Environmental Sustainability RFD Glossary

Environmental Sustainability Glossary Definitions

Factor

Definition term

Energy Use

Energy use refers to the total amount of energy consumed in an area for transport and for industrial, commercial, public and domestic uses. Energy may be derived from many different sources such as fossil fuels or renewable energy sources.

Transport energy demand

Transport energy demand refers to the total energy required by the transport sector to power all forms of public and private transport.

Petroleum is the most significant source of energy for the transport sector with electricity also used to power some modes of transport.

Public transport use

Electrification of cars & freight

Source

(1) https://assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/media/62334e14d3bf7f047bfa92b0/Energy_Cons umption_in_the_UK_2021.pdf (2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment _data/file/997277/Energy_Trends_June_2021.pdf#: ~:text=Transport%20consumption%20fell%20by% 2031%20per%20cent%2C%20as,sector% 20energy%20consumption%20fell%20by%202.1% 20per%20cent.

Public transport use refers to the number of passengers making use (1) https://www.gov. of publicly available modes of transport such as trains, underground uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-therail, buses and trams. The mix of transport that people make use of coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/domestic-transportcan impact the energy requirements and the pollution produced by usage-by-mode the transport system. Increased use of electrically powered (2) https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/publictransport can shift demand away from fossil fuels such as petrol and transportation towards electricity. Moreover, a shift to public transport from private (3) https://www.netzeronation.scot/take-action/travelcars can result in reduced energy demands and air pollution due to less-car/benefits-public-transport#:~: public transport's capacity to transport a large number of people at text=Replacing%20car%20journeys%20with% the same time.

20public,you%20travel%20less%20by%20car.

The electrification of cars and freight refers to the substitution of vehicles powered by petrol and diesel with electric vehicles. The UK government has announced that sales of new cars and vans wholly powered by petrol and diesel will be banned from 2035 onwards.

This shift towards electric vehicles will have consequences for the type of energy inputs that drivers demand, the carbon emissions of transport and the demands for charging infrastructure.

Demand reduction (commuting distance, home-working)

Demand reduction provides a way to reduce the energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions of the transport system by reducing the total amount of transport that people use. Demand reduction can be driven by reducing commuting distances or increasing the proportion of days that people work from home. Urban design and lifestyle choice can also reduce transport demand.

Active travel

Active travel refers to modes of travel that involve a level of activity. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/researchThe term is often used interchangeably with walking and cycling, but briefings/cbp-8615/ active travel can also include trips made by wheelchair, mobility scooters, adapted cycles, e-cycles, scooters, as well as cycle sharing schemes.

Air travel growth

The UK's domestic and international aviation industry is a significant (1) https://www.statista. contributor to fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas com/statistics/501906/aviation-fuel-and-spirit-use-ofemissions. Air travel demand is expected to grow in the coming air-transportation-united-kingdom/#:~:text=The% decades.

20UK%20air%20transportation%20sector, impacted%20aviation%20travel%20in%202020.

(2) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/researchbriefings/cbp-8826/ (3) https://assets.publishing. service.gov. uk/media/5e8dec2786650c18c9666633/uk-aviationforecasts-2017.pdf Manufactured goods are goods that have been made by converting UK emissions data (former BEIS) 2020 via .gov raw materials using human labour, tools and machinery. They can https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-ukinclude both final goods (which need no further processing in order greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990to be used) and intermediate goods (which require further to-2020 processing before they become a final good). Manufactured goods (1) https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statisticsinclude things such as steel, chemicals, paper, textiles, machinery, explained/index.php?title=Glossary: clothing, vehicles, etc.

Manufactured_good (2) https://byjus.com/commerce/difference-betweenIn addition to the input of raw materials, manufactured goods final-goods-and-intermediate-goods/ (3) https://www. require energy inputs to extract, process and transport those ucl.ac.uk/engineering-exchange/sites/engineeringmaterials. This is referred to as the embedded energy within the exchange/files/fact-sheet-embodied-carbon-socialgoods. Embedded carbon refers to all the carbon dioxide emitted housing.pdf whilst extracting, processing and transporting inputs to create a manufactured good.

Manufactured goods, embedded energy and carbon

Supply chains

A supply chain is the series of actors, processes and activities that is involved in converting raw materials into commercial goods or services and distributing them to end customers.

The length of a supply chain refers to the number of different stages involved from the start of the process (extraction of raw materials) to the end (final product). The length of a supply chain impacts on how much waste and pollution a company produces.

Procurement decisions

Procurement is the process of obtaining goods or services, typically those that are required for a business' operations. This can include sourcing, negotiating terms, purchasing items, receiving and inspecting goods and keeping records of the whole process. The decisions made by procurement teams can influence the sustainability of a company's material and energy use in its supply chain.

