Ruth Chambers
@ruthchambers.bsky.social
🌍 Senior fellow, Green Alliance; Chair, Foodrise; Hon Prof, UCL; Adviser, River Action and the RSPB.
🙏 Thank you minister @emmahardymp.bsky.social & chief scientific adviser @evoswami.bsky.social for an engaging discussion on action on chemicals pollution.
💚 It's an area where environmental principles – prevent, rectify at source, precaution, polluter pays – must be at the heart of policy making.
💚 It's an area where environmental principles – prevent, rectify at source, precaution, polluter pays – must be at the heart of policy making.
October 29, 2025 at 3:16 PM
🙏 Thank you minister @emmahardymp.bsky.social & chief scientific adviser @evoswami.bsky.social for an engaging discussion on action on chemicals pollution.
💚 It's an area where environmental principles – prevent, rectify at source, precaution, polluter pays – must be at the heart of policy making.
💚 It's an area where environmental principles – prevent, rectify at source, precaution, polluter pays – must be at the heart of policy making.
📚 There's a lot of critical environmental decisions piling up on ministers' desks.
🚀 None more so than the environmental improvement plan, which has stalled. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds must get the new plan out the door and drive its implementation at pace.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
🚀 None more so than the environmental improvement plan, which has stalled. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds must get the new plan out the door and drive its implementation at pace.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
September 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
📚 There's a lot of critical environmental decisions piling up on ministers' desks.
🚀 None more so than the environmental improvement plan, which has stalled. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds must get the new plan out the door and drive its implementation at pace.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
🚀 None more so than the environmental improvement plan, which has stalled. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds must get the new plan out the door and drive its implementation at pace.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
📆 Today marks one year since Defra launched a ‘rapid review’ of the Environmental Improvement Plan.
🪟 The Office for Environmental Protection has warned the window to get on track to meet environmental goals will soon slam shut.
👀 Safe to say there’s a lot riding on the new plan.
🪟 The Office for Environmental Protection has warned the window to get on track to meet environmental goals will soon slam shut.
👀 Safe to say there’s a lot riding on the new plan.
July 30, 2025 at 2:02 PM
📆 Today marks one year since Defra launched a ‘rapid review’ of the Environmental Improvement Plan.
🪟 The Office for Environmental Protection has warned the window to get on track to meet environmental goals will soon slam shut.
👀 Safe to say there’s a lot riding on the new plan.
🪟 The Office for Environmental Protection has warned the window to get on track to meet environmental goals will soon slam shut.
👀 Safe to say there’s a lot riding on the new plan.
🙏 @justinmadders.bsky.social for reaffirming that environmental protections will be maintained when the govt uses its powers under the Retained EU Law Act.
📗 This welcome statement is in the govt's latest report to Parliament.
✉️ Read the minister's letter 👇
green-alliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...
📗 This welcome statement is in the govt's latest report to Parliament.
✉️ Read the minister's letter 👇
green-alliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...
July 23, 2025 at 9:53 AM
🙏 @justinmadders.bsky.social for reaffirming that environmental protections will be maintained when the govt uses its powers under the Retained EU Law Act.
📗 This welcome statement is in the govt's latest report to Parliament.
✉️ Read the minister's letter 👇
green-alliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...
📗 This welcome statement is in the govt's latest report to Parliament.
✉️ Read the minister's letter 👇
green-alliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...
🌟 🌟 Delighted to give evidence alongside these two superstars* this morning in @senedd.wales on a new legal environmental framework for Cymru.
*Alex Phillips from WWF Cymru and Annie Smith from @rspbcymru.bsky.social who co-chair the @waleslink.bsky.social biodiversity group.
*Alex Phillips from WWF Cymru and Annie Smith from @rspbcymru.bsky.social who co-chair the @waleslink.bsky.social biodiversity group.
July 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
🌟 🌟 Delighted to give evidence alongside these two superstars* this morning in @senedd.wales on a new legal environmental framework for Cymru.
*Alex Phillips from WWF Cymru and Annie Smith from @rspbcymru.bsky.social who co-chair the @waleslink.bsky.social biodiversity group.
*Alex Phillips from WWF Cymru and Annie Smith from @rspbcymru.bsky.social who co-chair the @waleslink.bsky.social biodiversity group.
A thundery afternoon at #Elmey nature reserve full of bees and butterflies feasting on teasel nectar, corn bunting (which seems to be doing well here), hares and a sprinting stoat.
@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social is this a moss carder? 🐝 🔎
@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social is this a moss carder? 🐝 🔎
July 7, 2025 at 7:13 AM
A thundery afternoon at #Elmey nature reserve full of bees and butterflies feasting on teasel nectar, corn bunting (which seems to be doing well here), hares and a sprinting stoat.
