Environmental Management - the June 2007 Sheffield Flooding, Relevant Regulatory Frameworks, and New Technologies - Case Study Example

Environmental Management 1. The June 2007 Sheffield Flooding Experiencing intense heavy rainfall during summer is normal in England but the June 25 and July 20, 2007 rainfall events were exceptional. The June 25 flooding was caused by high rainfall amount that elevate the already high river levels caused by wet weather conditions during the past seven weeks. Flash floods badly hit East Riding as the drainage system was overwhelmed by extremely high volume of rainwater. Similarly, Leed’s River Aire overflowed while the River Don in Sheffield burst its banks resulting to flooded residential, commercial, and industrial properties. On the following day, River Rother, located south of Sheffield overtopped its banks and flooded over 100 properties in Catcliffe. In July 20 of the same year, almost a month later, another deluge of heavy rains fell across England but this time caused flash flooding in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, and central London (Stuart-Menteth, 2008, p.4-5). The cause of the 2007 Sheffield flooding is mainly due to heavy rainfall induced by the position of the jet stream, the warm moist air, and slow moving storms. However, investigation reveals that most of the houses in the affected area are below sea level while the old drainage system’s capacity is too small to remove storm water. Another is the failure of responsible agencies to warn local residents exposing the weakness of flood preparedness in England. In summary, the lack of warning, investment on flood defences, flood protection standards, and sustainable planning exacerbate the effect of heavy rainfall (Smith & Petley, 2009, p.248). 2. Environmental Management and Management Systems The 2003 heat wave, the 2004 and 2006 drought, and the 2007 summer floods taught the UK Environment Agency that extreme weather events could significantly affect the stability of critical infrastructures and businesses as well as the well-being of local residents. For this reason, climate change is now part of the Environment Agency planning as evidence by their Flood Risk Long Term Investment Strategy designed to manage the future impact of climate change (Environment Agency, 2001, p.1). Environmental management is generally an approach to manage the environment effectively. Primarily, these include maintaining natural balance, policymaking, planning, and social development. The goal is to resolve environmental problems by establishing limits, sustaining and improving existing natural resources, indentify useful technologies and polices, and improve quality of life (Barrow 2003, p.18). The ISO 14000 for instance, has been written to provide guidance for environmental protection systems. Specifically, ISO 14001 is the one prescribing good practice in environmental management, which is mainly intended to minimize environmental damage caused by the operations and activities of various industries (Morris 2004, p.2). However, although with almost same intent, environmental management vary in many ways. For instance, some environment management are ad hoc in approach or only reacting to specific environmental situation. Some are problem solving in nature where a series of logical steps are followed to identify problems and to implement solutions. Others follow a system approach involving both ecosystem and agro-ecosystem while some are specific such as air quality management, water quality management, environmental health, and so on (Barrow 2003, p.25). The UK Environment Agency’s approach to environmental management is adaptive in the sense that it specifically preparing for the future impact of climate change. As evidenced by its adaptation planning outlining the possible environmental scenarios in the near future where change in the environment and way of life is expected, the approach seems focus on increasing resilience to climate change and reduction of its adverse effects (Environment Agency, 2011, p.1). The UK Climate Impact Programme contains information how organisation can be affected by climate change so they can prepare for its impact (UKCIP, 2011, p.1). Similarly, UK Climate Projections website contains specific data about the changing UK climate where it recognized the current greenhouse gas emissions as primary root cause of climate change. Consequently, the projections for the UK climate is presented in three different scenarios and three types of climate information – observed climate data, climate change projection, and marine and coastal projections (UK Climate Change Projections,2009, p.1). EMS or Environmental Management System is generally recognized as a structured framework for managing businesses and other organization’s impact on the environment. In terms of environmental impact, most organisations prefer a systematic approach to the management of their daily operation but over the years, standardized approaches were introduced and adopted such as the EMS specifications developed by the British Standards Institution or BS 7750 and the recently published BS 8555. These specifications provide guidance for organization in how they should implement an EMS and certified by international standards such as ISO 14001 (Brady, 2005, p.107). However, EMS is not mandatory and regulatory but voluntary arrangement made by a certain organization in response to environmental regulations. Moreover, there is no one-size-fits-all EMS as it is organization specific, which in reality varies in structures, products and services, and environmental concerns (Ravichandran & Boopathi 2007, p.14). Although there are several formal EMS standards such as ISO 14001 and EMAS or the European Union’s Environmental Management and Audit System, organizations are not required to follow these standards. However, a wise organization would certainly adapt one since the resulting certificate can greatly enhance its image on both internal and external stakeholders. ISO 14001 is widely used for business while EMAS is for public sector organizations. EMAS contains more requirements for organizations such as undertaking initial environmental review, employee participation in implementing EMAS, and making relevant organization information open to public and other interested parties. In the UK, small organizations usually implement BS 8555 until they are fully certified as ISO 14001 compliant. An ISO 14001 certified organization follows several requirements – organization policy for environmental protection, documented objectives and targets, clear roles and responsibilities, training procedures, performance auditing system, and review mechanism in order to maintain EMS effectiveness (Kane 2010, p.46). 