The IES has been working with other professional bodies over the past two months to ensure that environmental policy is underpinned by sound science across a number of policy areas.

In April the IES undersigned an open letter to Owen Paterson in response to an article called Developers Can Pay To Rip Up Nature that appeared in the Sunday Times on 21st April 2013. The letter highlighted the recommendation in the recent report of the Ecosystem Markets Task Force (EMTF) – that the Government mandates a national system of biodiversity offsetting – is massively premature.

Download the letter (pdf)
Read Defra's response (pdf)

In May the IES wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for the Environment welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court of 1st May, recognising that the United Kingdom is in breach of its obligations to comply with the nitrogen dioxide limit values provided for in Article 13 of Directive 2008/50/EC (“the Air Quality Directive”). The letter urged the Government to define a clear vision for how and when compliance will be achieved.

Download the letter (pdf)

Finally the IES undersigned a letter encouraging the Secretary of State for Transport to invest in active transport - walking and cycling. The letter urged the Government to create a high profile ‘Centre for Active Transport’ dedicated to integrating safe cycling and walking into the everyday life of the nation, and to promote a safe roads initiative that puts pedestrians and cyclists first.

Download the letter (pdf).