EDM 778: Blue Flag status for rivers

That this House calls for a new Blue Flag status for rivers and chalk streams; notes that as globally rare and ecologically unique habitats, chalk streams are not only ripe contenders for the attribution of the status but fundamentally require the formal recognition for their survival, especially given the persistent sewage dumping scandals and good categorisation of only 14% of England’s rivers; further notes the anticipated benefits of the Blue Flag status in advocating for enhanced responsibility and accountability from water companies, maintained via compliance checks and stringent environmental standards; and further calls on environmental champions to prioritise chalk streams, as pinnacles of biodiversity under threat, by raising awareness of the need for a new Blue Flag status.