Amidst the turmoil of the last two months we have been working to finalise the Academy’s strategy for the next five years, drawing on the thoughts that so many of you shared during the consultation process.

 

RAEng is now pleased to introduce the final strategy for 2020-25, and its overarching ambition to harness the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone, in this short video message.

 

If you would like to digest the strategy in more detail, you will find the full document on our website alongside a shorter, one page summary. At a time like this, I hope you will agree that the commitment made in this strategy to engineering in the service of society is more relevant than ever.

 

Thank you once again to all of those who have contributed to the development of our exciting new strategy. It is a testament to the excellence of our Fellows, awardees and partners across the engineering profession that we can confidently set such an ambitious vision for the next five years, and we look forward to working with you, and all the professional engineering institutions, in its delivery in the months and years to come.

We are proud to support the UN’s ‘World Environment Day’ initiative.

 This year’s theme is Biodiversity – and we want everyone to play their part.

We’re looking for actions large and small – they all make a really positive difference.

socenv.org.uk/Biodiversity2020

In the UK and beyond, the Society for the Environment champions World Environment Day – a UN initiative which takes place on the 5th June each year. The initiative provides a platform for global education and inspiration; shining attention on a particularly pressing environmental theme.

This year, the global theme for World Environment Day is Biodiversity – a topic which Chartered Environmentalists agree is hugely important for the environment, both currently and looking to the future.

As part of this celebration of World Environment Day, the Society and key partners are spearheading an awareness campaign to help people engage with biodiversity. What better time to launch this campaign than now – on International Day for Biological Diversity (22nd May)!

At the heart of the campaign is the knowledge that everyone can play a part in helping to protect and enhance the biodiversity that we all live amongst.

Working alongside our key partners Canary Wharf Group, CIEEM, IEMA, Siemens, Skanska, The Wildlife Trusts and Wilmott Dixon, we have put together the Biodiversity Campaign Hub – featuring tons of resources and inspirational ideas! There is something for everyone – whatever your age or profession.

Nigel Sagar CEng CEnv MICE MIEMA, Senior Environmental Compliance Manager at Skanska, explains why this campaign is so important:

 “Within the construction industry it is encouraging to see a shift towards tackling the twin challenges of the climate emergency and declines in biodiversity head on, for example through the proposed mandatory biodiversity net gain requirement under the Environment Bill and with significant national infrastructure projects looking to achieve net gain.

 As we move forwards in a world altered as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, it is encouraging to see how many people have managed to connect with nature or are rediscovering their love of the natural world as a result of spending time in lockdown. The economic and health benefits from good biodiversity and access to nature are well known – we clearly observe this through speaking to our staff and their participation in volunteering days with a biodiversity theme  – and I hope they will form a key part of our recovery plans as a nation and globally.”  

Martin Gettings CEnv, Head of Sustainability at Canary Wharf Group, agrees:

“The focus for World Environment Day 2020 is Biodiversity and now is a great time to highlight the ecology so close to all our doorsteps. Together we can find ways to inspire and activate urban populations, to be more aware and involved, to connect with the natural world closer to home and to enjoy the enhanced quality of life and wellbeing, connection with nature brings to all of us.”

 To maximise our combined impact, we have also teamed up with the Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild campaign, which encourages people to do one wild thing each day during the month of June.

Celebrating this collaboration and looking ahead to both World Environment Day and 30 Days Wild, Leanne Manchester, Digital and Content Manager at the Wildlife Trusts, said:

“World Environment Day provides a spotlight for issues that the natural world is facing and the importance of connecting with it in order to take action. In taking part in 30 Days Wild, and spending time immersing themselves in the wildlife on their doorsteps, we know that people feel better and more connected to nature. That’s why we’re encouraging everybody to take part in 30 Days Wild this year!”

To find out more about what you can do to enhance biodiversity and how you can encourage others to do the same, visit socenv.org.uk/ Biodiversity2020 today!

 

The annual SocEnv Awards has once again attracted an extremely high calibre of entries.

The record number of nominations have resulted in 12 finalists for the Environmental Professional of the Year award and 5 finalists for the Registrant Newcomer of the Year award.

Following the 14th May deadline for nominations, the Society for the Environment is delighted to announce the highly deserving finalists of the prestigious 2020 SocEnv Awards. With two awards available for the first time, a record number of nominations were received, including many of an exceptional standard.

The Environmental Professional of the Year award is designed to highlight the very best work of Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) and Registered Environmental Technician (REnvTech) registrants. Registrants work across a wide spectrum of sectors and disciplines, making the nominations a melting pot of environmental expertise.

New for 2020, the Registrant Newcomer of the Year also showcases outstanding environmental work but is specifically available to those who have achieved their registration since 1st January 2019; shining a light on those who have really hit the ground running since becoming a REnvTech or CEnv.

