| Chris Innis
The UK's Environment Agency has published its South East England State of the Environment Report. The 44 page report covers developments since the last update in 2002 and covers all aspects of the environment providing up dates on developments in air and water quality and land usage. The South East has the largest ecological footprint of all the regions in the UK being approximately 6% higher
It notes some positive improvements in overall air quality, noting some worsening local hot spots and rising ozone levels; emissions from industry are down; better water quality at beaches attributed to water companies investing in new plant; and more urban development and housing on brownfield sites. The South East has the largest ecological footprint of all the regions in the UK being approximately 6% higher and the impact of a population forecast to keep rising means that there must be continued downwards pressure on emissions, water and waste to maintain the environment. The report also makes in each sections recommendations and proposes a countinued push for lower emissions, great use of renewable fuels, more emphasis on getting the population to change where they live and alot more investment in environmental infrastucture which is supported by legislation. The full report can be downloaded from www.environment-agency.gov.uk
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