Thirty nature and climate groups - including RSPB, The Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Woodland Trust, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth - have published a joint statement and policy paper calling on political parties to reform the planning system to prioritise renewable energy and nature-restoration.

Hundreds of trees have been planted as part of the first project to trial natural flood management techniques to help improve protection for the people of Leeds and living near the River Aire.

Innovative new floating islands have been installed as part of a £6 million flood reduction joint project between Northumbrian Water, North Tyneside Council and the Environment Agency to increase flood protection to more than 3,500 homes in Killingworth and Long Benton.

A joint initiative between the Green Alliance and the National Trust is progressing work on a proposed Natural Infrastructure Scheme (NIS) model - the pioneering new funding concept would deliver environmental restoration and improvement via the model for creating private markets for ecosystem services from land.

Colas UK has been awarded the Killingbeck Meadows Flood Management Scheme, a key environmental project led by Leeds City Council in partnership with the Environment Agency, with a value estimated at just over £2 million.

Work has started on a two year £2.6 million natural flood management project in West Yorkshire led by the National Trust to help protect homes and nurture wildlife devastated by the Boxing Day floods of 2015.

Restoring more forests around Rio de Janeiro could save the city up to $79 million in water treatment costs, while dramatically reducing the amount of chemicals used to treat drinking water, a new study from the World Resources Institute has found.