3. International Environmental Concerns Ozone depletion and global warming seems to be the most talk about global environmental issues today. International cooperation in controlling the release of ozone-depleting substances according to Kemp (2004) has made considerable progress in reducing the rate of ozone depletion and may recover in the near future if harmful gasses are reduced. However, although the Kyoto Protocol is designed to limit global warming there is little success in dealing with root causes of global warming (p.359). Since ozone depletion is internationally recognized as real and dangerous, the international community becomes interested in protecting the environment as evidenced by proliferation of bilateral, regional, and multi-lateral conventions discussing global environmental issues (Seda1993, p.1). Moreover, since most environmental concerns such as global warming, acid rain, and so forth have international implications, cooperation between countries is unavoidable. For instance, air pollutants can move from one country to another thus cross-border cooperation is required (Susskind et al, 2001, p.130). The greenhouse emissions that are being blamed for climate change and the 2007 Sheffield flood is an international concern. According to Kemp (2004), initiatives to protect the environment against carbon emission not only need international cooperation between nations but between multi-national companies and industrial enterprises as their operations widely contribute to these environmental problems. Moreover, economic development particularly in developing countries increases greenhouse gas emissions responsible for rising environmental temperature (p.405). Clearly, root causes of greenhouse effect and subsequent climate change is globally produced thus the UK government with its Environment Agency selected an adaptive environmental management approach wherein climate change is a reality beyond one nation’s control. As mentioned earlier, the UK government is apparently more reliant on climate projection and impact programmes rather than greenhouse gases emission reduction. This is probably because climate change and its root causes are global in nature and cannot be controlled despite local reduction of greenhouse gases. 4. Relevant Regulatory Frameworks Regulatory framework in the United Kingdom relevant to environmental management can be categorized into two distinct processes. For instance, the Environmental Protection Act or EPA 1990 is a prescribed process to regulate emissions. Under the IPC or Integrated Pollution Control, pollution of air, water, and land resulting from emissions of harmful gases must regulated within a single framework which EPA Act provide in sections 7(2)(a) and 7 (7). The framework operates using two important principles where waste should be managed in a manner most beneficial and less damaging to the environment using the best available technique. In contrast, under the IPC, non-prescribed processes such as use of appropriate new technology and operational practices specifically intended for specific waste management operation with pre-defined emission limits and do not need regulatory intervention (Hester & Harrison 1995, p.71). In the United Kingdom, emissions from landfill waste disposal sites are regulated under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 with the Waste Disposal Authority managing. However, following the enactment of Environment Act 1995, this power was later given to the Environment Agency that include a number of regulating bodies such as NRA or National Rivers Authority, HM Inspectorate of Pollution, and so on. In terms of “flood free” land development, the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provide the framework for land use and development where pollution issues are given much consideration. In contrast, the framework for improving air quality in the United Kingdom was set out in the Air Quality Strategy, which was also enacted through the Environment Act 1995 and associated Air Quality Regulations. Under the Act, local authorities must undertake a periodic review of air quality and if the quality of air is below average, it must declare it as AQMA or Air Quality Management Area (Brady, 2005, p.246). 5. Assessment of New Technologies and Approaches to Environmental Management Enterprises responses to environmental problems often reflect either home or country of operation regulation. However, some of their responses are also dependent on the nature of their operation and needs. For instance, to escape economic and environmental constraints, mining and mineral companies are innovating and developed new smelting and teaching technologies (Nath 1998, p.150). Similarly, the UK government has been innovative in its environmental protection approaches with the introduction of ETBPP or Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme in 1994. In this approach, UK businesses are encouraged to adopt cost-effective measures that reduce waste at source. The idea is to give businesses incentives such as promoting and publishing successful projects of the companies and free practical advice and guidance in adopting new technology such as those contained in “Choosing Cost-effective Pollution Control” (Hilary & Jolly, 2001, p.175). Environmental pollution such as “End-of-Pipe” technique prevents pollutant from reaching the environment but according to Roy (1998), this type of pollution control is reactive and selective in nature since they do not change the way things are being done in terms of the environment. It is not preventive, as it does not eliminate waste at source. This is the reason why clean technology is more favoured by governments (p.210). “Clean Technology” is a new approach to environmental protection supported by both policy makers and businesses. It became popular because reducing waste at source not only improves environmental performance but also saves considerable amount of money for the company. However, not all businesses can afford cleaner technology equipments since its price is often higher than conventional technologies (Hilary & Jolly, 2001, p.173). For this reason, it is unlikely that adoption of clean technologies will be rapid or uniform. Similarly, the replacement of chemical process by biotechnology for instance is not necessarily reduction of waste but recycling or feeding a subsidiary process. According to Agarwal (2005), it may be best to consider technologies promoting altered chemistry such as substitution or replacement of environmentally incompatible commodity chemicals with compatible ones or use of clean, renewable processing technique for water such as solar catalytic decontamination (p.171). Apparently, clean technology is a more advantageous environmental protection technique but it does necessarily the best solution. By analysis, it is safer to use environmentally compatible chemicals than relying on eliminated waste at source. As mentioned earlier, some of these clean technologies are merely recycling the waste and may in time result to unforeseen environmental problems. 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