Recycled &renewable material content

Recycled material(s) - Waste materials that are transformed https://www.dictionary.com/browse/recycling into new products in such a manner that the original products may lose their identity. https://www.storaenso.com/en/inspirationRecyclability - the recyclability of a material, depends upon its centre/what-is-a-renewable-material ability to recapture the properties it had, when in its original state.

Renewable material - is a natural resourcel that can be replinished generation after generation.

Energy & carbon intensity

Carbon intensity - Carbon intensity is a measure of how clean our electricity is. It refers to how many grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) are released to produce a kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity.

Energy intensity - is a measure of the energy efficiency of a productive process, for example energy required for each car produced.

Emissions intensity - An emission intensity (also carbon intensity or C.I.) is the emission rate of a given pollutant relative to the intensity of a specific activity, or an industrial production process; for example grams of carbon dioxide released per megajoule of energy produced,-

Industrial and domestic energy demand

Industrial energy demand refers to the amount of energy required by industries to carry out their operations.

Domestic energy demand refers to the amount of energy consumed by households for various purposes such as cooking, heating, and powering devices and appliances.

Industrial large energy use decision-making

Some industrial units are large consumers of energy. Their process and technology choices have a big impact on total energy consumption

Fuel poverty as barrier to change

Fuel poverty relates to households that cannot meet their energy needs at a reasonable cost. The main drivers of fuel poverty are energy efficiency of the home, household income and energy prices. Poorer households may have less choices around energy, pay more per unit and be unable to invest to save.

(1) https://www.ons.gov. uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/ howfuelpovertyismeasuredintheuk/march2023#:~: text=Fuel%20poverty%20relates%20to% 20households,household%20income

Insulation retrofit

A retrofit refers to any improvement work on an existing building to improve its energy efficiency. An insulation retrofit is the process of adding insulation or installing new insulation into a building in order to achieve this.

https://www.cse.org.uk/news/what-is-retrofit/

Heatsource retrofit

A heatsource retrofit is a process of upgrading an existing building’s (1) https://www.cse.org.uk/news/what-is-retrofit/ heating system to a more efficient and sustainable one. The aim is (2) https://www.gov. to reduce the energy needed to heat the building, making it easier to uk/government/publications/retrofit-for-the-future-aheat and able to retain that heat for longer, and replacing fossil fuels guide-to-making-retrofit-work with renewable energy. For example, this could include replacing a (3) https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-ccus-ingas powered boiler heating system with a heat pump. low-carbon-power-systems/how-carbon-capturetechnologies-support-the-power-transition A power retrofit is a process of upgrading an existing power plant to improve its efficiency, reduce emissions, and extend its lifespan. It involves the installation of new technologies, equipment, and systems that can help the plant operate more efficiently and sustainably. Retrofitting the power sector with carbon capture technologies is one way to address emissions from existing fossilfueled power plants. This can help owners of existing power plants recover their investment and reduce the cost of power system transformation.

Population growth

Population growth is defined as the increase in the number of people in a given area. It can be measured acrossed areas of any size such as that of a local authority, a country or globally.

UK Population statistics - ONS https://www.ons.gov. uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmi gration/populationestimates/articles/overviewoftheuk population/january2021

Climate change adaptation

The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or. exploit beneficial opportunities.

UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change https://www.ipcc. ch/site/assets/uploads/2019/01/SYRAR5Glossary_en.pdf

Air conditioning demand

Climate change has caused rising temperatures worldwide, including hotter summers in the UK. As temperatures continue to rise and heatwaves become more common it is anticipated that demand for air conditioning and the electricity that powers it is likely to increase in the UK.

(1) https://ukerc.ac.uk/publications/domestic-airconditioning-in-2050/ (2)https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/247593/londonfastest-increase-cooling-demand-world/#:~: text=Imperial%20College%20London-,London% 20has%20the%20fastest%20increase%20in% 20cooling,the%20world%2C%20shows%20new% 20model&text=A%20model%20to%20map% 20energy,2022%20as%20summers%20heat%20up.

Behaviour change and demand reduction

Behavioural changes are actions that energy consumers can take to (1) https://www.iea.org/energy-system/energyreduce or eliminate unnecessary or wasteful energy consumption, efficiency-and-demand/behavioural-changes for example walking, cycling or taking public transportation instead of driving; moderating the use of heating and air conditioning; replacing airplane flights with train journeys where possible; or choosing a more fuel-efficient vehicle. These can play a significant role in reducing energy demand and lowering the burden on energy production.

Low energy and smart technology

Low energy technology refers to innovative technical solutions (3) https://www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source/greenerwhich enable products to function or processes to be carried living/smart-home-energy-saving.html out at a lower energy intensity than alteratives. One example would be low energy electronics which use less power than alternatives although this may come at some expenses (e.g. functionality or cost).

