Simon Wightman
@simonwightman.bsky.social
Work for Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Posting on nature, conservation, and occasionally long-distance walking, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards.
Reposted by Simon Wightman
Want to import toxic chemicals into Britain with scant scrutiny? Labour says: go right ahead | George Monbiot
Want to import toxic chemicals into Britain with scant scrutiny? Labour says: go right ahead | George Monbiot
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s Tory fantasy of a post-Brexit bonfire of regulations is coming true. Our bodies and ecosystems will pay the price, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
July 23, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Want to import toxic chemicals into Britain with scant scrutiny? Labour says: go right ahead | George Monbiot
Reposted by Simon Wightman
A Nature Restoration Fund to help developers meet their legal responsibilities for nature *could* be positive if it's done well, but it mustn't become a free pass for unsustainable building.
A 🧵of some risks and opportunities.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
A 🧵of some risks and opportunities.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Labour tells developers: Pay for pollution and you can build faster
A nature and conservation fund will be set up to stop wildlife concerns from blocking new homes
www.thetimes.com
December 15, 2024 at 8:24 AM
A Nature Restoration Fund to help developers meet their legal responsibilities for nature *could* be positive if it's done well, but it mustn't become a free pass for unsustainable building.
A 🧵of some risks and opportunities.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
A 🧵of some risks and opportunities.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Reposted by Simon Wightman
Although it's new, BNG needs urgent review.
The weaknesses are ones we flagged from the outset:
🏡Enforcement is failing so promised gains never appear.
🏠The 10% gain requirement isn't enough to contribute to nature recovery
🏘️Huge loopholes leave many developments exempt.
The weaknesses are ones we flagged from the outset:
🏡Enforcement is failing so promised gains never appear.
🏠The 10% gain requirement isn't enough to contribute to nature recovery
🏘️Huge loopholes leave many developments exempt.
Biodiversity net gain - the policy requiring developers to deliver 10% more nature than existed pre-building - is under ‘active review’, according to the new nature minister
Mandatory BNG isn't even a year old, so this will be interesting to watch..
www.endsreport.com/article/1900...
Mandatory BNG isn't even a year old, so this will be interesting to watch..
www.endsreport.com/article/1900...
Biodiversity net gain under ‘active review’, says nature minister
Nature minister Mary Creagh has said that DEFRA is carrying out an ‘active review’ into whether biodiversity net gain’ (BNG) is ‘working in the way in which we intended or whether we need to do more’,...
www.endsreport.com
December 19, 2024 at 9:16 AM
Although it's new, BNG needs urgent review.
The weaknesses are ones we flagged from the outset:
🏡Enforcement is failing so promised gains never appear.
🏠The 10% gain requirement isn't enough to contribute to nature recovery
🏘️Huge loopholes leave many developments exempt.
The weaknesses are ones we flagged from the outset:
🏡Enforcement is failing so promised gains never appear.
🏠The 10% gain requirement isn't enough to contribute to nature recovery
🏘️Huge loopholes leave many developments exempt.
@richardbenwell.bsky.social asks if the UK has a culture of non compliance with environmental law. Ongoing failure under Water Framework Directive, advice not to enforce Farming Rules for Water, Water companies routinely exceeding permitted discharges. CIWEM A Fresh Water Future Conference
December 3, 2024 at 11:02 AM
@richardbenwell.bsky.social asks if the UK has a culture of non compliance with environmental law. Ongoing failure under Water Framework Directive, advice not to enforce Farming Rules for Water, Water companies routinely exceeding permitted discharges. CIWEM A Fresh Water Future Conference
Reposted by Simon Wightman
🎣 #Overfishing is emptying our seas of life. It’s time to put a stop to it, but to do so we need proper plans in place for our key fish populations. 🐟
So why are UK Govts DELAYING action on these piecemeal plans? 1/3🔽
consult.defra.gov.uk/joint-fisher...
So why are UK Govts DELAYING action on these piecemeal plans? 1/3🔽
consult.defra.gov.uk/joint-fisher...
November 27, 2024 at 10:10 AM
🎣 #Overfishing is emptying our seas of life. It’s time to put a stop to it, but to do so we need proper plans in place for our key fish populations. 🐟
So why are UK Govts DELAYING action on these piecemeal plans? 1/3🔽
consult.defra.gov.uk/joint-fisher...
So why are UK Govts DELAYING action on these piecemeal plans? 1/3🔽
consult.defra.gov.uk/joint-fisher...
