State of the Region

IRS Framework Objectives 6 - 10 (Environment)

Introduction

The environmental theme assesses progress towards objectives relating to the diversity and quality of the environment, and to management and use of resources. The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and the Regional Environment Strategy set out in some detail the policies and actions required in this area. The regional objectives in the Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS) are to protect and manage the rich diversity of natural and cultural assets of the region; enhance and conserve the quality of the environment; manage prudently the natural resources and involve people through a change in their lifestyles thereby improving the quality of life for East Midland residents.

A significant percentage of habitats have been lost and what remains is often fragmented – restricting the range of the species. The region has the smallest number of protected areas of all English regions. Intensification of agriculture has exacerbated the decline in biodiversity. The condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is improving and moving towards the national average. The new entry level Environmental Stewardship scheme introduces higher levels of environmental management which will show biodiversity benefits over time. The area of farms with Environmental Stewardship agreements has more than doubled from 302,696 hectares in 2005 to 615,262 hectares in 2006.

Water quality in the region is generally good, although some areas of the region experience pollution from agriculture. Since 1990 there has been an increase in the percentage of rivers of good or fair chemical and biological quality and it is above the national average.

Water supplies in the East Midlands come from a range of sources including large reservoirs, rivers, boreholes and wells from underground reserves in aquifers. The East Midlands population is estimated to grow by about 400,000 by 2025, though while individually the additional households should be more water-efficient, they are likely to increase total demand for water. Taking the projected population growth and use together, increases of up to 40% in household demand could occur by 2025. However, if sustainable water use patterns prevail, demand could fall by as much as 20%.

There has been a decline in the number of days on which air pollution is moderate or high. However, it is not possible to provide regional averages because there are too few recording sites in the region.

There has been a marked increase in the amount of energy produced from renewable sources in the East Midlands, increasing annually from 248.5 GWh in 2001 to 670.6GWh in 2006 moving towards the 2010 target of 1498GWh but still has a long way to go. The capacity of additional energy facilities in the region has doubled from 75.3MW in 2002 to 152.6MW in 2006 with the increase being most marked between 2005 and 2006.

Environmental infrastructure entails taking an integrated and strategic approach to the delivery of environmental infrastructure at the same time as decisions are made on other forms of infrastructure (transport or social). This means ensuring the provision of new green infrastructure, the use of sustainable construction and design, drainage systems and environmental work in rural areas and the joining up of existing environmental funding streams into a single Regional Environmental Infrastructure Fund (REIF). 

Overview 

Overall those aspects of the environment, covered by this report, in the East Midlands have been improving over the past few years. However, this rate of improvement tends to be slower than the national rate. Whilst there have been improvements in the amount of energy produced from renewable sources in the region there is still a long way to go to reach the 2010 target.

IRS Objective 6>>