Dear friends and Tunza Eco Gen mentors,

 

Sorry for posting this report late as I was busy with formalities and new systems while settling here at new place in the UK.

 

There are many environmental organisations and agencies here in the UK but I would talk about few popular and the most active ones.

 

Environmental Protection UK  is an environmental NGO working to improve the quality of the local environment - specialising in the areas of air quality, noise management and land quality. It was formerly known as the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (NSCA), changing its name 2007, to reflect ongoing work in fields beyond air quality.

The organisation traces its roots back to the foundation of the Coal Smoke Abatement Society (CSAS), making it one of the oldest environmental NGOs. CSAS was founded by London based artist Sir William Blake Richmond, who became frustrated by low light levels in the winter caused by coal smoke. In an 1898 letter to the Times calling for action Sir William said that, "the darkness was comparable to a total eclipse of the sun".

Over the following decades the CSAS was instrumental in the introduction of the  Public Health (Smoke Abatement Act) and the Clean Air Acts. EPUK worked closely with European partners lobbying for the reduction of vehicle noise - in particular on ensuring tyre noise was included on the environmental tyre labels . EPUK was also influential in the development of the  Noise Policy Statement England (NPSE) published in 2010. The organisation also worked with industry and government in trying to achieve an up to date methodology for the prediction of wind turbine noise.

 

The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) is a not-for-profit inter-governmental development and information organisation based in the United Kingdom. It focuses primarily on agricultural and environmental issues in the developing world. Typically these focus on commodity crops, invasive species, and scientific communication.

 

The Earthworm Society of Britain aims to promote and support scientific research so that earthworms and their environment can be better understood. Through its work the society aims to encourage the conservation of earthworms and their habitats and to educate and inspire people so that these creatures may continue to be enjoyed in the future.

 

Energy Saving Trust (EST) is a British organization devoted to promoting energy efficiency, energy conservation, and the sustainable use of energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions and helping to prevent man-made climate change. It was founded in the United Kingdom as a government-sponsored initiative in 1992, following the global Earth Summit.

Energy Saving Trust is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the government and the private sector. It is a social enterprise, and also has a charitable foundation. The EST provides grants and free advice to the public to help reduce energy use, energy bills, and greenhouse gas emissions.

For individuals, Energy Saving Trust provides information and advice on subjects including:

Insulation

Heating and hot water

Electricity use, green electricity, and energy-efficient products and appliances

Generating renewable energy

Finding and starting community projects

Energy-saving travel and transport

For organisations, Energy Saving Trust provides numerous services including:

 Green Deal and other certifications

Advice and analysis

Technology and technical resources

Transport checks, advice, information, and green certifications

An assortment of government and local programmes

International action, advice, and bespoke consultations

 

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an NGO founded in 1984 by three environmental activists in the United Kingdom. It's goal is to investigate and expose crimes against wildlife and the environment. Full-time EIA investigators work undercover gathering film, photos and information from around the world. The evidence they collect is presented to the media, government and policy makers in order to inform and persuade that action must be taken in order to protect the planet's most precious species, habitats and vital ecosystems.

EIA also campaigns to prevent environmental crime. Currently EIA is working to:

Prevent the illegal trade of ozone depleting substances,

Reduce and phase out the use of certain climate change gases and various other harmful chemicals (HFCs/F-gases etc.).

Stop the destruction of rainforests by illegal logging.

Shut down the market for illegally traded ivory.

Maintain the ban on commercial whale hunting.

Halt to the illegal trade in Asian big cats for skins, bones and items such as tiger bone wine.

EIA's track record of investigative work, scientific documentation, and representation at international conventions has earned EIA a reputation for highly effective and successful campaigning. EIA continues to share these skills with local groups and government officials to help empower them in the fight against environmental crime.

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) is working to transform waste and resource management in the UK.  It helps enable people to turn Britain's waste into valuable resources whilst protecting the environment.

 

The Tree Council was founded in 1974 in the United Kingdom, and became a registered charity in 1978. Its primary objective is to act as an umbrella organisation for local groups involved in the planting, care and conservation of trees throughout the United Kingdom, and followed the successful government-sponsored Plant A Tree In '73 campaign.

Since its foundation, several British public figures have planted trees on behalf of The Tree Council, including: the Queen, Queen Mother, and all Prime Ministers. The Council selected and spotlighted 50 trees in Britain in 2002 to honour the Queen's Golden Jubilee of her accession to the throne. These trees are famous as "The Great British Trees".

This council supported another successful campaign in 2010 "The Big Tree Plant" to promote the planting of one million trees in neighbourhoods where people live and work. The campaign ran over four years from 2011 to 2015, and was the first such initiative since Plant A Tree In '73.

 

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) is a United Kingdom membership organisation, formed in 2007, which aims to 'radically transform' the way that the built environmentin the UK is planned, designed, constructed, maintained and operated.

The Council is concerned about the environmental impact of buildings and infrastructure on the environment, in particular the use of water, materials, energy, the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, and the health of building occupants.

 

 The UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) is a non-profit youth organisation in the United Kingdom. The organisation is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, who are all under the ages of 25. Formed in 2008, the mission of the organisation is to inspire, empower and mobilise a coalition of UK youth organisations and young people to take positive action on climate change. To achieve their aims and objectives, the organisation provides training to young people on public narration whilst coordinating a series of projects, campaigns and events each year, including youth delegations to the United Nations Climate Negotiations.

World Land Trust (WLT) (formerly the World Wide Land Conservation Trust) is a UK-based non-profit environmental organization established in 1989. Its primary aims are to ensure conservation of plants, animals and natural communities in areas at risk. For this purpose, it privately funds the purchase of large tracts of land by local NGOs for the purposes of protecting it.

WLT also seeks to help in-situ conservation measures by providing training, capital and equipment for environmental stewardship in economically backward areas. World Land Trust also provides a service to offset the carbon emissions of individuals and businesses and runs a widespread tree planting operation. It is affiliated to the World Conservation Union. The noted environmentalist John Burton is the CEO of the Trust. 

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK's leading marine charity. It works for the increased protection of the seas around the United Kingdom, via the creation of well managed marine protected areas. It works with fishermen and industry to find more sustainable ways of fishing and with retailers and consumers to buy and choose more sustainable seafood. It involves volunteers to carry out hundreds of beach cleans and surveys annually whilst also working with water companies and local communities to ensure UK bathing waters are of an excellent standard.MCS runs a number of high-profile campaigns including

Beachwatch - the largest volunteer beach cleaning and litter survey in the UK. It includes the annual Great British Beach Clean which takes place every third weekend in September.

Don't Let Go - a campaign to stop the indiscriminate release of balloons and sky lanterns which end up on our beaches and in the sea and can lead to death of marine creatures.

Scrub it Out - with partners Fauna and Flora International it aims to get manufacturers and retailers to stop making and selling personal care products which contain microbeads.

Protecting UK seas - working to establish a network of marine protected areas around the UK and ensuring they are well managed once created.

Good Fish Guide - the guide (online, smartphone app and pocket paper version) includes the MCS Fish to Eat and Fish to Avoid lists and advice on choosing the most sustainable fish - it is widely used by the public and industry. 

Envirowise  delivers a valuable government-funded programme of free, confidential advice to UK businesses. This assistance enables companies to increase profitability and reduce environmental impact. 

 

 

The underlying goal of all these organisations is a green and peaceful world - an earth that is ecologically healthy and able to nurture life in all its diversity.

 

Sources :

https://en.wikipedia.org

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk

http://naturenet.net/orgs/