Smart technology refers to the use of automated controls and integrated systems to optimize energy consumption in buildings and households. Examples of smart technology in the home may include smart thermostats, smart meters or smart LED lights which enable users to better understand and manage their electricity usage.

Energy production

Energy production is process of creating usable energy, such as electricity and heat, from another energy source. Usable energy can be generated through the use of fossil fuels, nuclear power plants and various renewable resources such as wind and solar.

Renewable electricity generation

Renewable energy is energy that comes from a source that won’t run out. They are natural and self-replenishing, and usually have a low- or zero-carbon footprint.

Examples of renewable energy sources include wind power, solar power, bioenergy (organic matter burned as a fuel) and hydroelectric, including tidal energy.

Renewable electricity generation is the amount of electricity which is produced from renewable sources.

https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energyexplained/what-are-different-types-renewableenergy#:~:text=Renewable%20energy%20is% 20energy%20that,and%20hydroelectric%2C% 20including%20tidal%20energy.

Distributed generation & smart grid

Distributed generation is the term used when electricity is generated from sources, often renewable energy sources, near the point of use instead of centralised generation sources from power plants.

A smart grid is a modernised electricity grid that uses information and communications technology to monitor and actively control electricity supply and demand in near realtime. This provides a more reliable and cost effective system for transporting electricity from generators to homes, businesses and industry.

Fossil fuel extraction

Fossil fuel extraction is the process by which fossil fuels are removed from the ground. The main two methods of extraction are mining and drilling. Mining is used to extract solid fossil fuels such as coal whilst drilling can help extract liquid or gaseous fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas.

(1) https://www.energy.gov/scep/slsc/renewableenergy-distributed-generation-policies-andprograms#:~:text=Distributed%20generation%20is% 20the%20term,generation%20sources%20from% 20power%20plants.

(2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment _data/file/285417/Smart_Grid_Vision_and_Routema pFINAL.pdf

(1) https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/hidden-costsfossil-fuels#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20main% 20methods,or%20otherwise%20exposing% 20buried%20resources.

(3) https://www.netsuite.

A supply chain is the series of actors, processes and activities com/portal/resource/articles/accounting/procurement that is involved in converting raw materials into commercial .shtml#:~:text=So%2C%20what%20exactly%20is% goods or services and distributing them to end customers.

20procurement,the%20steps%20in%20the% 20process.

The length of a supply chain refers to the number of different stages involved from the start of the process (extraction of raw materials) to the end (final product). The length of a supply chain impacts on how much waste and pollution a company produces.

Habitat damage & disruption

IImpacts from pollution (i.e., oil spills).

Impacts from Mining.

Impacts from aerial pollution (deposition, climate change etc.).

Disruption to breeding and migratory patterns, due to noise and light pollution.

Fragmentation of habitat.

Water Use

Water use describes the total amount of water withdrawn from water (1) https://www.wri.org/insights/whats-differencesources to be used. Measures of water use can be used to evaluate between-water-use-and-water-consumption the level of demand from industrial, agricultural and domestic users.

Public water demand

Public water demand refers to the amount of water required for public use, such as in hospitals, schools, colleges, town halls, religious places, prisons, emergency services and public fountains.

It also includes water required for road cleaning and cleaning of the sewer system.

(1) https://www.britannica.com/technology/watersupply-system/Municipal-water-consumption (2) https://www.civilengineeringweb. com/2021/02/types-of-water-demand. html#4_Public_water_demand

Behaviour change and demand reduction

Behavioural change can be an effective way to reduce water demand. There are several factors that can influence household water consumption:

https://www.waterwise.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2018/02/Smart-Water2007_Promoting-Behavioural-Change-in-HouseholdWater-Consumption.pdf

- Education and awareness: Educating people about the importance of water conservation and the impact of their actions on the environment can help them develop new water use habits.

- Incentives: Providing incentives such as rebates or discounts for water-efficient appliances can encourage people to adopt more sustainable water use practices.

- Community-based social marketing: This approach involves using social networks and community groups to promote water conservation and encourage people to adopt new behaviours.

- Pricing: Increasing the price of water can encourage people to use less of it.

Industrial large water user decision-making

Some industrial units are large consumers of water. Their process and technology choices have a big impact on total water consumption

Population growth

Population growth is defined as the increase in the number of people in a given area.

Climate change rainfall patterns

Rainfall pattern means the distribution of rain geographically, temporally, and seasonally.

Grey water reuse

Grey water is domestic wastewater generated in households or office buildings that is uncontaminated by toxic chemicals or excrement. This may include water from baths, sinks, washing machines or other kitchen appliances.

https://dictionary.cambridge. org/dictionary/english/grey-water

Grey water reuse refers to the process whereby this relatively clean water is subsequently reused for another purpose. For example, if grey water were stored and cleaned sufficiently to be used for flushing toilets.

