Other stories from last week

An Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) report has declared that Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) can play a crucial role in helping Government strike the balance between its growth ambitions and its environmental commitments, as the strategies drive delivery of nature recovery action and inform local decision-making. However, the report said LNRS need to be developed and delivered at pace if they are to substantially contribute to government targets and goals. Only four of the 48 LNRS have been published to date, with the original intention that they all be in place by March 2025.

WaterAid’s Resilient Water Accelerator (RWA) – a coalition dedicated to mobilising private and public finance for water projects that enhance climate resilience in vulnerable communities – has now been established as an independent company. It was first set up in 2021 by the charity alongside HM King Charles in his role as The Prince of Wales, with the aim of providing 50m people in water-stressed areas with reliable and sustainable water sources by 2030. Becoming a separate entity will help the RWA focus on its principal aim: generating high quality, climate-resilient, and low-carbon investments that protect water resources and improve water security in low and middle-income countries, while also generating returns for investors. Ella Lazarte will become the RWA’s new chief executive, leaving her role as the water finance and private sector engagement lead at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She will be joining the RWA board alongside two new independent directors, Bola Bamidele and Dr. Akinwale Aboyade.

Antimicrobial resistance is spreading in the environment despite a reduction in the amounts of antibiotic drugs prescribed, according to a new study led by the University of Bath. The researchers, who worked with Wessex Water to sample wastewater from four treatment plants in south west England, warned that multiple approaches will be required to tackle the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance to public health.

Pennon has been recognised for its continued progress on climate action and sustainability, achieving its highest ever ratings from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Pennon received an A-rating in both the Climate Change and Water Security questionnaires, placing it at leadership level in the CDP’s globally recognised framework. This marked a significant step-change in performance from the B ratings the company received in 2023. 

In addition, Pennon was recently named as one of Europe’s Climate Leaders 2025 in an annual report from The Financial Times and Statista. During the year it reduced its Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 70% from a 2020/21 baseline (market-based); set four near-term GHG reduction targets; continued to deliver Pennon Power assets with the first site in Fife due to be energised in June 2025; continued delivery of Pennon Power sites to provide renewable energy generation capacity and support the UK’s green energy transition; exceeded its 2025 tree planting target by over 100,000 trees with a total of 389,306 trees planted to date; delivered water use reductions of over 10m litres across Pennon’s operational sites; and provided over £1m in additional community investment beyond its business plan through social programmes delivered across the Group in 2024/25.

Business Stream has said Scotland’s public sector has saved over £3m in water costs over the past financial year, which was the first year of the retailer’s renewed framework partnership. This has been delivered through a combination of smart monitoring, tailored water efficiency planning and a rapid response to identify and repair leaks, Business Stream explained, with the activities also supporting a reduction in energy consumption equating to more than 530 tonnes of CO₂e. Under the previous four-year framework contract (2020-2024) with Business Stream, Scotland’s public sector saved over £8.9m and delivered a 4.6m reduction in cubic metres of water.

Northern Ireland’s Utility Regulator has published an Information Paper on the Monitoring and Reporting Framework for the Codes of Practice on Customer Service and Consumers in Vulnerable Circumstances. These relate to water, gas and electricity supply.