PENBROATH is a policy and regulatory affairs consultancy specialising in the environment, natural capital, water, agri-food and waste sectors.
We believe that the success of any organisation stems from the quality of its decisions and its ability to decide and act. While strategy is important, it is also a much-overused term. Good decision making depends first and foremost on attention to detail.
George Eustice was a Minister in Defra for nine years including three years in the Cabinet. He was responsible for designing and introducing the policy architecture for the post EU era including the Agriculture Act 2020, the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Environment Act 2021. He also developed much of the detail behind the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Biodiversity Net Gain and the statutory targets set under the Environment Act.
Prior to becoming a Minister, George was Press Secretary to David Cameron while he was Leader of the Opposition and had four years experience of communication and media management at the highest level in politics.
AREAS WE OPERATE
NATURAL CAPITAL
WASTE AND RESOURCES
NATURAL CAPITAL
There are multiple drivers creating new funding streams to support nature and the environment. Some of these involve statutory regimes such as Biodiversity Net Gain. Some stem from position statements issued by Natural England under the Habitat Regulations such as nutrient neutrality and water neutrality markets and others are driven by corporate reporting or ESG considerations.
WATER
WASTE AND RESOURCES
NATURAL CAPITAL
Water is our most precious resource but it is undervalued. Water scarcity is a growing challenge with most urban parts of the country now judged to be water stressed areas. In some geographies, new development is being severely curtailed by the lack of water resources. The water industry also suffers reputational challenges linked to issues such as storm overflows and water quality and a rapidlky changing regulatory environment.
AGRI-FOOD
WASTE AND RESOURCES
WASTE AND RESOURCES
The new farming policies being deployed by the UK government have spurred a huge growth of interest in regenerative agriculture and more sustainable farming techniques. Soil health is central to successful and profitable agriculture and the recovery of biodiversity. Food manufacturing is the UK largest manufacturing sector but it also faces reputational challenges and a changing regulatory framework in relation to healthy diets and obesity.
WASTE AND RESOURCES
WASTE AND RESOURCES
WASTE AND RESOURCES
Many of the solutions to the environmental challenges we face can be found in allowing natural biological cycles to complete. Rather than fretting about what to do with wastes in isolation, we need to view them as a resource to be harnessed so that they create income and contribute to the cycle of life in a sustainable way. New technologies to capture methane from farms for use as a fuel and other projects to recycle used tyres as a biofuel have great potential to contribute to our Net Zero ambitions but the regulatory framework needs to support these emerging sectors.
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