Leakage reduction

Leakage is treated water lost from the distribution system. It includes water lost from the companies’ distribution networks and supply pipe losses from consumers’ pipes.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/supply-andstandards/leakage/

Leakage is affected by: - operational strategies (for example pressure management) - network characteristics (for example length of mains) - asset condition (for example age) - customer base composition (for example rural or urban) Leakage reduction is the process by which causes of leakage within a water system are addressed to reduce the total leakage within that system.

Storage &network development

Water companies technological choices about water storage and transport affects the availability of water in the natural environment and for households

River level protection and restoration

River level protection and restoration refers to…

(Over) abstraction

Abstraction is the removal of water, permanently or temporarily, from water bodies such as rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs or from groundwater. Unsustainable abstraction from rivers and groundwater can change the natural flow regime. This will result in lower flows and reduced water levels, which, in turn, may limit ecological health.

Material Use

Material use refers to all material inputs to the local economy, including food

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/abstractionreform/supporting_documents/abstractreformconsult manage20131217.pdf

Sustainable use design

Circular design - is the foundation of the circular economy, it is https://www.interaction-design. designing for sustainability that involves creating materials org/literature/topics/circular-design and products that are durable, repairable, reuseable and recyclable, generating zero waste.

Recycled material content

See comments at row 13 regarding recycled content.

Procurement decisions

Procurement is the process of obtaining goods or services, typically those that are required for a business' operations. This can include sourcing, negotiating terms, purchasing items, receiving and inspecting goods and keeping records of the whole process. The decisions made by procurement teams can influence the sustainability of a company's material and energy use in its supply chain.

Renewable material content

Renewable material - is a natural resource that can be replinished generation after generation.

Hazardous material

Hazardous material - is any material or agent that has properties with the potential to cause cause harm to humans, animals or the wider environment.

New technology manufacturing & materials

Technological innovation leads to new approaches to manufacturing and and the development of new materials. These have the potential to both reduce and increase negative environmental impact. For some developments it will take some time before the impact becomes clear.

Primary extraction

Primary extraction refers to the harvesting and production of raw materials. These products are then sold to consumers or commercial businesses for use and consumption. The extraction of resources may be done through activities such as: - Mining and quarrying - Drilling - Fishing - Agriculture - Forestry - Hunting A supply chain is the series of actors, processes and activities that is involved in converting raw materials into commercial goods or services and distributing them to end customers.

Supply chain factors

The length of a supply chain refers to the number of different stages involved from the start of the process (extraction of raw materials) to the end (final product). The length of a supply chain impacts on how much waste and pollution a company produces.

Extraction and supply chain efficiency

The total amount of material used in extraction and the supply chain can be much larger than the fincal product for consumption. The lower the waste in this process the more efficient the extraction and supply chain are

Waste

Waste is defined as any substance or object which the holder (1) https://assets.publishing.service.gov. discards or intends or is required to discard. Waste creates a risk to uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment the environment and human health. _data/file/1147587/Withdrawn_legal_definition_of_w aste_guidance.pdf

Reuse, recycling and disposal

The Waste Hierarchy - is Priority Order under the Waste Framework Directive. It is an inverted pyrimid of options and strategies, to help prevent waste and to ensure its management at the next highest level when waste is produced. The 5 stages are: Prevent Reuse Recycle recovery Disposal

Consumer goods repair & reuse

See row 53 & 43 this is covered by circular design and waste hierarchy/CE. Repair - restore (something damaged, faulty, or worn) to a good condition: Reuse - the action of using something again:

Attitudes to fast fashion, buying new vs 2nd ownership vs borrowing

Fast fashion is the business model of mass-producing clothes at low (3) https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation. cost and making them available quickly to consumers in response to org/topics/fashion/overview the latest fashion trends. The industry has helped to drive a trend of low quality clothing being used only a few times before being discarded.

The contributes to various environmental impacts. The fashion industry uses huges volumes of water, creates a lot of waste that goes to landfill or is burnt, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and causes pollution.

Changing attitudes to fashion and a shift to alternatives to buying new provide an opportunity to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of the fashion industry.

Hazardouse waste management

Hazardous Waste - is defined by regulations in the List of Wastes, and by the need for assessment/characterisation, according to its hazardous properties. It is any waste that has the potential to cause harm to human health, animals, or the environment above defined thresholds according to its hazardous properties (which may be immediate or accumulative).

https://www.legislation.gov. uk/uksi/2005/894/note/made

Landfill quantity & location

Landfill - the process of getting rid of large amounts of rubbish by burying it, or a place where rubbish is buried.

Landfilling of waste is a disposal activity and sits at the bottom of the waste hierarchy.

Waste export

Waste exports -Transporting unwanted materials, including https://www.eea.europa.eu/help/glossary/eeathose leftover from a manufacturing processes, refuse, or trash glossary/waste-export to other countries or areas for the conduct of foreign trade.

