A network of marine conservation zones will be put in place around England's coast by 2012 under Government plans. The Marine Conservation Society marched on the House of Commons on Thursday (Copyright Tim Fanshawe/MCS) The underwater nature reserves are one of the key proposals in the draft Marine Bill, published on Thursday. A new UK-wide planning system would also be introduced and licensing of developments such as offshore wind farms would be simplified.

A shortlist of 15 locations that could house the Government's flagship eco-towns has been announced - and none of them will involve building on green belt. The shortlisted sites will go forward to the next stages of the application process, which includes public consultation and detailed sustainability appraisals, before the final shortlist is published later this year. The eco-towns policy, announced by Gordon Brown last year, aims to create ten new zero-carbon settlements by 2020, each containing at least 5,000 homes with a high percentage of affordable housing.

The Electricity Supply Board has urged government to consider various ways in which different modes of transport could be powered by electricity as a way of reducing Ireland's carbon emissions and meeting EU targets. Speaking at the Irish Management Institute national conference, ESB chief executive Padraig McManus said that the ESB was working towards having zero net carbon emissions by 2035. He estimated that it would take 2,000 megawatts a day to power all of Ireland's cars, noting that this could easily be supplied by electricity companies during the night, when demand is low.

The Canadian government is being urged not to sell huge volumes of water to the parched USA as NGOs warn that, despite appearances to the contrary, the northern neighbour is not a 'great green sponge'. The USA faces severe water shortages in three distinct regions - the South west, Midwest and South East. Canada, on the other hand, has a water resource comparable to that of the USA but only 10% of the population.

Water will become an increasingly important commodity, with societies finding success in large part due to how smartly they address supply and demand. Comhar: Charging households directly for their water could solve shortages That is according to Comhar Sustainable Development Council, a national forum and advisory body set up by the Irish government in 1999. It warned that the Greater Dublin Area would run out of water in less than ten years unless action is taken now.

Key figures from the shipping industry met this week to discuss proposals to slash harmful emissions and recycling end-of-life vessels. The shipping industry says it recognises the need to curb its emissions The International Maritime Organisation's environmental committee met in London this week to look at self regulation and the introduction of codes of conduct which the industry would be expected to abide by.

A Euro 500m gas storage plant has been approved by the Irish Planning Board. An Bord Pleanala approved construction of the facility in the Shannon Estuary, between Ballylongford and Tarbert in County Kerry. It is believed that the plant will be capable of supplying around 60% of the country's gas needs and will feature five large storage tanks. The tanks will also be used to store strategic reserves of gas, which could be used in the event of a world energy crisis.

Waste management company Greenstar has acquired Dunstable Waste Group, a Bedfordshire-based commercial waste disposal and recycling business trading as Firbank Chiltern. The new acquisition continues the company's move to become a fully integrated firm with interests across the whole of the UK. Last year, Greenstar acquired Verdant Group, a residential municipal services provider in the UK. Commenting on the acquisition, Greenstar chief executive Ian Wakel said: "This deal gives Greenstar a bigger footprint in the South East of England.

A streamlined permitting system - which Government claims will cut red tape without putting the environment at risk - come into force for the waste sector and heavy industry at the weekend. The new system will focus on high-risk businesses while easing the regulatory burden on those with a proven environmental record and less hazardous processes. In practice this will mean less site visits and form filling for those seen as low risk and closer scrutiny of those whose activities pose the greatest threat to the environment.

An inspection on May 25, 2005, found an illegal waste transfer station where waste was being stored, sorted and disposed of, located on the abandoned Ballyhill Road at Nutts Corner. Samuel Maginty, trading as A1 Skips, was found to have also carried out earthworks to extend the site using controlled wastes. He was fined