Nominations for the 2020 awards have been received for environmental professionals working in science, research, consultancy, training, ecology, infrastructure, water supply, civil engineering, surveying, environmental management and more. There is also an international element, with nominees based in the UK, Denmark, Australia, the USA and Qatar.

The finalists for the 2020 SocEnv Awards are as follows:

Environmental Professional of the Year 2020

Martin Gettings CEnv
Group Head of Sustainability, Canary Wharf Group
Registered via IEMA

Wai Onn Hong CEnv
Business Manager, Palm Milling, Novozymes
Registered via IChemE

David Inman CEnv
Director, DIEM Ltd
Registered via RICS

Bartlomiej Kolodziejczyk CEnv
Registered via RSC

Kathryn Norgrove CEnv
Registered via CIWEM

Prof. Daniel B. Oerther CEnv
Professor of Environmental Health Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Registered via SOE

Ololade Okunrinboye CEnv
Environmental Manager, Dragados SA UK & Ireland
Registered via IEMA

John Parker CEnv
Technical Director, Arboricultural Association
Registered via the Arboricultural Association

Diana Pound CEnv
Director, Dialogue Matters
Registered via CIEEM

Mandhy Senewiratne CEnv
Director, Fyrefly Global Sustainability Ltd
Registered via the Institute of Water

David Symons CEnv
UK Director of Sustainability, WSP
Registered via IEMA

Claire Wansbury CEnv
Associate Director of Ecology, Atkins
Registered via CIEEM

 

Registrant Newcomer of the Year 2020

James Hicks CEnv
Senior Ecologist, Atkins
Registered via CIEEM

Liaqat Karim CEnv
Senior Project Engineer – Environmental, KEO International Consultants
Registered via IEMA

Tamsyn Kennedy CEnv
Senior Project Manager, Scottish Water
Registered via the Institute of Water

Ololade Okunriboye CEnv
Environmental Manager, Dragados SA UK & Ireland
Registered via IEMA

Chris Landsburgh CEnv
Environmental & Sustainability Manager, Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd
Registered via IEMA

 

The winners and highly commended entries are to be decided by a judging panel consisting of five members of the Society for the Environment Board. The finalist nominations are now with the judging panel for their deliberation, with the announcement taking place on Friday 5th June 2020 at 16:00 BST. Chair of the Society, Prof. Will Pope HonFSE CEnv will announce the winners on a live, online broadcast. To register your free attendance and to give your support to the finalists, visit: socenv.org.uk/event/2020SocEnvAwards

The announcement is being made on World Environment Day – a globally significant day for encouraging and celebrating environmental work. The UN Environment initiative is annually championed by the Society for the Environment and this year has the global theme of ‘biodiversity’.

Wishing all the finalists the best of luck.

A significant milestone for environmental professionalism across sectors.

 The Society for the Environment is delighted to announce that the 10,000th environmental professional has met the standard to achieve Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) registration.

CEnv is a highly sought after, internationally respected professional registration, valued increasingly highly by environmental professionals and employers and recognised as showcasing professional competence and expertise.

Current Chartered Environmentalists are members of twenty-four professional bodies across a huge array of different sectors, including but not limited to engineering, ecology, forestry, materials and waste, agriculture and environmental management. Registration is also international, with registered environmental professionals based in 90 countries. Together they represent not only the competence but also the diversity of the environmental profession.

The 10,000th CEnv registered by the Society has been confirmed as Sarah Poulton, Principal Consultant at WSP UK. Sarah, who gained her CEnv registration via the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), explains why the achievement means so much:

“Becoming chartered was always something I aspired to achieve during my career; when I first joined the brownfield regeneration sector straight out of university I saw it as the golden milestone you achieve to demonstrate professional competence and expertise – but the thought of getting there was actually quite daunting!

After becoming a member of the IES, I signed up to complete the CEnv in a Day workshop which was recommended to me by a number of colleagues and really helps focus your application. Being a Chartered Environmentalist is a committed journey and one which I am excited to be part of. I believe becoming a CEnv provides opportunities to explore beyond your known professional field, and helps broaden your approach to environmental challenges, which I think is particularly important when faced with a changing world and the environmental and societal changes we’re already faced with.

It feels fantastic to be the 10,000th professional registered as a CEnv by SocEnv, and to have helped achieve this milestone! I’m really glad to be part of such an active and inspiring community who between us have such a wealth of expertise and knowledge from backgrounds all across the board, but at the core have the same commitment to environmental protection. In the short time since becoming chartered, I have already connected with a number of other Chartered Environmentalists across the industry, and we are already working on some pretty exciting things so watch this space!”