Household waste recycling

Household waste - Household waste is any waste that comes from your household. It can include: your usual household rubbish unwanted or unusable items such as old mattresses, furniture or electrical items garden waste oils and paints scrap metal such as old car parts septic tank sludge DIY waste such as rubble, timber or bricks Household waste is not the same as Municipal Waste, which can include waste from parks and gardens, street sweeping and cleansing of public areas (as defined by the Controlled Waste Regulations).

Therefore; household waste recycling yses the same definition as recycling, but applied onlt to these wastes as collected by or on behalf of the Waste Collection Authority.

Circular economy networks

Circular Economy Network - is a collaborative network of businesses, innovators, cities and governments, universities and thought leaders who work together to accelerate adoption of circular economy practices and processes that maximize the use of resources.

Green food waste & composting

Anaerobic Digestion - chemical process in which organic https://www.britannica.com/science/anaerobicmatter is broken down by microorganisms in the absence of digestion oxygen, which results in the generation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Materials high in organic content, such as municipal wastewater, livestock waste, agricultural waste, and food wastes, may all undergo anaerobic digestion.

The methane gas produced may be collected and used directly as a fuel for cooking or heating, or it can be burned to generate electricity. Unlike the production of methane from gas wells, anaerobic digestion is a renewable source of energy.

InVessel Composting - In-vessel composting can process https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-managementlarge amounts of waste without taking up as much space as food/types-composting-and-understandingthe windrow method and it can accommodate virtually any type process#invessel of organic waste (e.g., meat, animal manure, biosolids, food scraps). This method involves feeding organic materials into a drum, silo, concrete-lined trench, or similar equipment. This allows good control of the environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and airflow. The material is mechanically turned or mixed to make sure the material is aerated. The size of the vessel can vary in size and capacity.

OPen Windrow Composting - Windrow composting is used for https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/open-windrowprocessing garden waste, such as grass cuttings, pruning and composting leaves in either an open air environment or within large covered areas where the material can break down in the presence of oxygen.

Litter & waste crime

Waste Crime - Waste crime refers to the disposal, incineration or management of waste without legal consent1. It can range from smaller standalone instances of fly tipping to large-scale, organised waste dumps by criminals disguised as waste management companies. Waste crime typically includes stockpiling and illegal storage, transport or use of hazardous waste in large amounts. It can take on many different forms, including fraudulent producer responsibility claims, deliberate breaches of permits, metal theft and the growing issue of the waste industry being used to launder money.

Littering - the act of dropping rubbish on the ground in public places: https://dictionary.cambridge. org/dictionary/english/littering

Low waste design

Low waste design refers to a process by which waste from production is reduced by reusing and recycling materials, making sure that products can be kept in use for a long period and maintained or repaired when needed. It also includes using materials and packaging that can be more sustainably produced and have a lower environmental impact when they are disposed of.

Acurate labelling

Accurate labelling ensures that users of goods are able to properly dispose of the good's packaging. For example, accurate labelling of consumer products can enable consumers to differentiate between what elements of the packaging can be recycled and which cannot.

This enables packaging to be reused and recycled more often.

Design for repairability & maintainability

Repairability and maintainability are the measures of the degree to and ease with which a product can be repaired and maintained, usually by an end consumer. Products that are designed for repairability should be designed in a way that repairs can be made easily and spare parts should be made available to end users to enable repairs.

Bio materials & reduced packaging

Bio materials are materials that are derived from natural sources, such as plants, animals, or microorganisms. They can be used in packaging to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste and to provide better protection and preservation for food products.

Reduced packaging enables sellers to lower the total amount of packaging needed to protect a good by reducing excessive packaging. This creates less waste.

https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/what-wedo/compliance-and-enforcement/tackling-wastecrime/about-waste-crime

Pollution

Pollution - is damage caused to water, air and land by harmful https://www.britannica.com/science/pollutionsubstances or waste. Pollutants are chemicals and substances environment that are harmful to our health or the natural environment, causing damage to the land, air or water. Environmental pollution may also refer to the addition of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form.

Water

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies by harmful (1) https://byjus.com/biology/water-pollution-control/ substances that may pose a threat to human health and/or the (2) https://www.britannica.com/science/waterenvironment. Water pollution can be caused by industrial and pollution agricultural effluents, toxic chemicals, biological agents, petroleum, waste, and microorganisms. Water pollution can occur in all types of water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, oceans, groundwater, and aquifers.

Point Source Pollution - is discharged from a discrete location.

Point source pollutants in groundwater are usually found in a plume that has the highest concentrations of the pollutant nearest the source and diminishing concentrations farther away from the source.

