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{{Short description|British diplomat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| honorific-prefix = [[Sir]]
| name = Sir James Bevan
| name = James Bevan
|honorific-suffix = [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]]
|honorific-suffix = [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]]
| image = James_Bevan.jpg
| image = James_Bevan.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption =
| office = [[Chief Executive]] of the [[Environment Agency]]
| office = Former Chief Executive of the [[Environment Agency]]
| term_start = 2015
| term_start = 2015
| term_end =
| term_end = 2023
| predecessor = [[Paul Leinster]]
| predecessor = [[Paul Leinster]]
| successor =
| successor = Philip Duffy
| office2 = [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to India|High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India]]
| office2 = [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to India|High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India]]
| monarch2 = [[Elizabeth II]]
| monarch2 = [[Elizabeth II]]
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| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''Sir James David Bevan''' [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]] (born 13 July 1959) is the [[Chief Executive]] of the [[Environment Agency]] and a former [[United Kingdom|British]] [[diplomat]].
'''Sir James David Bevan''' [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]] (born 13 July 1959) is the former [[Chief Executive]] of the [[Environment Agency]] and a former [[United Kingdom|British]] [[diplomat]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
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Bevan became Chief Executive of the [[Environment Agency]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir James Bevan has been appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-appoints-new-chief-executive}}</ref> The Environment Agency's stated aims include confronting climate change, promoting [[sustainable growth]], enhancing the nation's resilience to flooding and drought, and protecting the environment. He has been outspoken<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/speech-climate-change-too-true-to-be-good|title=Speech - Climate change: too true to be good|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/escaping-the-jaws-of-death-ensuring-enough-water-in-2050|title=Escaping the jaws of death: ensuring enough water in 2050|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref> on the need to tackle the climate emergency and its consequences, and on the benefits for business and wider society of doing so successfully.
Bevan became Chief Executive of the [[Environment Agency]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir James Bevan has been appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-appoints-new-chief-executive}}</ref> The Environment Agency's stated aims include confronting climate change, promoting [[sustainable growth]], enhancing the nation's resilience to flooding and drought, and protecting the environment. He has been outspoken<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/speech-climate-change-too-true-to-be-good|title=Speech - Climate change: too true to be good|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/escaping-the-jaws-of-death-ensuring-enough-water-in-2050|title=Escaping the jaws of death: ensuring enough water in 2050|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref> on the need to tackle the climate emergency and its consequences, and on the benefits for business and wider society of doing so successfully.


In a speech in 2020, Bevan called for reforms to inherited EU law, including the repeal of the Floods Directive and reform of the [[Water Framework Directive]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/in-praise-of-red-tape-getting-regulation-right | title=In praise of red tape: Getting regulation right }}</ref> Environmental advocates were angered by the proposed reforms to the Water Framework Directive, arguing it would result in relaxing standards needed to ensure clean waterways in the country.<ref name="Guardian2020">{{cite news |last1=Laville |first1=Sandra |title=Environment Agency chief supports plan to weaken river pollution rules |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/environment-agency-chief-backs-plan-to-water-down-river-cleanliness-rules-james-bevan |work=The Guardian |date=19 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
In a speech in 2020, Bevan called for reforms to inherited EU law, including reform of the [[Water Framework Directive]], arguing that its standards were overly strict and did not reflect the actual quality of waterways.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bevan |first=James |date=4 August 2020 |title="In praise of red tape: getting regulation right" |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/in-praise-of-red-tape-getting-regulation-right |access-date=10 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Environmental advocates were angered by the proposed reforms, arguing they represented an unacceptable relaxing of standards needed to ensure clean waterways in the country.<ref name="Guardian2020">{{cite news |last1=Laville |first1=Sandra |title=Environment Agency chief supports plan to weaken river pollution rules |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/environment-agency-chief-backs-plan-to-water-down-river-cleanliness-rules-james-bevan |work=The Guardian |date=19 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref>


