Joint UK Links
9 November 2011
Joint Links press release on CAP reform proposals
Unless the UK takes a strong line on making CAP payments, currently worth over £3 billion per year, do more towards maintaining and improving the natural environment and animal welfare, the current round of reforms may be little more then a ‘green-wash’ for the established status quo
Posted: 9 November 2011
18 July 2011
Joint Links briefing on the future requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU Budget
The outcomes agreed as part of the MFF and the current reform of the CAP will have a huge influence on how farmland across the UK is managed from 2014-2020, as well as setting the direction for agricultural policy into the future. It is therefore vital that final decisions on allocation of resources to rural development funds and the shape of CAP reform, deliver positive environmental outcomes. We must continue the shift away from a CAP which has driven damage to the character of our farmed landscapes, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, to one that supports an environmentally sustainable and prosperous farming and land management sector across the EU.
Posted: 18 July 2011
7 January 2011
Letter to the First Minister supporting European Landscape Convention
Letter from the Joint UK Links to UK First Ministers and Prime Minister regarding the European Landscape Convention.
"We, the undersigned individuals and organisations, are committed to the intent and Articles of the European Landscape Convention. We call on the UK Government, Welsh
Assembly Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Assembly to respond to this letter by re-affi rming their commitment to the principles of the Convention and to supporting its implementation within the UK. In particular we ask:
• For a clear indication that a system of monitoring and proofi ng of all new relevant legislation, policy and government guidance will be carried out to ensure compliance
with the Convention; and
• For the comprehensive implementation of Scotland’s Landscape Charter and the corresponding country-wide initiatives of the other devolved governments."
Posted: 29 September 2011
13 October 2010
Joint Links Response: UK Marine Policy Statement, a draft for Consultation
The Joint Links welcome the draft Marine Policy Statement (MPS) in principle, as the first step in implementing an evidence-based, plan-led system to ensure a more sustainable and coherent approach to guide development and management of the marine area. We also welcome the broad approach to public involvment in the marine planning process. Our main concerns are that the draft MPS does not achieve its legislative purpose of clearly identifying those policies which will ensure that the Marine Planning System contributes to the achievement of sustainability. It fails to adopt "strong sustainability" by recognising that ultimately all economic and social activity is dependent on the natural environment, its resources and ecoystem services that it provides.
Posted: 24 January 2011
18 May 2010
Pre-Consultation On The Draft UK Marine Policy Statement: A Paper For Discussion
Following requests at the Defra MPS workshop in March 2010 for detailed comments and where possible make suggestions for changes and additions to the document, we have produced a detailed response to the discussion document.
A joint response to the DEFRA preconsultation on the Draft UK Marine Policy Statement. by; The Wildlife and Countryside Link Marine Task Force, the Scottish Environment LINK Marine Task Force, the Wales Environment Link Marine Working Group and the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force.
Posted: 18 May 2010
23 April 2010
Draft report on the future of the CAP after 2013
A letter from the Joint LINKs to George Lyon MEP regarding his draft report on the future of the CAP after 2013.
We were disappointed that many of the points we raised in response to your working document have not been taken into account, particularly regarding an environmentally focused evolution of the CAP to become a European Sustainable Land Management Policy...
Posted: 26 April 2010
19 March 2010
LINK and WCL letter to George Lyon MEP on CAP reform
The reformed CAP must be equipped with the means to deliver a wide range of environmental goods, now and in the future. The level of funding to achieve this must be substantial. The purposes of the reformed CAP should take into account all the public goods that need to be provided including preserving cultural landscapes and historic enivornment features as well as preventing biodiversity loss and climate change adaptation/mitigation.
Posted: 15 April 2010
19 March 2010
LINK and WCL letter to Chris Davies MEP on CAP reform
Request that George Lyon's draft report to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, be viewed by the European Environment Committee.
Posted: 15 April 2010
15 September 2008
Our Seas – A Shared Resource
The UK Links believe that shared HLMOs, which in turn will inform a UK-wide Marine Policy Statement (MPS), are essential to secure coherent marine management, and we urge all four Administrations to work together to take this forward. To this end, we urge the Scottish Government to participate in this joint process with the other UK Administrations
A jont response to DEFRA's consultation on High Level Marine Objectives by; The Wildlife and Countryside Link Marine Task Force, the Scottish Environment LINK Marine Task Force, the Wales Environment Link Marine Working Group and the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force.
Posted: 15 September 2008
3 August 2007
Review of UKTAG proposed standard for suspended solids
an APEM Scientific Report for WWF-UK and Wildlife & Countryside Link partners reviewing the UKTAG proposed standard for suspended solids
Posted: 3 August 2007
2 July 2007
UKTAG Consultation on Proposals for Environmental Quality Standards and Conditions
Phase 2: Surface water standards and conditions
The Standards and Conditions that will be required to meet Good Ecological Status (GES) are an essential part of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). We welcome the effort that has been put into developing these standards, and recognise the difficulties in developing new environmental standards from scratch across the UK, and before the full results of the intercalibration exercise are published. Despite this, we have some concerns over the draft proposals for the phase 2 standards and conditions. Some of these concerns are general in nature, and some relate to specific standards, such as turbidity and temperature. Our major concern in relation to the UK TAG process is that scientific objectivity has been compromised by considerations of expediency, achievability, or the continuation of the status quo. We hope that our comments can be considered in drawing up the final standards.
A joint response from Wildlife and Countryside Link, Scottish Environment LINK, Northern Ireland Environment Link and Wales Environment Link
Posted: 2 July 2007
18 April 2006
UK Technical Advisory Group on the Water Framework Directive
Draft Report on UK Environmental Standards and Conditions (Phase 1)
While standards and conditions proposed by the UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) display considerable progress, we believe a number of important revisions need to be made before they can be accepted as final. The relationship between these standards and the broader classification and objective-setting process for the Water Framework Directive (WFD) also needs to be made clearer. We believe that the Standards and Conditions should be revised and re-issued as part of a broader consultation on the entire WFD classification system.
Joint response from Wildlife and Countryside Link, Scottish Environment LINK, Northern Ireland Environment Link and Wales Environment Link
Posted: 18 April 2006