@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social is this a moss carder? 🐝 🔎
@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social is this a moss carder? 🐝 🔎
⚡ Big news for Northern Ireland’s environment as an expert review signals the need for major change ⚡
We welcome its calls for stronger environmental governance and enforcement, to better protect and restore the environment.
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
We welcome its calls for stronger environmental governance and enforcement, to better protect and restore the environment.
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
June 17, 2025 at 2:47 PM
⚡ Big news for Northern Ireland’s environment as an expert review signals the need for major change ⚡
We welcome its calls for stronger environmental governance and enforcement, to better protect and restore the environment.
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
We welcome its calls for stronger environmental governance and enforcement, to better protect and restore the environment.
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
🧢Firstly, the headcount cap the previous government had attached to its funding for the Office for Environmental Protection is being scrapped.
🙏This is excellent news and is something @green-alliance.org.uk has repeatedly called for.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
🙏This is excellent news and is something @green-alliance.org.uk has repeatedly called for.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
June 12, 2025 at 3:16 PM
🧢Firstly, the headcount cap the previous government had attached to its funding for the Office for Environmental Protection is being scrapped.
🙏This is excellent news and is something @green-alliance.org.uk has repeatedly called for.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
🙏This is excellent news and is something @green-alliance.org.uk has repeatedly called for.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
A beautiful start to the day 😎🐎🎡
May 23, 2025 at 7:06 AM
A beautiful start to the day 😎🐎🎡
🥅 🥅 🥅 Another day, another moving goalpost...
🏊 The law* requires all bathing waters in England and Wales to be classified as “sufficient” by 2015. This deadline has of course been missed in many cases.
❓ So what do you think Defra and the Welsh Government are proposing to do?
*Regulation 5(1)(a)
🏊 The law* requires all bathing waters in England and Wales to be classified as “sufficient” by 2015. This deadline has of course been missed in many cases.
❓ So what do you think Defra and the Welsh Government are proposing to do?
*Regulation 5(1)(a)
March 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
🥅 🥅 🥅 Another day, another moving goalpost...
🏊 The law* requires all bathing waters in England and Wales to be classified as “sufficient” by 2015. This deadline has of course been missed in many cases.
❓ So what do you think Defra and the Welsh Government are proposing to do?
*Regulation 5(1)(a)
🏊 The law* requires all bathing waters in England and Wales to be classified as “sufficient” by 2015. This deadline has of course been missed in many cases.
❓ So what do you think Defra and the Welsh Government are proposing to do?
*Regulation 5(1)(a)
⏰ We've pressed for this for a few years, including in our assessment of how environmental principles could better inform government policy making.
green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/one...
green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/one...
February 27, 2025 at 5:02 PM
⏰ We've pressed for this for a few years, including in our assessment of how environmental principles could better inform government policy making.
green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/one...
green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/one...
🔥 Hot off the press! The government has updated its guide on law making to include environmental principles.
🖋️🌳 This matters as new laws must support not ignore environmental goals.
🙏 @lucympowell.bsky.social for her work on this.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67af11...
🖋️🌳 This matters as new laws must support not ignore environmental goals.
🙏 @lucympowell.bsky.social for her work on this.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67af11...
February 27, 2025 at 5:02 PM
🔥 Hot off the press! The government has updated its guide on law making to include environmental principles.
🖋️🌳 This matters as new laws must support not ignore environmental goals.
🙏 @lucympowell.bsky.social for her work on this.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67af11...
🖋️🌳 This matters as new laws must support not ignore environmental goals.
🙏 @lucympowell.bsky.social for her work on this.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67af11...
🍒 🧹 And finally, I came across a plant called Butcher's Broom. Its shiny red berries stood out a mile.
It's said the name "Butcher's Broom" derives from the traditional use of its branches to protect grain and stored food from mice and also to scour butchers' blocks.
It's said the name "Butcher's Broom" derives from the traditional use of its branches to protect grain and stored food from mice and also to scour butchers' blocks.
February 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
🍒 🧹 And finally, I came across a plant called Butcher's Broom. Its shiny red berries stood out a mile.
It's said the name "Butcher's Broom" derives from the traditional use of its branches to protect grain and stored food from mice and also to scour butchers' blocks.
It's said the name "Butcher's Broom" derives from the traditional use of its branches to protect grain and stored food from mice and also to scour butchers' blocks.
❄️ The snowdrops are out. For every 1°C warmer the average Jan temperature is, snowdrops first flowering date advances by 3 days.
