Executive summary

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (EFF) has identified “clean and healthy freshwaters” as a key impact goal that they will work towards, with others, over the next five to ten years. EFF, therefore, commissioned Cardiff University Water Research Institute to investigate how the capacity and capability of the freshwater sector might be best supported and developed to deliver this objective. This review outlines the threats and opportunities facing freshwater ecosystems as perceived by different organisations working to improve freshwater environments, considering also differences across the four countries of the UK. Areas of consensus and priority are also identified.

During April to June 2021, representatives from over 100 organisations were invited to semistructured interviews or an online survey. All interacted with freshwater ecosystems either as landowners, regulators, water companies, environmental organisations, or freshwater users (e.g., recreational organisations). Although responses were gained from organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, those from England were the most numerous possibly reflecting the larger number of organisations with an interest in freshwater that are based in England.

There was good consensus among respondents about the state and trajectory of freshwater ecosystems in the UK, with some differences between the four countries. English water bodies were generally considered to be in the worst condition. The differences between the four countries were attributed to recent changes in Water Framework Directive (WFD) reporting, larger populations and greater urban cover in England; and differences in land use. It was felt that although there had been significant progress made in some areas over the past decades, improvements to the chemical, physical and ecological state of freshwater bodies in the UK were at a standstill or declining. There was consensus that unless strong action was taken, future pressures driven by climate and demographic changes, would combine to drive further decline in the health of freshwaters.

Freshwater ecosystems are subject to multiple interacting pressures acting at different scales. General pressures identified during this exercise were diffuse and point source pollution, including emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and plastics, changes to water quantity, flow and physical character, alterations to ecosystems such as biodiversity loss or invasive non-native species, and poor understanding and valuation of freshwaters. Abstraction and drought were more frequently cited as a pressure in the southeast of England. Northern Ireland was characterised by pressures associated with agricultural intensification e.g., ammonia, and hydroelectric dams were only mentioned for Scotland. For Wales concerns focused on pollution from the intensification of agriculture, water industry and the legacy of development (modified channels, mines). Although generalities about the differences between the four nations can be drawn, there is further granularity in the distribution of pressures within countries. This is likely to be reflected better in individual catchment assessment and planning than at the national scale of this report.

The issues that have been most difficult to gain progress on are diffuse pollution and the combined impact of multiple pressures. Inadequate resource to enforce existing legislation, monitor, research and address the challenges was also a consistent theme. Diffuse pollution issues are difficult to resolve due to the multiple sources and stakeholders involved, poor regulation and unclear governance. Emerging concerns, such as chemical pollutants, pharmaceuticals and plastics, posed challenges because regulation has not caught up with the scale of the pressure. However, despite greater understanding of the pressure diffuse nutrient and sediment pollution places on freshwaters, there are few examples of these having been addressed effectively. The nexus between

water, energy and food is a recurring theme because freshwaters have not been governed, regulated and managed in a holistic way.

There was marked variation in how organisations prioritise and respond to pressures on freshwater environments. While a diversity of approaches allows comparison between solutions, it was felt that impact could be enhanced by co-ordinated effort around common goals. Emerging examples of these new ways of thinking include the Blueprint for Water and the Catchment Based Approach Partnerships. Beyond the more traditional need for local restoration projects, the top three priorities in the next 5 years were: nature-based solutions; encouraging land management practices that reduce pressures on freshwaters; and integrating actions at catchment/landscape scale. While nature-based solutions (NbS) saw near unanimous support across organisations and geographies, there was also recognition of the need for more large-scale empirical research on NbS for freshwaters as well as training and support to deliver NbS at scale. There was less consensus on the importance of nutrient offsetting/credits, widening access to freshwaters for all and water efficiency labelling on products.

It is important to bear in mind the main limitations of this survey: i) The survey reflects a potential English bias, perhaps linked to the location of organisations that interact with freshwaters; ii) the sector is made up of a fragmented set of actors, with small freshwater specific NGOs. Given the foci of these organisations, this survey may reflect diverse and specific perspectives rather than a consensual and holistic view of freshwater needs; iii) whilst the perspectives expressed here were from highly experienced people, they are limited by the available evidence base, and reductions in monitoring were acknowledged. Further, current events or media coverage (e.g., recent focus on the impact of CSOs) may influence the ‘on the spot’ responses gathered and may distort an overview of priority needs for freshwaters that may be given if respondents had more time to reflect.

An overview of case studies from successful freshwater improvement projects provides an uplifting perspective on what can be achieved. In fact, most of the respondents seemed positive about the future, and felt the stars were aligned for a step-change for freshwaters if the right actions were taken. Suggestions included:

• Recognise and take advantage of the interconnectedness with other sectors, such as the food, leisure and water sectors. • Develop a shared, multi-sector vision for clean and healthy freshwaters. • Develop a long-term evidence base of what works and what doesn’t. Create a network to share best practice and disseminate evidence. • Invest in long-term and large-scale commitments. • Include and inform all stakeholders and other freshwater actors in any new initiative. • Develop training opportunities to retain skills and expertise within the sector. • Encourage and expand public understanding of freshwaters and our impact on them.

There is much work to be done to make progress towards clean and healthy freshwaters in the face of multiple local and global pressures. The current groundswell of public, policy and industry interest in clean and healthy freshwaters make this the ideal time to act, to seize a significant opportunity for environmental gain. Projects such as this review initiated by EFF, provide an opportunity for those involved in the freshwater sector to take a step back and reflect on their priorities and pave the way for coordinated actions around a shared vision.