Industrial effluent & spillages

Diffuse Pollution - is the release of potential pollutants from a range of activities that, individually, may have no effect on the water environment, but, at the scale of a catchment, can have a significant effect.

Industrial effluent is any wastewater that is produced as part of an (1) https://watertreatmentservices.co.uk/guideindustrial or commercial process. Industrial effluents result from treating-industrial-effluent/ various types of industrial processes and disposal practices, and (2) https://www.sciencedirect. may contain pollutants that can affect the quality of receiving waters com/topics/chemistry/industrial-effluent and aquatic ecosystems.

(3) https://www.thebcfgroup.co.uk/coshh/spillagesof-hazardous-substances.php Industrial spillage is the accidental release of harmful substances from industrial facilities or activities, causing damage to the environment and human health.

Construction projects

Construction projects utilise many materials that can cause water pollution due to runoff. This includes cement, paint, glues, sand, heavy metals, oil and toxic chemicals. Pollutants from construction sites can also soak into groundwater, which is more difficult to treat than surface water. These pollutants can have serious impacts on both human health and the natural environment.

Example of industry sector advice and guidance https://www.ciria. org/CIRIA/Training/Training_courses/Environmental _good_practice_on_site.aspx (1) https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3030-76073-1_13#:~:text=The%20contaminants% 20like%20cement%2C%20paint,treat%20than% 20the%20surface%20water.

Marine litter

Marine litter consists of items that have been made or used by people and deliberately discarded into the sea or rivers or on beaches; brought indirectly to the sea with rivers, sewage, storm water or winds; or accidentally lost, including material lost at sea in bad weather.

https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/oceansseas/what-we-do/working-regional-seas/marine-litter

Marine litter originates from many sources and causes a wide spectrum of environmental, economic, safety, health and cultural impacts. The very slow rate of degradation of most marine litter items, mainly plastics, together with the continuously growing quantity of the litter and debris disposed, is leading to a gradual increase in marine litter found at sea and on the shores.

Landfill leaching

Landfill leaching is the process by which liquid that has entered a Example of landfill regulation - https://www.gov. landfill from external sources (for example, rainwater) filters through uk/guidance/landfill-operators-environmentalthe waste and draws out contaminants from that waste. Landfill permits/accept-the-right-waste leachate is the liquid that is produced by this process and it can be (1) https://www.epa.gov/landfills/municipal-solidharmful to the environment and human health if not properly treated. waste-landfills (2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-andplanetary-sciences/landfill-leachate (3) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/landfill-operatorsenvironmental-permits/manage-leachate

Sewage discharge

Sewage discharge is the release of untreated or partially treated reporting on breeches of regulation- https://www. wastewater into the environment, usually into rivers, streams, or the bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-56590219 sea. Sewage discharge can be harmful to human health, wildlife, and water quality. Sewage discharge can happen for various reasons, such as extreme weather events, malfunctioning of treatment systems, or inadequate infrastructure. Sewage discharge is an example of point source pollution.

Agricultural runoff

Agricultural runoff is the portion of rainfall that runs over agricultural land and then into streams as surface water rather than being absorbed into groundwater or evaporating. In doing so, runoff can pick up soil, sediment and artificial pollutants and carry these into waterbodies. These pollutants can have negative impacts on water quality, aquatic ecosystems and human health.

Land

Land pollution refers to the contamination and deterioration of the (1) https://www.britannica.com/science/land-pollution earth's land surfaces, soil and groundwater due to the accumulation (2) https://www.texasdisposal.com/blog/landof solid and liquid waste on or below the land's surface. pollution/#:~:text=What%20is%20Land% 20Pollution%3F,that%20contaminate% 20groundwater%20and%20soil.

Contaminated land

Contaminated land is defined as land where substances are causing or could cause: - Significant harm to people, property or protected species - significant pollution to surface waters (for example lakes and rivers) or groundwater - harm to people as a result of radioactivity This land may be used or may previously have been used as a factory, mine, steel mill, refinery or landfill. Contaminated land is an example of point source pollution.

(1) https://www.collinsdictionary. com/dictionary/english/agricultural-run-off#:~:text= (%CB%8C%C3%A6%C9%A1r%C9%AA%CB% 88k%CA%8Clt%CA%83%C9%99r%C9%99l%20% CB%88r%CA%8Cn%C9%92f%20),into% 20ground%20water%20or%20evaporating (2) https://consult.environment-agency.gov. uk/++preview++/environment-andbusiness/challenges-andchoices/user_uploads/agricultural-and-rural-landmanagement-challenge-rbmp-2021.pdf

Contaminated Land Act Statutory Guidabce - https: //assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment _data/file/223705/pb13735cont-land-guidance.pdf https://www.gov.uk/contaminated-land#:~: text=Land%20is%20legally%20defined%20as,as% 20a%20result%20of%20radioactivity

Fertiliser use

Fertiliser is a substance that is added to soil or land to increase its fertility. It can be of natural or synthetic origin and contains chemical elements that improve the growth and productivity of plants. The use of excessive fertiliser can deplete soils making them lose their ability to hold water and become subject to erosion.