‘The Origin of the snowdrop’ (George Wilson)
"And thus the snowdrop, like the bow
That spans the cloudy sky,
Becomes a symbol whence we know
That brighter days are nigh”
‘The Origin of the snowdrop’ (George Wilson)
"And thus the snowdrop, like the bow
That spans the cloudy sky,
Becomes a symbol whence we know
That brighter days are nigh”
February 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
❄️ The snowdrops are out. For every 1°C warmer the average Jan temperature is, snowdrops first flowering date advances by 3 days.
‘The Origin of the snowdrop’ (George Wilson)
"And thus the snowdrop, like the bow
That spans the cloudy sky,
Becomes a symbol whence we know
That brighter days are nigh”
‘The Origin of the snowdrop’ (George Wilson)
"And thus the snowdrop, like the bow
That spans the cloudy sky,
Becomes a symbol whence we know
That brighter days are nigh”
🌷 🌳 🔍 This weekend I went looking for signs of Spring and wasn't disappointed.
🐈 The hazel catkins are out! These are the male flowers and, if you look closely, you can see a tiny female purple flower peeking out too. The word "catkin" comes from the Dutch word katteken, which means "little cat".
🐈 The hazel catkins are out! These are the male flowers and, if you look closely, you can see a tiny female purple flower peeking out too. The word "catkin" comes from the Dutch word katteken, which means "little cat".
February 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
🌷 🌳 🔍 This weekend I went looking for signs of Spring and wasn't disappointed.
🐈 The hazel catkins are out! These are the male flowers and, if you look closely, you can see a tiny female purple flower peeking out too. The word "catkin" comes from the Dutch word katteken, which means "little cat".
🐈 The hazel catkins are out! These are the male flowers and, if you look closely, you can see a tiny female purple flower peeking out too. The word "catkin" comes from the Dutch word katteken, which means "little cat".
🐲 Wales is the only UK nation without a statutory system to replace the EU’s mechanisms for environmental accountability. Welsh Government must pick up the pace and make sure the new governance body has the resources and powers to do its job.
Pob lwc @huwirrancadaviesms.bsky.social
Pob lwc @huwirrancadaviesms.bsky.social
January 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
🐲 Wales is the only UK nation without a statutory system to replace the EU’s mechanisms for environmental accountability. Welsh Government must pick up the pace and make sure the new governance body has the resources and powers to do its job.
Pob lwc @huwirrancadaviesms.bsky.social
Pob lwc @huwirrancadaviesms.bsky.social
🔥 Hot off the press is our @green-alliance.org.uk assessment of how well the UK’s post-Brexit environmental governance is working.
⚖️ The verdict? A mixed picture. Headlines below.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
⚖️ The verdict? A mixed picture. Headlines below.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
January 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
🔥 Hot off the press is our @green-alliance.org.uk assessment of how well the UK’s post-Brexit environmental governance is working.
⚖️ The verdict? A mixed picture. Headlines below.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
⚖️ The verdict? A mixed picture. Headlines below.
green-alliance.org.uk/publication/...
The aftermath of the Retained EU Law Act is still being felt, eating up vital civil service time.
Here's a 75 page piece of legislation to change how former EU laws are referenced (they're now called assimilated law).
Must have taken ages to produce this...
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/82...
Here's a 75 page piece of legislation to change how former EU laws are referenced (they're now called assimilated law).
Must have taken ages to produce this...
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/82...
January 29, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The aftermath of the Retained EU Law Act is still being felt, eating up vital civil service time.
Here's a 75 page piece of legislation to change how former EU laws are referenced (they're now called assimilated law).
Must have taken ages to produce this...
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/82...
Here's a 75 page piece of legislation to change how former EU laws are referenced (they're now called assimilated law).
Must have taken ages to produce this...
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/82...
🔍The Office for Environmental Protection has assessed government progress on the environment in 2023-24.
📉 The verdict? It's largely off track.
🚀 This government can catch up if it acts now.
www.theoep.org.uk/report/gover...
📉 The verdict? It's largely off track.
🚀 This government can catch up if it acts now.
www.theoep.org.uk/report/gover...
January 16, 2025 at 8:14 AM
🔍The Office for Environmental Protection has assessed government progress on the environment in 2023-24.
📉 The verdict? It's largely off track.
🚀 This government can catch up if it acts now.
www.theoep.org.uk/report/gover...
📉 The verdict? It's largely off track.
🚀 This government can catch up if it acts now.
www.theoep.org.uk/report/gover...
📜 Welcome clarification by @lucympowell.bsky.social that environmental principles will "shortly" feature in the government guide on how to write new laws.
🙏 @elliechowns.bsky.social for raising this important issue.
