Meet the scientists!

I am employed as a Scientific Officer for the Royal Navy, specialising in Environmental Science.   I look at Government Policy (and any environmental targets they set to reduce our environmental impact) and look for any new environmental law that affects the land (air, inland water and soil) that is being introduced.  I provide advice to all the Royal Navy’s Shore Establishments  ie the “land estate”.  These are places where we train our Service Personnel to fly helicopters, sail ships and gain other military skills before they go to sea or abroad.

I then assess how the Government policy/targets and law would impact on the Royal Navy’s Shore Establishments and then write the policy on how we should apply it to our work.  I also look at other ways we can work to minimise our environmental impact.  We then monitor how well we are doing in reducing our the impact of our activities on the environment.  Every year, I promote the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Environment Day for the Royal Navy with educational material that describes ways to minimise our environmental impact.

First thing, I reply to e-mails and telephone call queries from our Shore Establishments about recent changes to environmental law, MOD policy, RN policy, anything really to do with the environment for the land!  I may be asked to provide information on how well we are doing against the Government environmental targets.  Sometimes I could be called to a meeting with other Royal Navy departments or with the RAF or Army to discuss new ways of working that could reduce our environmental impact.  I could also be reviewing or writing our policy on how to take forward new Government policy and law that will reduce our environmental impact.  At the moment, I working on producing educational material for UNEP’s World Environment Day.