Future water resources
This briefing sets out the challenges for future water resources in England. It covers future water resource forecasts, policy and legislation, and planned actions to address the water supply deficit.

Tar sands (oil sands) have potential to provide a significant fraction of future global oil demand but there are concerns, acknowledged in an EC Fuel Quality Directive, about their environmental impact, not least on greenhouse gas emissions.
Tar sands (161 KB , PDF)
Tar sands (or oil sands) are a naturally occurring mixture of sand, clay or other minerals, water and bitumen. According to the International Energy Agency, Canadian oil sands are expected to assume a rapidly expanding role in meeting future oil demand. However, there are environmental concerns associated with, among other things, the carbon dioxide (CO2) released during the extraction and processing of tar sands to produce useable fuel. Other environmental issues relate to water use, mining waste and deforestation.
The EC Fuel Quality Directive, as amended, introduces the requirement for fuel and energy suppliers (principally those providing fuel and energy for land-based transport, and other non-road mobile machinery) to reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of the fuel/energy that they supply by 6% per unit of energy by 2020. The European Commission has published a draft directive which sets out a methodology for determining greenhouse gas emissions; this differentiates the natural bitumen in tar sands from conventional crude oil. The Canadian Government has argued that such discrimination is unfair and not based on credible science.
Tar sands (161 KB , PDF)
This briefing sets out the challenges for future water resources in England. It covers future water resource forecasts, policy and legislation, and planned actions to address the water supply deficit.
The Water Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024, and its second reading took place on 28 March 2025. The second reading debate was adjourned, and is scheduled to continue on 4 July 2025, if there is time in the sitting. The Library briefing provides an overview of the bill and background information.
Typical household energy bills increased by 54% in April 2022 and 27% in October 2022. Lower wholesale prices have led to falls in prices, but current bills are still 43% above their winter 2021/22 levels.