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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · 2d

Nothing to do with us, guv!

Intensive livestock firm denies it has a role in the decline of the supposedly ‘protected’ River Wye that’s seen pollution rise as intensive rearing units have proliferated.

Largest UK environmental lawsuit over river pollution www.bbc.com/news/article...

River Wye pollution prompts UK's largest environmental lawsuit

Livestock and water companies are accused of “extensive” pollution in the Wye, Lugg and Usk rivers.

www.bbc.com

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · 14d

No surprise. Root cause is govt cuts to Environment Agency - and ministers directing it to go easy on polluters.

That led to less monitoring of water pollution, and less responsiveness to reports of pollution - whether sewage or the other pollutants damaging our rivers.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Environment Agency failed to visit serious pollution incidents, leaked files show

Data from inside England's environment watchdog show an agency struggling to monitor serious pollution.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Paul de Zylva

Peat-free Partnership @peatfree.bsky.social · 15d

" #Defra should swiftly legislate to stop the digging up of horticultural #peat for #garden #compost..."

New blog from Green Alliance calling for legislation on peat sales in #horticulture as part of Emma Reynold's to-do list:

greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/09/18/n...

New Defra secretary Emma Reynolds has a big ‘to do’ list but a chance to make some publicly popular moves

Emma Reynolds has become the tenth UK environment secretary in a decade, joining the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) at a critical time for environmental protection. She …

greenallianceblog.org.uk

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · 20d

The government is not only undermining its 2024 manifesto pledges to protect nature – it is sliding into Trumpian, post-truth politics.

Me in The Big Issue

www.bigissue.com/opinion/mini...

Blaming nature for the housing problem is straight from the Trump playbook

The government is not only undermining its 2024 manifesto pledges to protect nature – it is sliding into Trumpian, post-truth politics.

www.bigissue.com

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jul 19

The penny’s dropped - sewage is not - and never was - the only pollutant harming our rivers, freshwaters + coastal seas.

Govt now needs to end austerity funding of Environment Agency + Natural Natural and assure their independence from more political meddling.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Ministers vow to tackle all forms of water pollution in England and Wales

Exclusive: Commitment comes as data shows serious pollution events involving water firms up by 60%

www.theguardian.com

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jul 4

Labour’s first year: the verdict of Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace:

- Climate and Energy: Reasons to be cheerful

- Nature and Environment: Cause for concern

- Homes and Transport: Glimmers of hope, perhaps

- Justice and Democracy: Poor

friendsoftheearth.uk/system-chang...

The Labour government – our assessment 1 year on | Friends of the Earth

One year after the last general election, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace assess how the Labour government has performed on climate and nature action.

friendsoftheearth.uk

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jun 19

Royal College of Physicians (RCP) says “there is no safe level” of air pollution and that 99 per cent of the public in the UK are breathing “toxic air”.

RCP reports the health costs - “30,000 deaths per year” - and the costs to the UK economy of £27-50 billion a year

www.rcp.ac.uk/policy-and-c....

A breath of fresh air: responding to the health challenges of modern air pollution

www.rcp.ac.uk

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jun 11

It’s not about whether we have new housing or upgraded infrastructure.

As you are no doubt paying attention to what the actual concern is here, you’ll know that.

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jun 11

Rachel Reeves fails to mention in her #SpendingReview (SR) speech the UK’s poor state of nature.

That’s reflected in the modest (at best) SR funding for nature restoration, nature-friendly farmers.

Spun as historic investment when it’s a 2.3% budget cut for Defra on top of 45% cuts 2010-19. Fail.

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jun 10

UK Govt says the cost to public purse of #Sizewell is £17.8 bn.

I make it £24bn.

The latest £14.2bn adds to £5.5bn given in Sept ’24 = £19.7bn

Add £4.3bn given by the last govt:

£1.3bn in Jan 24; £511m in Sept 23; £100m in Jan 22; £700m in Nov 22; £1.7bn in Oct 21.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...

Sizewell C nuclear plant gets go-ahead with £14.2bn of government funding

The government says the plant, which will take at least a decade to build, will deliver a

www.bbc.co.uk

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Jun 4

The UK government is going ‘further and faster’ in allowing UK nature to be destroyed.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Apr 17

Integrity, always integrity.

The ‘integrity’ buzzword abounds in UKgov’s new consultation on how Voluntary #Carbon & #Nature Markets #VCNM can be high integrity, transparent, trustworthy etc and not just another dodgy deal on the way to #climate chaos and nature’s demise

www.gov.uk/government/n...

UK backs businesses to trade carbon credits and unlock finance

British businesses and organisations better supported to trade carbon credits as part of new work to establish the UK as the global hub for green finance.

www.gov.uk

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Apr 17

‘Anthropocene Illusion' - Zed Nelson’s shot of a bored-looking chimp in Shanghai wins the Sony World Photo Award.

Nelson explores humanity’s fractured relationship with nature, from safari parks to synthetic green spaces, and reveal a world where the wild is staged and the natural is anything but.

