England wildlife watchdog ‘has stopped designating special sites for protection’ Exclusive: Report finds Natural England has created no new SSSIs, which protect areas from development, since 2023

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Does the £800m figure assume a 40 year average lifetime for the assets generating £20m pa in community benefits? Unclear from the press release or website. Thanks.

It's not an anti-van or van driver point I'm raising. I'm as much to blame as anyone for shifting personal transport onto vans (E.g. weekly shop) but it has changed the street, and I'm unclear whether it's for the better.

Counter-argument is that there are fewer vehicles (cars, SUVs) haring around?

Had an chat with a pal y'day about his quiet suburban street, and whether the kids played on it.

No they don't because of the delivery drivers haring around, under time pressure (e.g. Amazon, supermarket etc.)

You forget how vans have become commonplace, in a way they weren't just a few years ago.

And this on different local-regional-national Community Benefit Fund distribution models.

A particularly helpful summary table of all sovereign wealth funds in the report.

Acting now to ensure Scotland’s communities benefit from the renewables boom | Foundation Scotland Scotland’s transition to renewable energy presents a major opportunity; not just for net zero, but for communities across the country to share in the value being created.

@foundationscotland.bsky.social news article offers a great summary:

www.foundationscotland.org.uk/about-us/our...

Full report from the @clesthinkdo.bsky.social :

communityenergy.scot/wp-content/u...

Driven by @communitylandsc.bsky.social, there's increasing focus on the potential for a Scottish Community Wealth Fund.

This would capture a share of all Scotland's Community Benefit Funds - normally connected to renewables - and channel this into a national fund for community wealth building.

It's almost like they're the future

Wildlife thriving in Korean Demilitarised Zone It's taken roughly one human lifetime to create this ecological paradise

Let nature breath and step back

www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

🤩 happy days

I've made a point of not using fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides etc.

I've religiously brought in bulk bags of compost & spread these.

I have a big compost bin at the top, that is crawling with other kinds of worms (unsure type but they're smaller, redder).

No idea why the earthworms rocked up.

We've lived here for over 8 years.

Much of that time I've spent in the garden.

Thick clay soil but some rich topsoil, especially by the mature trees.

Amazing to think then, it's only been in the past 6 months I've seen earthworms.

None, for 8 years. And then all of a sudden, there they are.

France passed a law requiring solar panels on every parking lot with more than 80 spaces.

Equals 10 nuclear reactors
Reduces heat island, shades cars

The US -- 800 million parking spaces. Most of them are uncovered asphalt sitting in direct sunlight.

Why aren't we doing this?

The toughest bit of this equation is balancing the risk of supply chain domination by a single nation versus the existential threat of climate change.

No one said it would be easy.

BUT we must 100% balance this against China providing us with incredibly affordable renewables, batteries etc.

Without their relentless drive towards building a world-conquering low-C supply chain, who knows where we'd be.

But putting all our eggs in one basket carries a risk that needs mitigating

A global low-carbon tech industry totally dominated by China, sees a similar concentration of power versus oil and gas today.

Domestic content of low-carbon supply chains is often framed around jobs & on-shoring profits. These are v important but not enough made of the national security benefits.

Lots of positive commentary about countries turning to renewables to wean themselves of oil and gas, to protect national security, the economy etc.

But we need to key a weather eye on the supply chains for low-carbon technologies & avoid repeating the same supply chain shocks in the future.

Surrounded by windfarms but out of work: the reality of the green jobs boom on England’s east coast The government hails the ‘green revolution’ as a solution to economic decline, but some young jobseekers say the rhetoric does not match their experience

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Knocks spots of Teresa May's Dancing Queen

Pavement parking ban - East Renfrewshire Council Find out about the pavement, double and dropped kerb parking ban and how we implement it in East Renfrewshire

This is the policy: eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/pavement-par...

Clear as mud tbh.

My guess is most people will just not park on pavements now, because the exemptions and enforced areas is so unclear, you just err on the side of caution.

Again, another fascinating physcological response in the offing.

The same policy will impact different communities differently.

It will also impact members of the *same* community differently.

It can also impact the *same* community member differently, depending on their desired activity that day.

Who said parking was boring... 😆

For me, it really shines a light on how you view a policy depending on how you use the public realm & how it impacts you.

For drivers (which I am), this is a major inconvenience; both parking & driving.

For pedestrians (which I am), this is a big win.

For cyclists (which I am), I'm not sure.

Absolute scenes in East Ren as pavement parking ban is now being enforced by ticketing

Amazing to see parking practices being upended so quickly

More congested roads slowing down traffic

Pavements clearing

It's super chaotic atm but ultimately, this is about pavements being for people, not cars

I agree with much of this. I wonder then, what circumstances would lead to such a situation and when might this happen?

National security risk seems to be the big driver and one that could sway public opinion overnight I think. Geopolitics is making that much more likely within this term of govt.

Hopefully that's before armageddon and not after it.

Read another Starmer piece in the Guardian calling for closer ties with Europe. Almost zero meat in that sandwich

Whilst I welcome the warm words, this needs to be backed up by a) a clear UK strategy to strengthen alignment with the EU and b) a strategy that the EU co-creates & backs

Meanwhile...

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

As author, I'm delighted to see Flex 705 Nature Markets Community Engagement & Benefits launch for public consultation.

It offers guidance for suppliers of nature projects, on how best to engage & deliver benefits for communities.

Have your say:

standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/Projects/902...

Heat pumps for all new homes and plug-in solar in green tech drive Solar panels that can be plugged in at home could be available to buy in supermarkets in the coming months.

Good

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...