Natural England and the Environment Agency to respond by 4th February 2013 to a discussion paper which proposes to merge the two agencies. This follows considerable cuts to Natural England’s funding in the Coalition government’s first Comprehensive Spending Review, and the removal of the agency’s power to make policy. The Coalition government has also already cut 27% of Environment Agency funding, stopping 294 planned flood prevention schemes from going ahead – including one at Walsden Water.
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Free carbon calculator for building industry

The Environment Agency has a free downloadable carbon calculator for the construction industry.

The Environment Agency says “This tool helps highlight where big carbon savings on specific construction projects can be made. It can also be used to calculate your total carbon footprint from construction and help reduce it.”

Using the carbon calculator has helped construction projects save hundreds of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). For example, the Radcot Weir construction saved round 600 tonnes of CO2, through using a replacement for concrete, re-using old material and avoiding waste. There are case studies of construction projects that have used the carbon calculator on the Environment Agency website.