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South West
Environmental Profile
click here to read
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Visit the UK Governments web site for updated news, facts
and more
Sustainable
Development - The UK's Government Approach
Click
Here To Visit
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Quality of
Life in Tomorrow's Countryside
The Countryside Agency's Strategy
Click
Here to Read
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South West
Rural Development Case Studies
Click Here
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Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty make up 20% of the South West |
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 What
are the environmental issues for the South West community? We
know that climate change could affect the way we do simple
things like pottering around in the garden, but what are the
opportunities and challenges of climate change? We also know
that the key issues outlined by the Environment Agency in the
south west include: agriculture, coastal waters, flood
defence, low flows and waste. But what does this mean to the
South West?
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SW Climate Change - Opportunities &
Challenges
Did you know that a warmer climate will increase risk
of deterioration in water quality and increase in infection.
Buildings will suffer increased subsidence and associated
insurance claims due to drying out of substrata. Did you also
know that we will have longer growing
seasons providing increased crop yields, which means potential
for new crops (grapes, navy beans, sweetcorn, soya and
sunflowers), and that a longer, more reliable summer season
will lead to increased visitor numbers and visitor spend
boosting local economies. Here
you can review such key findings in a report by the UK
Climates Impacts program.
click here |
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Key SW Issues for the Environment Agency
These include:
- Coastal Waters - The South West has 1,000
kilometres of coastline and 500 kilometres of estuaries. The
region contains 40% of the national total of EU designated
bathing waters and 30% of the shellfish waters.
click here for more
- Agriculture - More than 80% of land in the South
West is agricultural, making farming a critical industry for
the region’s environment
click here for more
- Flood Defence - The South West is particularly
vulnerable to flooding is everything been done to provide a
first class flood defence service
click here for more
- Low Flows - Water is essential for people,
businesses and wildlife but what initiatives are there that
improve water-dependent habitats and secure public water
supply.
click here for more
- Waste - More than 11 million tonnes of household,
commercial, industrial, special and clinical waste are
produced each year in the South West
click here for more
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