This release includes measures installed under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the Green Deal schemes. It also includes further analysis and geographical breakdowns of ECO measures, ECO delivery costs, estimated carbon and energy savings from measures installed and the supply chain. These statistics are provisional and are subject to future revisions.
Updated: Added link to the YouTube playlist of videos from the 2-day event
It was the first opportunity for the NDA’s recently appointed Chief Executive Officer David Peattie and Chairman Tom Smith to meet collectively with a wide range of individuals, including representatives from all communities hosting the 17 NDA sites.
David Peattie said:
Maintaining strong relationships with our stakeholders is vitally important to the NDA and to me personally.
I am committed to meeting and listening to as many people as possible from the communities around our sites, and those further afield who have a real and genuine interest in our mission to decommission and clean up the UK’s nuclear sites.
The event aimed at encouraging discussion about the NDA’s work, including how it manages the radioactive waste held on its sites. In ‘The Big Waste Debate’, UK and international nuclear industry experts shared views alongside renowned academics, authors and critics of the industry.
An exhibition and workshops were set up for local community groups, including charities and small businesses, to share ideas and highlight the achievement of enterprises that had received funding from the NDA’s socio-economic budget.
The second day was devoted to discussing support for socio-economic initiatives, which is part of the NDA’s mission to decommission and clean up the UK’s civil nuclear legacy. NDA representatives explained how i it was committed to using all resources available, including financial support, to ensure a positive lasting impact in the communities where it operates.
The NDA’s Head of Stakeholder Relations, Bill Hamilton, said:
I’m delighted about how well the event has gone and about the open, honest and constructive dialogue that’s happened over the last 2 days.
Our stakeholders come from as far afield as the north of Scotland, Ireland, Austria, the Isle of Man and the south east of England. To get them all together in one place to discuss our decommissioning mission in this way is a first and has been extremely valuable for the NDA.
Watch videos from the NDA Stakeholder Summit 2017: YouTube Playlist
The MMO, as marine regulators and planners, must consider the location and intensity of many marine activities in decision making within the MMO’s remit.
The MMO already has access to diverse activity data such as that presented in Marine Information System or generated through internal processes including marine licensing, but would benefit from continued improvement of the best available evidence, including up to date, reliable and standardised spatial data on the distribution and intensity of activities that may impact the marine environment individually or in combination.
The diversity of marine activities are described in the UK Marine Policy Statement. Of particular interest is information on the following sectors:tourism and recreation, cable routes and landfalls (particularly disused) and fishing activity from vessels less than 15m in length. The MMO is also interested in new or emerging activities.
Human use of the marine environment exerts a range of pressures on marine species including disturbance from noise or physical activity. Disturbance results include stress responses, flight, and changes in foraging for example. Such responses can directly or indirectly reduce the fitness of individuals and health of the population. To manage these potential negative impacts, disturbance impacts are considered in decision making.
However, there are increasing stakeholder observations and reports that bird species become, at least partially, acclimated to disturbance from some marine activities. If acclimatisation occurs, this may change the threshold at which disturbance impacts become significant and thus is of relevance to marine decision making.
The MMO seek evidence on whether, or to what extent, acclimatisation occurs, whether acclimation is species dependant and the conditions under which acclimation occurs such as in interaction with other pressures.
To enhance understanding of the types and magnitudes of pressures exerted by different types of fishing gear on the environment, and potential management actions that may be appropriate to manage any negative impacts from the fishing gear on protected features.