The world we inhabit is changing at an incredibly fast pace, and so it is becoming increasingly important to examine the relationship living organisms have with each other, and with the environment they inhabit. This study is known as ecology, and it is vitally important to help us paint an accurate picture of the world we live in, as well as helping to predict potential future changes.
Environment issues are at the forefront of public conscience these days. UK law aims to keep up with these issues and prevent any of them from turning into more serious problems in the future. If you’re struggling with any kind of environmental issue the advice of a solicitor will be able to help sort out your environment issues and ensure that you are on the right side of the law.
The Environment Agency is an executive public body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a Welsh Government Sponsored body responsible to the Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development. The agency is primarily involved with protecting and improving the environment, as well as promoting sustainable development.
Environmental health addresses all concerns about the effect on public health of both the natural and artificially built environment. Environmental health concerns cover a huge range of issues, from everyday activities such as food preparation or mobile phone use, to major national issues such preparation for natural disasters or safe drinking water.
The likely environmental impact of any type of project should be measured beforehand by carrying out an environmental impact assessment. This is an evaluation of all environmental factors and the likely impact of the project on them.
Human beings have constructed great civilisations and have achieved many incredible things. But, has this single-minded and ego-centric obsession with our own progress come at the detriment of our relationship with the natural environment that sustains us? This is perhaps the main question that arises from the study of ecology.
Environmental management is the concept of getting the most out of the environment in a way that is sustainable, rather than simply conserving the environment for its own sake.
Environmental law covers a wide range of topics and overlaps significantly with other areas of the law. Solicitors specialising in this area work tirelessly to make sure that rights and obligations related to the environment are upheld in all cases.
Recycling is a process that has existed for thousands of years, with archaeological studies finding that in times of scarcity, less waste was produced, which would imply that even our ancient ancestors knew the value of recycling.
As the awareness surrounding the issues of climate change and global warming continue to grow in the UK, the word sustainability has been used with increasing prominence. If left to its own devices the planet Earth will be home to diverse and productive ecosystems that, barring meteorites, super volcanoes and other mass extinction events, can endure (or sustain) over time.
Pollution is perhaps not a new problem for mankind, but is a growing one. Soot found on the ceilings of caves and historical episodes such as ‘the great stink on the Thames’ of 1858 show us that humans have been producing pollution since we started using fire. It is in recent years, with climate change and global warming becoming widely accepted, that there has been an emphasis on reducing pollution.
Pollution refers to the spoiling of the environment, and can be divided broadly into several categories, such as air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution. Legislation to reduce pollution has been necessary in the UK for hundreds of years, especially since the Industrial Revolution created great problems for the country in terms of both air and water pollution.
The prevalent objective of environmental health is to study the built and natural environment, assessing any ways in which human health is being or could potentially be affected. Environmental health is overseen by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and specifically concerns the effects of chemicals, radiation and biological products on the wellbeing of the “physical, psychological, social and cultural environment” as defined by the WHO.
Sustainability has become a primary objective of governments around the world in recent years, and now more than ever it is vital to know the facts surrounding this widely defined idea. Sustainability has become apparent in many areas of law, from agricultural to construction, which shows just how important it is to integrate sustainable ideas into everyday life.
Before any major development project takes place, the likely environmental impact must be measured to determine how the development will affect the surrounding area. The impact on the environment can be either positive or negative, and its effects will be measured in terms of natural, social and economic change.
The Environmental Agency is a non-departmental public body that operates as part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The agency’s official remit is to promote sustainable development for businesses and everyday people as well as helping to protect populations from environmental risks such as floods.
Depending on who you speak to, recycling is either an irritating and futile exercise, or one of the ways in which we must act to save our polluted planet. While there is no law that has been passed making it mandatory for people to recycle, it is encouraged by the government and environmental groups.