He said in 2021 during the annual conference of the [[Association of British Insurers]] that extreme [[Flood|flooding]] in UK indicates urgent need for change if humanity is to survive.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Climate crisis hits 'worst case scenario' levels – Environment Agency head {{!}} Environment Agency |url=https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/23/climate-crisis-hitting-worst-case-scenarios-warns-environment-agency-head|access-date=2021-09-21|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Watching the wolf: Why the climate emergency threatens us all|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/watching-the-wolf-why-the-climate-emergency-threatens-us-all|access-date=2021-09-21|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref>
He said in 2021 during the annual conference of the [[Association of British Insurers]] that extreme [[Flood|flooding]] in UK indicates urgent need for change if humanity is to survive.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Climate crisis hits 'worst case scenario' levels – Environment Agency head {{!}} Environment Agency |url=https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/23/climate-crisis-hitting-worst-case-scenarios-warns-environment-agency-head|access-date=2021-09-21|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Watching the wolf: Why the climate emergency threatens us all|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/watching-the-wolf-why-the-climate-emergency-threatens-us-all|access-date=2021-09-21|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref>
He was succeeded by Phillip Duffy in 2023.

==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Sir James is married with three daughters.
Sir James is married with three daughters.
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[[Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex]]
[[Category:People educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe]]
[[Category:People educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe]]
[[Category:High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to India]]
[[Category:High commissioners of the United Kingdom to India]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]

Latest revision as of 21:58, 29 September 2024

Sir
James Bevan
KCMG
Former Chief Executive of the Environment Agency
In office
2015–2023
Preceded byPaul Leinster
Succeeded byPhilip Duffy
High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India
In office
2011–2015
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byRichard Stagg
Succeeded byDominic Asquith
Personal details
Born (1959-07-13) 13 July 1959 (age 65)
NationalityBritish
EducationRoyal Grammar School, High Wycombe
Alma materSussex University
OccupationDiplomat

Sir James David Bevan KCMG (born 13 July 1959) is the former Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and a former British diplomat.

Early life

[edit]

Bevan was born on 13 July 1959. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe and Sussex University.

Career

[edit]

He joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1982 and served in Kinshasa, Brussels, Paris, and Washington, as well as various posts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was a visiting fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard (2006–07) and the Chief Operating Officer of the FCO (2007–11). He was the UK's High Commissioner to India from 2011-15.[1][2]

Bevan became Chief Executive of the Environment Agency in 2015.[3] The Environment Agency's stated aims include confronting climate change, promoting sustainable growth, enhancing the nation's resilience to flooding and drought, and protecting the environment. He has been outspoken[4][5] on the need to tackle the climate emergency and its consequences, and on the benefits for business and wider society of doing so successfully.

In a speech in 2020, Bevan called for reforms to inherited EU law, including reform of the Water Framework Directive, arguing that its standards were overly strict and did not reflect the actual quality of waterways.[6] Environmental advocates were angered by the proposed reforms, arguing they represented an unacceptable relaxing of standards needed to ensure clean waterways in the country.[7]

He said in 2021 during the annual conference of the Association of British Insurers that extreme flooding in UK indicates urgent need for change if humanity is to survive.[8][9] He was succeeded by Phillip Duffy in 2023.

Personal life

[edit]

Sir James is married with three daughters.

Honours

[edit]

Bevan was appointed CMG in 2006 and knighted KCMG in 2012.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ High Commissioner's biography – UK in India
  2. ^ Change of British High Commissioner to India, Foreign and Commonwealth Office press release, 9 May 2011
  3. ^ "Sir James Bevan has been appointed chief executive of the Environment Agency".
  4. ^ "Speech - Climate change: too true to be good". GOV.UK. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Escaping the jaws of death: ensuring enough water in 2050". GOV.UK. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  6. ^ Bevan, James (4 August 2020). ""In praise of red tape: getting regulation right"". Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  7. ^ Laville, Sandra (19 August 2020). "Environment Agency chief supports plan to weaken river pollution rules". The Guardian.
  8. ^ "Climate crisis hits 'worst case scenario' levels – Environment Agency head | Environment Agency". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Watching the wolf: Why the climate emergency threatens us all". GOV.UK. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
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