$‘Anthropocene Illusion' by Zed Nelson Photo of a bored-looking chimpanzee in Shanghai Wild Animal Park wins the 2025 Sony World Photography Award. The Anthropocene Illusion explores humanity’s fractured relationship with nature, from safari parks to synthetic green spaces, Nelson’s images reveal a world where the wild is staged and the natural is anything but. https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/04/16/from-skater-girls-to-climate-illusions-meet-the-winners-of-the-2025-sony-world-photography$

Reposted by Paul de Zylva

Heard Island Government @heardislandgov.bsky.social · Apr 3

Defence Ministry: Shoreline defence force Gentoo’s prepare mortars. Our Navy Seals conduct clandestine training, and teach tactical camouflage and concealment to juveniles. We stand ready. Flippers Up.

290 2.1K 9.7K

Reposted by Paul de Zylva

National Park City @nationalparkcity.bsky.social · Apr 3

Congratulations to our friends in Chattanooga, Tennessee which has been recognised as North America’s 1st National Park City. From the most polluted city in the USA in the 70s to an unrivalled outdoor destination and biodiversity hotspot. Full announcement buff.ly/Zpg0HRD

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 27

Me in The Telegraph: “We can only imagine how bad sewage pollution was before real-time monitoring… Water customers – who are about to be hit with even higher water bills – will wonder what happened to their money which should have been used to prevent pollution long before now”

The Telegraph reports on the Environment Agency’s data for sewage spills in 2024 according to the use of real-time Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) in sewage overflows.

My full quote follows - see other photos and ALT text.

Green bar charts showing water and sewerage company sewage spills.

More bar charts but in blue following by opening quote:

"Despite politicians' warm words, these figures show we're nowhere near slowing the level of sewage entering our rivers and seas, putting wildlife and our health at serious risk.”

The rest of my quote (and the bit the sub editors cut out!):

"We can only imagine how bad sewage pollution was before the use of real-time monitoring, which was only introduced in 2023.

“Water customers – who are about to be hit with even higher water bills – will wonder what happened to their money which should have been used to prevent pollution long before now."

The Telegraph did not use the rest of my quote:

"We need urgent, bold action by the government, not more anti-regulation rhetoric from ministers, to hold these and other serial polluters to account."

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 26

Confirms what we knew.

Biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans – report

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans – report

Sweeping synthesis of 2,000 global studies leaves no doubt about scale of problem and role of humans, say experts

www.theguardian.com

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 24

Paris votes for more “greening” of streets.

Parisians vote by 66 per cent for 500 more city streets to be calmed of road traffic, with 34 per cent against

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Paris residents vote in favour of making 500 more streets pedestrian

Parisians voted in a referendum on Sunday to pedestrianise a further 500 of the city's streets, giving fresh momentum to efforts by the French capital's left-leaning town hall to curb car usage and improve air quality.

www.reuters.com

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 14

PM Starmer challenged over his “I’m not making this up” claims about Jumping Spiders blocking housing sprawl.

Charities accuse Starmer of misleading spider claims www.bbc.com/news/article...

Charities accuse Keir Starmer of misleading jumping spider claims

Charities say rare spiders did not block "an entire new town", as the prime minister suggested.

www.bbc.com

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 14

Another way to view the cost to taxpayers + water bill payers (ie everyone) of Thames Water collapsing is that EVERYONE already pays through the nose for decades of a) mismanagement + financial chicanery by Thames Water’s owners b) lax regulation by govt + ‘regulators’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Warning Thames Water collapse could hit taxpayers and pensions

Ofwat says placing Thames under government control could end up costing taxpayers billions of pounds.

www.bbc.co.uk

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 12

You couldn't make it up - Amazon forest destroyed by four lane highway to climate summit conference site.

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

Amazon rainforest cut down to build highway for COP climate summit

The infrastructure required to host climate talks in Belém is undermining the cause, campaigners say.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 10

Windermere - “only rainwater” to enter “national treasure”

Sounds great, but as sewage is only part of the problem this pledge only works if govt also addresses pollution run-off from land, farms, and roads, and airborne acidic pollution.

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

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Government pledges to clean up Windermere in Lake District - BBC News

Environment Secretary Steve Reed pledges "only rainwater" will enter Windermere as part of its plan.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 7

How could you question such personages?

Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 7

Clean air capital

Better breathing in #London thanks to a Mayor with the guts to end decades of Londoners + visitors breathing dangerously bad air - not just talk about it.

Note the benefits to people in boroughs that opposed extending #ULEZ to the entire capital.

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

Ulez: Cleaner air for Londoners after expansion, study finds - BBC News

London pollution has reduced after the controversial expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, a report finds.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul de Zylva @pauldezylva.bsky.social · Mar 6

Mr Sunak is as wrong on net zero now as when he was PM.

2025 - NZ is a ‘noble’ aim but shouldn’t be a legal target.

2023 - “absolutely unequivocal" about hitting NZ.

He then cast NZ as a burden ignoring how high gas&oil costs will rise esp as he cut home insulation www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Stop the Boats slogan was too stark, Rishi Sunak tells BBC

The former prime minister examines his time in Downing Street, with the BBC's Nick Robinson for Political Thinking.

www.bbc.co.uk