Pesticide use

Pesticides are substances added to soil or land to kill unwanted animals which each crops. Pesticides can kill or damage non-target animals damaging ecosystems

Air

Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the air that can cause damage to the climate, materials, and living beings.

These substances can be gases such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, particulates such as dust and pollen, or biological molecules. Air pollution can be caused by both human activities such as burning fossil fuels and natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions. It can cause a range of health problems including respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and allergies.

(1) https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/

Farm slurry & landfill emissions

The use of slurry on farms is a significant source of ammonia pollution in the air. Ammonia, when combined with other chemicals in the air, can form fine particle pollution that can be damaging to human health.

(1) https://naturalengland.blog.gov. uk/2019/06/20/clean-air-day/ (2) https://www.theguardian. com/environment/2019/jan/14/muck-spreadingcould-be-banned-to-reduce-air-pollution (3) https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-informationabout-landfill-gas

Landfill emissions occur naturally as the result of decomposition of organic materials in landfills. Landfill emissions are composed predominantly of methane and carbon dioxide, two greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

VOC from manufactured products (inc. ozone layer impact)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of organic (2) https://www.atlenv.com/how-do-vocs-affect-airchemicals that can easily evaporate into the air at room quality temperature. They are emitted by a variety of sources, including (3) https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoorpaints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and building materials. VOCs air-pollutants/volatile-organic-compounds can cause a range of health problems, such as irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, nausea, and organ damage.

In addition to their impact on human health, VOCs can also contribute to air pollution. When VOCs react with other pollutants in the air under certain conditions, they can form ground-level ozone, which is a major component of smog.

Gas boilers & wood burning stoves

Gas boilers are used to produce hot warer in buildings to be used in Gas boilers: radiators for home heating and to provide a supply of hot water for (1) https://idealheating.com/gas-boilers#:~: sinks, baths and showers. Gas boilers are a source of both carbon text=Terminology%20Breakdown-,What%20is% dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are both greenhouse gases.

20a%20Gas%20Boiler%3F,for%20two%20very% 20big%20reasons.

Wood burning stoves are a heating or cooking appliance that burn (2) https://eciu.net/media/presswood fuel, often used in order to heat a room or home. In addition to releases/2020/analysis-gas-boilers-and-nox-theproducing carbon dioxide, wood burning causes significant amounts hidden-emitter of small particle air pollution. This pollution is associated with a number of health risks.

Wood burning: (1) https://www.cleanairhub.org.uk/clean-airinformation/the-basic-information/wood-burners (2) https://www.gov. uk/government/statistics/emissions-of-airpollutants/emissions-of-air-pollutants-in-the-uksummary

Combustion engine emissions

A combustion engine is an engine in which a source of fuel is (1) https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov. ignited to create heat energy which is then converted to mechanical uk/fuel-consumption-co2/fuel-consumptionenergy. These engines are commonly used in vehicles in which they guide/cars-and-emissions/#:~:text=Cars%20and% often burn fossil fuel derived fuel sources such as petrol and diesel. 20Emissions,-Climate%20change% The process of burning these fuels produces air pollutants including 20is&text=Transport%20remains%20the% carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particle pollution.

20largest%20emitting,and%20vans%20is%20a% 20priority.

(2) https://www.torfaen.gov.uk/en/RelatedDocuments/Pollution-Control/PollutionControlIdlingVehicles/Car-Pollution-Booklet.pdf A clean air zone is an area where targeted action is taken to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airimprove air quality and resources are prioritised and coordinated in quality-clean-air-zone-framework-for-england/cleanorder to shape the urban environment in a way that delivers air-zone-framework improved health benefits and supports economic growth. Clean air zones have been introduced in a number of local authorities with a specific focus on tackling nitrous oxide (NO2) levels. In these zones, vehicle owners may have to pay a charge if their vehicle exceeds emissions standards.

Clean air zones

Land Use

Land use refers to the human use of land, which includes various economic and cultural activities such as agriculture, residential, industrial, mining, and recreational uses.

Agricultural land use

Agricultural land use is the use of land for the practice of farming, including the cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops or rearing of animals to provide food, wool and other products.

Unsustainable crops and habitat loss

Unsustainable crops refers to the adoption of practices that will eventually lead to degradation in the quality of soil, land, and other natural resources that are needed for farming and a healthy future. Unsustainable agricultural techniques are practices that harm the environment and reduce biodiversity.

Habitat loss refers to the reduction in the amount of space where a particular species, or group of species can survive and reproduce. It is a consequence of human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, deforestation, resource extraction, alteration of the sea-floor due to trawling (fishing), or the release of pollutants.

