Environmental scorecard: Deadline for evidence extended
19 June 2014
The Committee has extended the time for accepting written submissions on its Environmental Scorecard inquiry to 15 August 2014.
The Committee is examining progress on key environmental areas, and potential policy levers which could be used to secure environmental improvements.
Full terms of reference
The National Audit Office (NAO) published a review of Environmental Protection in July 2010 (PDF 554 KB), which examined 10 key environmental protection areas. On 16 June 2014 the NAO published a follow up review (PDF 762 KB) assessing progress in the same 10 areas.
Following on from the 2014 NAO review, the Committee’s inquiry will examine progress in the following areas:
- Atmospheric pollution and climate change
- Air pollution
- Biodiversity
- Forestry
- Soil
- Flooding and coastal protection
- Resource efficiency and waste
- The freshwater environment
- Water availability
- The marine environment
The Committee wishes to receive submissions, by 15 August 2014, on:
- The areas in which environmental protection has worsened most since 2010.
- The areas in which the need for improved protection is most urgent, and the nature of the improvements required.
- The adequacy of the indicators and/or targets used to monitor protection in particular environmental areas.
- Which policy levers are most (and least) appropriate to enable improved protection, including:
- Legislation or regulation;
- Public education and campaigns;
- Publication and transparency of environmental information and statistics;
- Community engagement/partnerships;
- Fiscal penalties or incentives;
- Benchmarking and league-tables;
- ‘Nudge’ techniques.
- Capacity and resources of the Government agencies, and non-governmental bodies, to ensure environmentally protective measures are carried out.
- The extent of coherence between Government policies and between Government and European Union policies, and the likely beneficial or detrimental impacts on the environment.
The Committee will take into account evidence it has already received in other inquiries, including currently ongoing inquiries regarding air pollution and resource efficiency and waste.
Submitting written evidence
The Committee invites written submissions on these issues by midday on 15 August 2014.