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ENERGY
- Carbon Dioxide Emissions account for 6% of the UK's greenhouse
gas emissions.
- The UK is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 20% of
1990 levels by 2010.
- Energy Efficiency can help to meet 20% of the UK
target reductions.
AIR QUALITY
- Indicator 1 - Nitrogen Dioxide: 8 out 10 sites measured
in Hertfordshire were above the National Air Quality Standard
(NAQS)
of 21 parts per billion (ppb).
- Indicator 2 - Ozone: Ozone levels in Hertfordshire
were generally within the "Very Good" to "Good" bands.
However, some hours of "Poor" air quality were measured
in 1997
WASTE
- In 1996/97 the total amount of waste produced in Hertfordshire
was approximately 1.79 million tonnes of which approximately
457,000 tonnes was household waste.
- Indicator 1 - Household Waste per Capita - This was an average
of 424 kg of waste per person.
- Indicator 2 - Waste Produced per Household: In 1996/97, the
average waste per Household was just over 1 Tonne/year, a 2.3%
reduction from the 1995/96 figure. It accounted for 23% of
total waste in Herts.
- Indicator 3 - Percentage of Waste Recycled: Approximately 7% of
the total household waste produced in 1996/97 was recycled. The total
amount of household waste recycled was more than 32,000 tonnes.
TRANSPORT
- Indicator 1 - Volume of Motor Traffic: 30.3 million
vehicle kilometres were covered in 1996 (Revised 1996 figure).
- Indicator 2 - Modal Split: Car journey's accounted
for 84.2 % of all journeys in 1996 (road usage only), bus
travel was 10%, walking 4%, cycling and motorcycling were 1% each.
WILDLIFE AND HABITAT
- Indicator 1 - Population of Voles: Population has declined
47% since the 1980's.
- Indicator 2 - Area of Heathland: Hertfordshire has 21.1
hectares of registered Heathland.
- Indicator 3 - Area of Ancient Woodland: 2.5% of the
County Area is covered in Ancient Woodland (i.e. woodland
over 400 years old).
WATER
- Indicator 1 - Water Consumption: Household per Capita Consumption
- The average for 1997 was 172 litres per person per day
- Indicator 2 - River Quality: General quality Objectives: There
has been an overall reduction in river quality in the past year with poor
river length increasing from 4.8% to 5.35%, due to infrequent rainfall
resulting in low flows in rivers.
- Indicator 3 - River Quality Objectives: 271.43 kilometres
of the counties rivers have had objectives set and all 100% have
either achieved these objectives or are on course to do so in the near
future.
LAND USE
- Indicator 1 - Land Use Change for Urban Activities: 9.43
hectares of land has changed to urban use in the county.
- Indicator 2 - Number of Households: A revised figure
of 380,866 households with residents in Hertfordshire in 1991 (1991
census) replaces the figure of 386,565 from last years report which
was the number of household spaces in the county
- Green Belt Land: Hertfordshire has 81,316 hectares of
designated Green Belt. 6300 hectares of this Green Belt
currently has planning applications for houses and industry outstanding.
LIGHT
Methods of reducing light pollution:
- Use low pressure sodium street lamps
- Use directable lamps with shades to aim light downwards onto streets
and sports grounds for example.
- Turn off lights in environmentally sensitive areas so reducing
effects on nocturnal wildlife like bats and badgers.
NOISE
- Total noise complaints made to Hertfordshire's district and borough
councils in 1996/97: 5835
- Of these there were 3966 complaints for Domestic Noise
- Total aircraft noise complaints, registered at Luton and Stansted
airports were: 5171 (includes 4139 complaints from two people).
LEGISLATION UPDATE
World Initiatives:
Earth Summit +5
Kyoto World Summit on the Environment
European Initiatives:
Agenda 2000+
EC Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC)
UK Initiatives:
Environment Act 1995
Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997
Landfill Tax 1996
National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) and Local Air Quality Management
(LAQM).
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