‘Regulation works’: Environment Agency warns towards publish-Brexit purple tape bonfire

EA chief executive Sir James Bevan argues strong environmental regulation crucial to post-pandemic economic recovery

A stronger focus on “better regulation , not deregulation” after Brexit and the Covid-1 9 pandemic are critical to helping businesses to thrive while protecting England’s air, estate and liquid from threats such as climate change, distributed according to Environment Agency( EA) president of the united states Sir James Bevan.

Bevan said the fiscal detriment operate by the coronavirus crisis alongside the UK’s recent outlet from the EU opened up both the need and opportunity for a rapid retrieval programme enhanced by effective regulation, which he quarrelled could both assist firms succeeded while also stopping environmental destruction.

But the onetime Foreign Office CEO, who took over at the helm of the EA in 2015, warned against “false choices” in any moves to reshape the UK’s approach to regulation post-Brexit, as he called for adequate resources and funding for the EA to carried out under its work.

“Better regulation isn’t code for deregulation, ” Bevan said. “The test for any changes in legislation lies in the fact that they will deliver better environmental sequels as well as being good for the economy.”

He added that the EA needed “the right resources, funded by operators and by authority, to deliver the high aspirations we all have in enhancing our environment”. “Ultimately, we will get the environment we are prepared to pay for, ” he said.

Bevan’s criticisms are likely to find favour among green business groups and NGOs which have long warned against opening the door to a post-Brexit regulatory bonfire that could lead to a ‘race to the bottom’ on environmental and climate standards.

That comes in stark contrast to the stance of arch-Brexiteers, many of whom have goal the UK’s exit from the European Union as chances for to ditch many regulations that affect ventures. Last-place month, meanwhile, the commanders of 250 professions were also asked by the government for their views on which rules and regulations they would most wish to see dropped.

But Bevan bickered strong environmental regulations were of benefit to both the economy and the environment. “Good regulation isn’t involved, bureaucratic, and expensive; it is simple, impactful, and money-saving, ” he continued. “The best regulation will stop environmental damage at the source, rather than the costly impact to the public purse and the environment of responding to damage after the event.”

It came as the EA yesterday published a new report it said set out the benefits of environmental regulations in protecting air, spray and estate from harmful contamination. The report, which covers data from regulatory activities in 2019, claims to demonstrate improving trends in environmental compliance, contamination happens, crime and emissions.

Since 2010, air pollution releases have descended vastly, with nitrogen oxides quitting 63 per cent, sulphur oxides coming 81 per cent of the children and PM10 particle pollution chipped by really over a third, the report indicates. Meanwhile, it shows the number of serious pollution occurrences fell 12 per cent of the children to 467 between 2018 和 2019, while the EA said it stopped illegal trash work at 940 websites, penalty businesses and individuals a total of PS4. 4m for environmental offences.

Even so, other bodies have repeatedly warned of a worryingly steep decline in the England’s natural world, nonetheless, with the government having failed to meet any of the internationally-agreed biodiversity targets set 10 year ago. Last year the Natural Capital Committee told there had been virtually no progress against the government’s own biodiversity, irrigate, aura and soil quality aims. Data from the EA last year likewise presented all English creeks failed to meet quality tests for pollution.

But Bevan vowed the findings of the EA report yesterday “shows that regulation works”.

“We are already playing a significant role through regulation, by enabling the technologies needed to decarbonise the UK economy, including nuclear, hydrogen, and carbon captivate, and “were having” propelled the brand-new UK Emissions Trading Scheme, ” he said. “But as we and our world continue to change, we are not able to permit the environmental issues to be left behind.”

Read more: businessgreen.com

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