Heat, drought, failed harvests – climate change is increasingly being felt in Europe. Scientists who have long been warning of the consequences of climate change are finding they now have a more receptive audience.

In Britain, both the public and the political establishment recognised the urgency of the climate crisis early on and responded by putting measures in place which have contributed to UK’s positive record on climate protection. As long ago as 2008 there was a broad consensus in the House of Commons in favour of the “UK Climate Change Act“, the world’s first climate protection bill, with ambitious targets and an independent supervisory panel.

In June 2019, the Climate Change Act was expanded to include an objective of carbon-neutrality by 2050. UK emissions have fallen by 42% since 1990, while economic productivity has risen by two-thirds. This is above all due to the decline in coal-fuelled power and the expansion of renewable energies, in particular offshore wind. 5 years ago, 40% of British electricity came from coal power stations – now it is just under 5%. Science is making an important contribution in developing new approaches and more efficient technologies.

The UK is also active in promoting climate protection on the international stage. It contributes financially by supporting projects aimed at reducing and adapting to climate change worldwide (e.g. in supporting anti-deforestation projects together with Germany and Norway). Politically, too, the UK is at the forefront with its “nomination” to host COP 26, the UN’s climate conference in 2020 in partnership with Italy – a milestone on the path to fulfilling the terms of the Paris Agreement. Britain is making a scientific contribution, too, by carrying out fundamental research and developing technologies in collaboration with international partners such as Germany. And as an important financial centre, the UK has a role to play in pushing for greater sustainability in the finance sector.

A partnership project aimed at improving the state of the River Stour and its tributaries for wildlife and people is calling for local anglers to help it raise the angling potential of the catchment through the development of a new Stour Passport scheme.

The scheme, created by the ‘Salmon in the Stour’ partnership, is an important tool in the ongoing conservation of the River Stour.

The ambitious Salmon in the Stour project, run in partnership between the Environment Agency, Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Severn Rivers Trust aims to make improvements to fish migration, habitats and water quality.

Its new Stour Passport scheme, which is a web-based portal designed for use by anglers in the River Stour catchment, will collect information on fish species distribution and their general health, as well as creating an overall picture of water quality and habitat condition.

Anglers will be able to find out how the new scheme can work for them and learn about the progress of the Salmon in the Stour project at an angler engagement event on Wednesday 6 November at Sadler’s Brewhouse in Lye, Stourbridge.

Another element of the passport scheme, which is still in its infancy, is to open up previously unused sections of the river to anglers and its success will be dependent on engaging with local landowners and other stakeholders.

Dan Johnson, Programme and Partnership Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency, said:

The Stour catchment can suffer from pollution and misconnection incidents, which, if reported early on, mean we can intervene before they become a bigger problem. As anglers are the ‘eyes and ears’ on the riverbank we are hoping they will use the passport scheme to report pollution and environmental incidents. Such information will then be used to improve the catchment for everyone.

Similar passport schemes have been implemented elsewhere in the country and we are hoping to build on our scheme in order to get more people out on the river bank, appreciating the countryside and catching fish!

The angling community is a very important stakeholder to the Salmon in the Stour project and we look forward to providing an update at our next engagement event on the work we have so far delivered and how we can further improve the recreational and angling amenity for them.

Tarun Ingvorsen, Senior Project Officer for the Salmon in the Stour project, said:

By working with anglers in the catchment, much can be gained mutually. This will provide us with vital information about the river such as access, species and water quality information. This can be used to really improve the ‘Forgotten River’ for all those who use it.

The long-term aim of the Salmon in the Stour project is to remove barriers to fish movement, provide habitats for threatened species, re-naturalise artificial banks, tackle the spread of invasive species, identify and address sources of pollution, improve access for people and celebrate the watercourses’ history and heritage. For more information follow @SalmonStour and @StourPassport on Twitter.

Decision letter and Inspector’s Report for the demolition of existing buildings:

• existing sports building
• Peel House
• Museum Cottage
• gardeners compound
• Boyer Webb Pavilion
• pavilion next to the athletics track

and the construction of:

• a new sports building over 3 levels (7269 sqm)
• new science building over 3 levels (3675 sqm)
• new landscaping core from existing chapel terrace to the athletics track at the base of hill
• new visitors car parking on Football Lane adjacent to maths and physics school buildings
• rerouting and regrading of private access road
• alterations to landscaping and servicing for dining hall
• relocation of multi-use games area for Moretons Boarding House to south west of dining hall

in accordance with application ref: P/1940/16, dated 20 April 2016.

The agreement – formally known as the United Kingdom-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) – ensures the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan continue to grant each other most-favoured nation (MFN) treatment for trade.

As Uzbekistan is not a member of the World Trade Organization, the legal status secured under the agreement will ensure businesses can continue to trade with confidence.

• the signing of this agreement ensures there is no disruption in the relationship between the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan, and provides the foundation for future cooperation in foreign, political and security matters.
• the agreement maintains existing human rights, democracy and rule of law commitments and delivers certainty for business by securing continued most-favoured nation status for trade.
• the agreement recognises Uzbekistan’s commitment to an ambitious reform agenda and the accomplishments it has secured in political, economic and legal areas.

Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Tim Torlot signed the agreement with Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Tashkent.

Welcoming the signing of the agreement, Foreign Office Minister for Europe Christopher Pincher said:

I’m pleased that the United Kingdom has today signed its first partnership agreement with a Central Asian country, underlining our close ties with Uzbekistan and securing long-term certainty for British businesses and consumers.

This deal highlights our shared ambitions for a broader and deeper political and security relationship and sets out future opportunities for cooperation in diverse areas such as trade, environmental protection and the protection of human rights.

• the United Kingdom – Uzbekistan PCA replicates the effects of the existing EU PCA provisions as far as possible.
• the agreement provides for widespread cooperation in trade and investment, sustainable development, environmental protection and energy as well as human rights and governance.
• this agreement is designed to take effect when the EU-Uzbekistan agreement ceases to apply to the United Kingdom, either following an implementation period or a no-deal Brexit. The agreement will be subject to the domestic parliamentary procedures in both the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan before it is brought into force.

Further information

Published 31 October 2019

Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November, is the day traditionally put aside to remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today. On this day, people across the nation pause to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women.

Remembrance Sunday will fall on Sunday 10 November in 2019 and the traditional ceremony will commence in the Olšany Commonwealth War Cemetery Prague at 10:50. The ceremony is open to all.

Published 31 October 2019