Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
Encyclopedia
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the United Kingdom
was created under Royal Warrant
in 1970 to advise the Queen
, Government, Parliament
and the public on environmental issues. It is to be closed on April 1, 2011, as part of the Coalition Government's
spending cuts.
and the built environment
, including topics such as nuclear power
, energy use and climate change
, the environmental impact of housing, and the use of pesticide
s and chemicals.
The Commission is a non-departmental public body
sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
, to whom it reports.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was created under Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
in 1970 to advise the Queen
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
, Government, Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and the public on environmental issues. It is to be closed on April 1, 2011, as part of the Coalition Government's
Cameron Ministry
David Cameron is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government after the resignation as Prime Minister of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. Leading a coalition government formed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the coalition...
spending cuts.
Overview
The Commission's reports cover both the natural environmentNatural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and the built environment
Built environment
The term built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and buildings to neighborhoods and cities that can often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.The built...
, including topics such as nuclear power
Nuclear power in the United Kingdom
Nuclear power currently generates around a sixth of the United Kingdom's electricity. As of 2011, the United Kingdom operates 19 nuclear reactors at nine locations...
, energy use and climate change
Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
Energy use in the United Kingdom stood at 3,894.6 kilogrammes of oil equivalent per capita in 2005 compared to a world average of 1,778.0. In 2008, total energy consumed was 9.85 exajoules - around 2% of the estimated 474 EJ worldwide total...
, the environmental impact of housing, and the use of pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s and chemicals.
The Commission is a non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
, to whom it reports.
Major reports
- 1st report: First report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (1971)
- 2nd report: Three issues in Industrial Pollution (1972)
- 3rd report: Pollution in some British Estuaries and Coastal Waters (1972)
- 4th report: Pollution Control: Progress and Problems (1974)
- 5th report: Air Pollution Control: An integrated approach (1976)
- 6th report: Nuclear Power and the Environment (1976)
- 7th report: Agriculture and Pollution (1979)
- 8th report: Oil Pollution of the Sea (1981)
- 9th report: Lead in the Environment (1983)
- 10th report: Tackling Pollution - Experience and Prospects (1984)
- 11th report: Managing Waste: The duty of care (1985)
- 12th report: Best Practicable Environmental Option (1988)
- 13th report: The Release of Genetically Engineered Organisms to the Environment (1989)
- 14th report: GENHAZ - A System for the Critical Appraisal of Proposals to Release Genetically Modified Organisms into the Environment (1991)
- 15th report: Emissions from Heavy Duty Diesel Vehicles (1991)
- 16th report: Freshwater Quality (1992)
- 17th report: Incineration of Waste (1993)
- 18th report: Transport and the EnvironmentTransport and the Environment (1994 report)The Transport and the Environment report, published in 1994, was the 18th report published by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. It provided a detailed and comprehensive study of the environmental impact of transport in the United Kingdom and was chaired by Sir John Houghton...
(1994) - 19th report: Sustainable use of Soil (1996)
- 20th report: Transport and the Environment (1997)
- 21st report: Setting environmental standards (1998)
- 22nd report: Energy - The Changing Climate (2000)
- 23rd report: Environmental Planning (2002)
- 24th report: Chemicals in Products (2003)
- 25th report: Turning the Tide (2004)
- 26th report: The Urban Environment (2006)
- 27th report: Novel Materials in the Environment (2008)
- 28th report: Adapting Institutions to Climate Change (to be published in 2010)
- 29th report: Environmental Impacts of Demographic Change (ongoing study)
Short reports
- Short report: The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight (2002)
- Short report: Biomass as a Renewable Energy Source (2004)
- Short report: Crop Spraying (2005)
- Short report: Artificial Light in the Environment (2009)
See also
- Royal CommissionRoyal CommissionIn Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
- PollutionPollutionPollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
- Nuclear Power and the EnvironmentNuclear Power and the EnvironmentNuclear Power and the Environment, sometimes simply called the Flower's Report, was released in September 1976, and is the sixth report of the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, chaired by Sir Brian Flowers...
- :Category:Environmental law in the United Kingdom