Reacting to the news, Dr Emma Wilcox, Chief Executive of the Society for the Environment, said:

“This is a landmark moment for the Society and the profession as a whole and an important milestone in our vision for a future where environmental professional registration is an industry norm.

We need registered environmental professionals – now more than ever. As we aim to move out from the global restrictions enforced as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we must do so in a way that recognises the urgent need for action in response to the Climate and Environmental Emergency. Consideration for the environment must be present in all key decisions as part of a fully sustainable recovery, and through their demonstrated expertise and commitment, registered environmental professionals have a huge part to play in making the case for and helping deliver the necessary action.”

Visit www.socenv.org.uk to find out more about showcasing your environmental expertise and becoming a CEnv yourself.

 

The National Engineering Policy Centre, led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, has convened a diverse range of experts to provide agile and continued advice to government to help address the long-term global threat posed by climate change and support its goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This will include recommendations for a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that puts the UK on track for net zero.

Read the Net Zero launch paper here

Engineering has a vital role to play in creating systems and solutions to address the climate crisis. The UK government faces urgent and difficult decision-making across engineering-driven economic sectors such as energy, construction, manufacturing and transport. Engineers from every discipline are the people who will design, build, retrofit, operate and make safe the infrastructure and technologies that will enable a decarbonised UK to become a reality.

The UK engineering community benefits from world-leading expertise in planning and designing these services and can apply systems thinking, creativity and problem-solving to provide advice on how to decarbonise them.

The National Engineering Policy Centre has assembled a diverse group of experts from organisations including the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Engineering & Technology, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Energy Institute, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and the British Academy. The group forms a forum for debate and will draw heavily on insights and perspectives from an even wider range of expertise from engineering and other disciplines such as social and system sciences as needed.

Topic areas to be covered include:

  • Rebuilding after COVID-19: recommendations for a recovery that puts us on track for net zero
  • Net zero explained: how the UK’s climate target fits into the global sustainability challenge
  • Priority actions and upcoming decision points: understanding which policies are ‘low regrets’ solutions
  • Decarbonising construction: tackling the operation and supply chain of one of the most challenging sectors

Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering says:

“Engineers have a responsibility to actively support the reduction of greenhouse gases to protect our planet from adverse climate change. The National Engineering Policy Centre is uniquely placed to galvanise and lead the engineering community to focus on activities that can deliver practical, deployable solutions in response to the scientific evidence. As engineers we can capitalise on our experience and use of systems approaches in bringing together different elements – from technological to financial, from regulatory to ethical – to create practical solutions and help the government to make tough and lasting decisions that will reduce harmful emissions whilst creating jobs and benefitting people’s lives.”

Dunfermline Waste Water Treatment Works has turned to green energy to boost Scottish Water’s pledge to reach net zero emissions by 2040.

It is the latest Scottish Water site to have solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels installed. Scottish Water Horizons, our commercial subsidiary, invested £300,000 installing 784 PV panels at the work which serves around 81,000 customers in Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Crossgates, Rosyth and Kingseat.

The carbon-reducing technology – which works by converting light into electricity using semi conducting materials – will offset almost ten per cent of the electricity required to operate the facility.

The new 231 kW solar PV system will generate 0.2GWHr of energy on an annual basis – equivalent to powering 55 homes for a year.

Renewable energy experts FES Support Services delivered the project on behalf of Scottish Water Horizons. The panels are now in place and operating on an area of previously unused waste ground at the site which is in St Margaret’s Bay, which is just below the Queensferry Crossing on the north shore. The work was completed before the middle of March before lockdown conditions over the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Eddie Johnstone, Senior Project Manager at Scottish Water Horizons, said: “This is the latest solar power scheme which we have delivered to encourage growth and invest in renewable technologies.

“These carbon-reducing solar schemes demonstrate Scottish Water’s drive to tackle climate change and become a zero carbon user of electricity.

“The energy needed to provide customers with essential water and waste water services makes Scottish Water the largest single user of electricity in the country and we are fully committed to finding alternative ways to develop and accelerate green energy schemes to reduce our carbon footprint.

Lewis Deas, Scottish Water’s Waste Water Operations Manager, added: “Customers in the Dunfermline area should be pleased to hear this waste water site is operating in a way which now has a lower impact on the environment than ever before and using technology which will help drive down operating costs at the works too.”

To date 8.2MW of photovoltaic (PV) power has now been installed at over 43 SW sites generating 6.5 GWh of renewable energy annually.

Last year Scottish Water achieved a major energy milestone when it was announced the amount of renewable energy the company generates and facilitates is now more than double its electricity consumption.

Currently 73 of Scottish Water’s water and waste water treatment are now either self-sufficient or partly sufficient in their power requirements.

These projects contribute to the Scottish Government’s ambitious new targets for Scottish Water which sets out that the utility will generate or host three times the energy it uses by 2030.