•
Environmental Management Systems. Fifteen
years ago the UK and European Union were running pilot programmes
for BS7750 and EMAS, the first standards for environmental
management systems. By the end of 2006, nearly 130,000 ISO
14001 certificates had been issued and the growth was running
at nearly 20,000 per year, fuelled by uptake in China .
98% of the UK 's FTSE 100 now report on environmental issues
in their Annual Report.
•
Air Pollution . Fifteen years ago The European
Commission was revising its Large Combustion Plants Directive
to introduce more stringent controls on sulphur dioxide
and nitrogen dioxides, in light of the growing consensus
that acid rain was causing significant damage to ecosystems
and causing regional economic impacts. At the end of 2006
the Stern report predicted serious economic impacts from
global warming which is now one of the top three international
political issues and driving corporate energy saving and
carbon reduction programmes across every sector and stimulating
an whole new industry in renewable and sustainable energy
.
•
Waste . Fifteen years ago the Basel Convention
on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal was one year old. It was designed
to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations,
and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste
from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). Inspections
of 18 European seaports in 2005 found nearly 50% of waste
destined for export was illegal. UK brands have been embarrassed
to find their packaging on unregulated, toxic recycling
tips across Asia .
•
Natural Resources . Fifteen years ago the
first Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) Board of Directors
was elected and the first FSC certificates were issued.
There are now more than 100 million ha forest certified
to FSC standards worldwide, across 79 countries, representing
7% of the world's productive forests. With over 7,500 certificates,
the number of companies along the forest product supply
chain committing to FSC certification peaked at 40% in 2007.
The value of FSC labeled sales is estimated at over 20 billion
USD.
•
Water . Fifteen years ago the EU member
states were busy implementing the Urban Waste Water Directive
into national legislation. T he European Commission estimates
that 152 billion Euros were invested in wastewater treatment
from 1990 to 2010, making the directive the most cost intensive
European legislation in the environmental sector .
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