News round-up: food statistics, revitalising towns, health and climate, tracking invasive plants, marine protection
A round-up of recent sustainable development news from the UK government and other national and international public bodies.
New Food Statistics Pocketbook for 2012
The annual Food Statistics Pocketbook provides a round-up of statistics on food covering the economic, social and environmental aspects of the food we eat (excluding agriculture).
Re-imagining urban spaces to help revitalise our high streets
Following the Portas Review, this DCLG report describes the many different ways in which under-utilised assets can be used imaginatively to revitalise high streets and town centres – increasing high street vitality, attracting footfall and boosting local economies. It is full of inspirational case studies, and signposts some of the key documents, guidance, tools and sources of support that could help local partners re-imagine the urban spaces in their area to help revitalise their local high streets and town centres.
Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK 2012
In 2009 the latest long-range climate projections for the UK were published in order to inform the UK’s first Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), required by the Climate Change Act (2008), covering 11 sectors across society. This Health Protection Agency (HPA) report complements the Health Sector report of the CCRA by providing scientific evidence of the wider risks to public health from climate change in the UK.
App to track invasive species
The Environment Agency, the Nature Locator team at the University of Bristol and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have joined forces to help combat the spread of the UK’s most problematic invasive, non-native plant species, releasing a mobile app to track invasive species. The PlantTracker app, available free from the iTunes App Store and Android Market, shows how to identify each species and enables the user to easily submit geo-located photos whenever they find one.
More from the PlantTracker project…
Studland to Portland reef to get special protection
Natural Environment Minister Richard Benyon has announced that over 330 square km of marine habitat from Studland to Portland,off the coast of Dorset, will be given greater protection, having been submitted by the Government to the European Commission to become a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
You may also be interested in...
- Adapting to tomorrow’s climate in health and social care
- Sustainable food round-up: fair food, UK food system, world agriculture, community growing
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