A New Environment Bill Is Planned And It Could Shape Our Oceans Future

The Proposed Environment Bill: A 2019 Perspective

Originally published in February 2019. At the time, the Environment Bill was still a proposal. A later version of the Bill became the Environment Act 2021, so this article has been lightly updated for historical accuracy while keeping its original campaign message.

When this article was first published, a new Environment Bill was planned and was being presented as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen environmental governance after the UK left the European Union.

The proposed Bill was expected to cover issues including waste and resource efficiency, air quality, water, nature and biodiversity. For people concerned about ocean health, plastic pollution and climate change, the prospect of stronger and more consistent environmental rules felt significant.

Getting out to our coasts is one of life's great pleasures, with the sun overhead and the gentle sound of crashing waves. So many of us enjoy visiting beaches around the UK, and we want future generations to be able to enjoy those same places.

Luckily for us, we knew an organisation prepared to do a lot of the campaigning at times when we could not.

Our Friends at Surfers Against Sewage

Our friends at Surfers Against Sewage were campaigning around the proposed law and encouraging people to make their voices heard on environmental protection.

In the midst of a historic change, many people were beginning to think more carefully about the environmental impact of the products they bought and the businesses they supported. That shift towards more conscious shopping was one of the reasons Friendly Turtle existed in the first place.

The 2019 #GenerationSea Campaign

For those who have read our previous blogs, you will know we have some keen scuba divers at Friendly Turtle. We want to look out from the coast knowing the health of our oceans is improving, rather than seeing marine ecosystems placed under growing pressure from plastic pollution, poor water quality and climate change.

There is a very good reason we made Surfers Against Sewage our 2019 Charity of the Year. Their campaigning, beach-clean activity and focus on ocean protection closely matched the environmental issues we cared about at the time.

The original #GenerationSea campaign and petition referred to in this 2019 article are no longer current. Readers who want to support the organisation today can find its latest campaigns and practical actions on the Surfers Against Sewage take-action page.

Original 2019 Campaign Context

What Were Campaigners Calling For?

The campaign called for strong environmental protections after the UK's departure from the European Union, with particular concern for air, wildlife, water and waste. Supporters wanted the new legal framework to be capable of addressing environmental problems at source and holding decision-makers to clear standards.

What Was the Environment Bill?

At the time, environmental principles and governance were being reconsidered as responsibilities moved away from EU institutions. The proposed Environment Bill was intended to create a new domestic framework covering environmental governance and a range of specific environmental measures.

What Were People Asked to Do?

The original campaign encouraged people to sign and share petitions, contact their MP, gather evidence from local shorelines and promote the campaign on social media. Those specific #GenerationSea actions belong to the 2019 campaign period, but the broader idea of public involvement in environmental issues remains relevant.

Together, we can continue to pay attention to the health of our oceans and support practical action that protects them.