Author Archives: Policy
Common Fisheries Policy: Compromise, compromise, compromise
Common Fisheries Policy: Compromise, compromise, compromise Further progress towards reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was made today, as negotiations between EU Fisheries Ministers over the Basic Regulation came to a close. The discussions between EU governments took … Continue reading
Biodiversity Offsetting: quid pro grow?
Biodiversity Offsetting: quid pro grow? On 9 May, Owen Paterson (Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) welcomed over 100 delegates to a Defra summit on biodiversity offsetting. Although this was a relatively short event, the level … Continue reading
Can governance in the UK Overseas Territories give environmental protection?
Can governance in the UK Overseas Territories give environmental protection? Concerns over environmental protection in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) have been voiced for a number of years, with funding, development and pollution as some of the main issues. The … Continue reading
How well is practical science resourced in schools?
How well is practical science resourced in schools? Practical work is a vital part of scientific teaching and learning. By giving students the opportunity to carry out experiments and assess evidence, the use of practical work in science enables transferable … Continue reading
Fish discards banned – but what’s the catch?
Fish discards banned – but what’s the catch? This post is by Katherine Maltby, an MBiolSci Biology with Conservation and Biodiversity student at the University of Sheffield. Her research interests span marine ecology and fisheries management, with a particular focus … Continue reading
Badgers: the debate continues
Badgers: the debate continues The threat of bovine TB to cattle is still as great as ever, with the latest statistics release from Defra highlighting its continued presence. The use of badger culling to attempt to reduce the incidence of … Continue reading
Government Office for Science: roles, responsibilities and programmes
Government Office for Science: roles, responsibilities and programmes It was all change at the top of evidence based policy in Government this month, with Sir Mark Walport replacing Sir John Beddington as Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA). This role is … Continue reading
Defra updates Chalara policies
Defra updates Chalara policies With spring finally approaching, the threat of Chalara to ash across the UK is greater than ever. As mentioned in a previous post, the fungus that causes the disease lies dormant over winter, and sporulates in the … Continue reading