⏰ We hope "shortly" = January.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
🙏 @elliechowns.bsky.social for raising this important issue.
⏰ We hope "shortly" = January.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
December 12, 2024 at 10:34 AM
📜 Welcome clarification by @lucympowell.bsky.social that environmental principles will "shortly" feature in the government guide on how to write new laws.
🙏 @elliechowns.bsky.social for raising this important issue.
⏰ We hope "shortly" = January.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
🙏 @elliechowns.bsky.social for raising this important issue.
⏰ We hope "shortly" = January.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
📉 Today the government published revised indicators of how well biodiversity is doing in England. The answer? Not very.
🔴 Overall, more indicators are deteriorating or showing no change than improving, over both the long and short term. This is worrying.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
🔴 Overall, more indicators are deteriorating or showing no change than improving, over both the long and short term. This is worrying.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
December 10, 2024 at 1:36 PM
📉 Today the government published revised indicators of how well biodiversity is doing in England. The answer? Not very.
🔴 Overall, more indicators are deteriorating or showing no change than improving, over both the long and short term. This is worrying.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
🔴 Overall, more indicators are deteriorating or showing no change than improving, over both the long and short term. This is worrying.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
💡 Sometimes the words used to describe our natural wonders are almost as mesmerising as the plant or animal they are naming!
🔍 Here are four wonderful things I saw on the south west coast of Scotland this weekend, along with a little of their etymology and mythology.
🔍 Here are four wonderful things I saw on the south west coast of Scotland this weekend, along with a little of their etymology and mythology.
December 2, 2024 at 6:00 PM
💡 Sometimes the words used to describe our natural wonders are almost as mesmerising as the plant or animal they are naming!
🔍 Here are four wonderful things I saw on the south west coast of Scotland this weekend, along with a little of their etymology and mythology.
🔍 Here are four wonderful things I saw on the south west coast of Scotland this weekend, along with a little of their etymology and mythology.
🌍 The marshes of Rainham offer a haven for #nature on London's doorstep.
⚒️ It's also got a fascinating history. The area has been occupied by man since the Palaeolithic era, with evidence of Bronze and Iron Age habitation and Roman occupation nearby.
⚒️ It's also got a fascinating history. The area has been occupied by man since the Palaeolithic era, with evidence of Bronze and Iron Age habitation and Roman occupation nearby.
November 24, 2024 at 5:48 PM
🌍 The marshes of Rainham offer a haven for #nature on London's doorstep.
⚒️ It's also got a fascinating history. The area has been occupied by man since the Palaeolithic era, with evidence of Bronze and Iron Age habitation and Roman occupation nearby.
⚒️ It's also got a fascinating history. The area has been occupied by man since the Palaeolithic era, with evidence of Bronze and Iron Age habitation and Roman occupation nearby.
💚 In praise of the humble alder tree 🌳
👀 I'd never looked closely at an alder catkin before but its purple hues and green hearts caught my eye. They really are that shape - no photoshopping in sight! 📷
🌊 I knew that alders loved swampy conditions and riversides but not much else...
👀 I'd never looked closely at an alder catkin before but its purple hues and green hearts caught my eye. They really are that shape - no photoshopping in sight! 📷
🌊 I knew that alders loved swampy conditions and riversides but not much else...
November 17, 2024 at 6:19 PM
💚 In praise of the humble alder tree 🌳
👀 I'd never looked closely at an alder catkin before but its purple hues and green hearts caught my eye. They really are that shape - no photoshopping in sight! 📷
🌊 I knew that alders loved swampy conditions and riversides but not much else...
👀 I'd never looked closely at an alder catkin before but its purple hues and green hearts caught my eye. They really are that shape - no photoshopping in sight! 📷
🌊 I knew that alders loved swampy conditions and riversides but not much else...
💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Five things we learned this week about the government’s approach to environment law.
1️⃣ 💪 Ministers are willing to act on calls to strengthen laws. The government will give Ofwat a nature and climate duty and embed nature-based solutions in primary legislation for only the fourth time.
1️⃣ 💪 Ministers are willing to act on calls to strengthen laws. The government will give Ofwat a nature and climate duty and embed nature-based solutions in primary legislation for only the fourth time.
November 15, 2024 at 1:05 PM
💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Five things we learned this week about the government’s approach to environment law.
1️⃣ 💪 Ministers are willing to act on calls to strengthen laws. The government will give Ofwat a nature and climate duty and embed nature-based solutions in primary legislation for only the fourth time.
1️⃣ 💪 Ministers are willing to act on calls to strengthen laws. The government will give Ofwat a nature and climate duty and embed nature-based solutions in primary legislation for only the fourth time.