Reposted by Simon Wightman
🌿 Thread: DEFRA confirms ‘mirror’ agreements to avoid gaps in environmental rewards, but why is this even necessary? Let’s unpack the history and urgency of reforming Higher Tier environmental schemes. 👇
November 27, 2024 at 9:53 AM
🌿 Thread: DEFRA confirms ‘mirror’ agreements to avoid gaps in environmental rewards, but why is this even necessary? Let’s unpack the history and urgency of reforming Higher Tier environmental schemes. 👇
Reposted by Simon Wightman
This discharge from the M6 to a tributary of Syd Brook causes horrific, toxic pollution every time it rains. We could only find water fleas & blood worms living here. A complete failure of regulation. #ItsNotAllAboutTheSewage
November 23, 2024 at 12:02 PM
This discharge from the M6 to a tributary of Syd Brook causes horrific, toxic pollution every time it rains. We could only find water fleas & blood worms living here. A complete failure of regulation. #ItsNotAllAboutTheSewage
Reposted by Simon Wightman
The capital grants scheme, opened by UK government to allow England's farmers to invest in infrastructure such as slurry storage to stop animal poo going into rivers, has been abruptly paused
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Environmental grants promised to farmers in England frozen
Scheme to fund activities such as hedge-planting paused owing to budget constraints, sources say
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2024 at 7:57 AM
The capital grants scheme, opened by UK government to allow England's farmers to invest in infrastructure such as slurry storage to stop animal poo going into rivers, has been abruptly paused
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
unherd.com/2024/11/a-fa... great article but the title doesn’t really capture the story. Over the last decade, farmers have had to deal with policy uncertainty, inadequate budget commitment for agri-environment support, unfair trade deals. This isn’t just about APR.
The farmers march on Westminster
unherd.com
November 25, 2024 at 8:54 PM
unherd.com/2024/11/a-fa... great article but the title doesn’t really capture the story. Over the last decade, farmers have had to deal with policy uncertainty, inadequate budget commitment for agri-environment support, unfair trade deals. This isn’t just about APR.
My second post is going to be a photo of somebody else’s slide… Prof Miles Richardson highlights the measurable mental health and other benefits that come from taking time to notice something in nature. NBN Conference. I’ll be checking out his blog for more findingnature.org.uk
November 21, 2024 at 2:58 PM
My second post is going to be a photo of somebody else’s slide… Prof Miles Richardson highlights the measurable mental health and other benefits that come from taking time to notice something in nature. NBN Conference. I’ll be checking out his blog for more findingnature.org.uk
Reposted by Simon Wightman
“The UK has more potential for temperate rainforest restoration than anywhere else in the world… UK rainforests are resilient to low & medium amounts of future warming”
But rapid climate action needed to save other temp rainforests
Ace new research by Leeds Uni: www.leeds.ac.uk/research-32/...
But rapid climate action needed to save other temp rainforests
Ace new research by Leeds Uni: www.leeds.ac.uk/research-32/...
Climate change threatens rare temperate rainforests
Up to two thirds of the world’s temperate rainforests could fall victim to climate change by the year 2100 according to a new study by researchers at the University of Leeds.
www.leeds.ac.uk
November 21, 2024 at 12:17 PM
“The UK has more potential for temperate rainforest restoration than anywhere else in the world… UK rainforests are resilient to low & medium amounts of future warming”
But rapid climate action needed to save other temp rainforests
Ace new research by Leeds Uni: www.leeds.ac.uk/research-32/...
But rapid climate action needed to save other temp rainforests
Ace new research by Leeds Uni: www.leeds.ac.uk/research-32/...
Hi everyone, pleased to join the community on Bluesky and looking forward to great conversations. Currently at the National Biodiversity Network Conference in Liverpool and didn’t want my first post to me a photo of someone else’s slide…
November 21, 2024 at 2:33 PM
Hi everyone, pleased to join the community on Bluesky and looking forward to great conversations. Currently at the National Biodiversity Network Conference in Liverpool and didn’t want my first post to me a photo of someone else’s slide…
Reposted by Simon Wightman
Gravel is the unsung hero of healthy rivers.
I think it is (almost) as important for river wildlife as the water that flows over the top.
The sediments, pebbles rocks and stones are vital to healthy rivers but they are also under threat.
Read on to find out why 👇
I think it is (almost) as important for river wildlife as the water that flows over the top.
The sediments, pebbles rocks and stones are vital to healthy rivers but they are also under threat.
Read on to find out why 👇
November 15, 2024 at 8:33 PM
Gravel is the unsung hero of healthy rivers.
I think it is (almost) as important for river wildlife as the water that flows over the top.
The sediments, pebbles rocks and stones are vital to healthy rivers but they are also under threat.
Read on to find out why 👇
I think it is (almost) as important for river wildlife as the water that flows over the top.
The sediments, pebbles rocks and stones are vital to healthy rivers but they are also under threat.
Read on to find out why 👇