QMS & EMS London

Chris Queen Most airport development projects will require EIA given the size and nature of the works. Airport development commonly gives rise to a range of potentially significant environmental impacts prior to mitigation, including: noise disturbance to local residents and wildlife; pollutant emissions; increased energy and fuel demand; increased surface access traffic; landscape and visual effects; and enhanced risks of water pollution, flooding, contamination and ecological effects. At the same time, most airports are major contributors to local and regional employment and economies and their planned growth can give rise to significant socioeconomic benefits, while aircraft manufacturers and the main airport operators have made considerable investment in innovative measures to help mitigate adverse environmental effects.

NASA Landscape intelligence is how earth observation data specialist Rezatec describes its use of satellite and other remote-sensing technologies to help businesses manage their land-based assets and respond to environmental changes. Since its formation two years ago, the company, which originated at University College London (UCL), has used earth observation (EO) techniques on projects ranging from measuring carbon stock to mapping Mallorca’s bio-economy. Partners include organisations as diverse as the European Space Agency (ESA), green cleaning products manufacturer Ecover, British Sugar and power generator Drax.

International Organization for Standardization The revised standard aims to align environmental management systems more closely with an organisation’s strategy. It places greater emphasis on reducing environmental impacts across the whole life-cycle of products and services including supply chains and in the development and use of products and services.  The new standard will also require organisations to consider impacts from a changing environment and provide a framework for organisations to manage the risks and maximise opportunities from trends such as scarcity of natural resources and climate change. 

The Going Green Working Group – part of the British Psychological Society – recently conducted a survey of sustainability professionals. It found that an emerging issue, one that is highly challenging both now and in the future, is the integration of sustainability into core business. Psychology focuses on factors that influence an individual’s behaviour, either the individual alone or as part of a group. It is individual change that can achieve social, economic and environmental sustainability, ultimately embedding these into the core strategy of organisations.