With or Without EU

Image from BBC

No matter how you voted in the 2016 EU referendum (or whether you didn't vote at all), Britain is going to have to face the inevitability of anthropogenic climate change and the consequences that come with it. The main difference here is that there is the added and unexpected obstacle of Brexit, which will more than likely be a dramatic influencer of how the UK government will deal with future challenges. Upon the news of an exit deal having been confirmed and agreed between the UK and EU, it may be useful to go back and look at this geopolitical relationship between the UK and the rest of Europe.

UK in the EU: A Brief History

Prior to the official founding of the European Union, the United Kingdom joined the EEC (European Economic Community) on its third attempt with Denmark and Ireland in 1973. This gave the UK a prominent economic position despite not being a signatory of the treaties that formed it.

In 1975, a national referendum was held to determine whether the UK should remain a member, subject to potential terms of membership. The result was a landslide: 67% voted to remain. The new terms were eventually negotiated, raising the UK's profile. This influenced the UK's refusal to join the European Monetary System (EMS) in 1979, becoming the only member state to not have the Euro as a currency.

The EU as we know it was formed in 1993 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty (also known as the Treaty on European Union), changing the economic union to a political one. What was to follow between the UK and EU would be a tumultuous relationship, with tensions peaking during the eurozone crisis and rise of euroscepticism, eventually leading to the EU referendum, which resulted in a Brexit vote.

What does this have to do with climate change and the environment?

Despite the rocky relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, measures have been made to help the UK adapt to climate change and improve the environment. Don't believe me? Take a look at Britain's beaches.

Blackpool Beach in 1990 (left) and in 2016 (right): Image from The Guardian

Since the 1970s, Europe has had rules and regulations for beaches, monitoring the levels of pollution. This was called the Bathing Water Directive and was eventually revised in 2006, when the European Union had already been established and the United Kingdom was a member. Since its implementation, the directive has involved the heavy monitoring and assessment of bathing and beach water, making sure there is as little harmful bacteria (eg bacteria from faecal matter) as possible. This put the UK in a position to greatly benefit from this, as its beaches were notorious for their levels of pollution. It is arguable that if it were not for the directive, Britain's beaches would be in a similar if not worse state than they were in the early 1990's.

But is that a valid reason to retain EU membership? The UK already has its own environmental laws, such as the 1956 Clean Air Act, implemented long before we joined the European Union. But its effectiveness is up for debate. Air pollution has been a major obstacle in the UK, especially London. Just at the beginning of this year, the UK was taken to the European High Court after London breached the UK's national limit for 2018 within the first month. Perhaps the pre-existing legislation will prove beneficial in the event of Brexit; it would be an important law to fall back on once the EU is out of the picture.

Waves of Change

Image from Floodlist

Since Britain is an island, one of the biggest challenges when facing climate change will be the increase of floods caused by rising sea levels and storms. With the spate of storms and floods across the UK this year and over the past 23 years, millions have been and continue to be spent on recovery and mitigation efforts. Despite having previously rejected the offer, a large chunk of previous funding over the past year has come from the EU. This will undoubtedly push the British government to confront and reconsider its public budgeting, but at what potential cost will this be to other sectors?

Going Solo

Regardless of what kind of Brexit we get (if we are to get a Brexit at all), it is impossible to remove the inherent uncertainty that comes with it. Despite the rocky relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, it is undeniable that water quality has improved due to their involvement. However, there are still several improvements to be made. Some of the waters along Britain's coastlines may have been recognised for their cleanliness, yet British water quality overall remains along the bottom of the water quality table among other EU states. The inevitability of more flooding should be treated as a priority. The recently published report outlining UK climate projections may push the British government into prioritising flood risk. Perhaps urgent forecasts such as this will motivate government to try and attain self-sufficiency in the face of geopolitical turmoil.

What do you think? Can Britain tackle its environmental issues without the help of the EU?