Bio-fuels

Bio-fuels are a type of fuel that is produced from biomass, which is organic matter such as plants, agricultural waste, and other biological materials. Bio-fuels can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels in transportation, heating, and electricity generation. The production of biofuels is considered a renewable energy source.

(1) https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/land-use

(1) http://www.globalplanofaction.org/unsustainable. html (2) https://ugc.berkeley.edu/backgroundcontent/habitat-loss-restoration/

Peat restoration

Peat soils are formed from carbon rich, dead and decaying plant material under waterlogged conditions. Peatlands are areas of land, habitats, supported by a naturally accumulated layer of peat. When functioning well, peatlands provide a number of important ecosystem services. They are capable of regulating water flows, improving water quality, storing large quantities of carbon and supporting biodiversity.

(1) https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme. org/about-peatlands (2)https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme. org/about-peatlands/protecting-peatlands/peatlandrestoration

Peat restoration is the process by which an intervention is made to restore peatland ecosystem function through measures such as rewetting drained sites.

Climate change crop choice

Might be better to define Indirect Land Use Change (ILuC), and the impacts, for example, of growing biofuels crops, especially in telation to land quality.

We dont currently have a spol strategy, but could us EU one as proxy.

Food imports

Food imports refer to the food that is brought into the UK from outside of the UK.

Low carbon farming practice &agro-forestry

Low carbon farming is a set of agricultural practices that aim to (2) https://fairclimate.com/Technology/Farming reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote carbon (3) https://www.soilassociation.org/causessequestration in the soil. These practices include reducing campaigns/agroforestry/ tillage and other machinery-based production activities, (4) https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/aboutchanging crop mixes and rotations, changing the mix of agroforestry/ irrigated versus dry land, and increasing irrigation efficiency Agro-forestry is a land management system that combines agricultural crops or livestock with trees and shrubs. It is a approach to farming that has been practiced for centuries in many parts of the world. Agro-forestry can provide a sustainable source of food, healthier soil, higher yields, and vital homes for wildlife.

Aquaculture, vertical farming, new foods

Aquaculture is the farming of fish, shrimps, molluscs, seaweed (1) https://www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/aquaculture and other organisms in all types of water.

(2) https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/aquaculture. html#:~:text=Aquaculture%20is%20breeding%2C% Vertical Farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically 20raising%2C%20and,of%20threatened%20or% stacked layers often in a controlled, indoor environment. Plants 20endangered%20species. are often grown in a soilless medium and artificial lighting may be used to support photosynthesis.

Tree planting

Tree planting is the process of transplanting tree seedlings for forestry, land reclamation, or landscaping purposes. It is an essential activity that helps to combat deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change. Trees also provide a habitat for wildlife and help to improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

Diet change & low carbon foods

Food systems are responsible for around a third of all humancaused greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of food related emissions come from agriculture and land use change. However, the emissions to produce different foodstuffs vary significantly across food groups with plant-based products having average lower associated emissions

New foods...

Built environment land use

(1) https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-02100225-9/ (2) https://www.un. org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food (3) https://www.climateq.co.uk/resources/thecarbon-footprint-of-food/

Diet change can, therefore, have a significant impact on the overall emissions associated with someone's diet if people choose to substitute high emission foodstuffs with lower carbon foods.

Built environmental land use is land upon which man-made structures, features and facilities are built. Collectively these areas form the environment in which many people live and work.

Renewable energy development

Renewable energy development refers to the growth and expansion (2) https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/electricof renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, power-and-natural-gas/our-insights/renewablegeothermal, and biomass. These sources of energy are considered energy-development-in-a-net-zero-world renewable because they are replenished naturally and can be used repeatedly without being depleted.

Biodiversity net gain requirements

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development, land and marine management that leaves biodiversity in a measurably better state than before the development took place. Once BNG has been introduced, developers will be legally obliged to deliver a minium 10% increase in biodiversity compared to a baseline. This will be measured using Natural England's biodiversity metric.

https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/wpcontent/uploads/sites/183/2022/04/BNGBrochure_Final_Compressed-002.pdf

Brownfield development including LA estate

Brownfield refers to land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has encouraged local planning authorities to make as much use as possible of previously developed land and to give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements for homes and other identified needs.

(1) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/researchbriefings/cdp-2023-0035/ (2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment _data/file/1182995/NPPF_Sept_23.pdf

Energy efficient design

Energy efficient design involves building or upgrading buildings so that they are able to make the most our of the energy that is supplied to them. It involves using architectural features, landscaping, windows, doors, and skylights that maximize daylight, solar heat gain, and natural ventilation.

(1) https://energyeducation. ca/encyclopedia/Energy_efficient_building_design

Integrated low carbon energy technology