The Environment Agency At The UK River Summit

On Friday, the Guardian Newspaper reported that the Environment Agency, the governmental arm responsible for caring for the environment in the UK, regularly and deliberately withholds facts when freedom of information requests are lodged. 

The Freedom Of Information Act 2000, was a much lauded piece of legislation that guaranteed that government bodies were obliged to provide information they held to the public. They were obliged to report what they knew, publicly, and if a request was made, they were obliged to provide the information. 

The Chief Executive of the Environment Agency is Phillip Duffy, a civil servant since 2003. During the Uk River Summit last week, Phillip admitted that members of the Environmental Agency found it difficult to respond to freedom of information requests, from both members of the public and NGO’s at environmental organisations, because “they are frightened. They are worried about revealing the true state of what is going on, they’re worried about reaction from NGOs and others, and possibly from the government, about the facts of the situation. And they’re often working at a local level but in a very nationally charged political environment, which is very difficult for them.”

This stark admission from a high ranking environmental official has set alarm bells ringing for many. The Information Commissioner's Office, which is tasked with overseeing Freedom Of Information Requests and ensuring they are carried out, has already issued the Environment Agency with an Enforcement Notice for failure to carry out the duties with regards to these requests. 

We know that the UK’s freshwaters are home to over 5000 species, which is broadly acknowledged to be an underestimation, as well as acting as important carbon sequestration vessels to help mitigate carbon dioxide levels. Rivers and lakes are also an important part of the beautiful UK landscape that brings joy to thousands of people every year. 

Freshwater ecosystems are losing species at 5 times the rate of terrestrial species, and the pollution and irresponsibility that the Environmental Agency is reluctant to admit to the extent of can only be harming things further. 

We expect more from the regulatory bodies set up to protect our environments and will be calling for them to step up and do better.

Read the Full Article Here. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/24/uks-environment-agency-chief-admits-regulator-buries-freedom-of-information-requests