As you advance in your medical career, you may find yourself in the position to open your own private clinic. For many, this can be a stressful decision. For one, you’d be leaving the comfort of the hospital to branch out on your own but for others, the ability to
GroupBC’s common data environment (CDE) will be at the centre of the expansion of Birmingham Airport, enabling optimum document and information management during the extensive construction, handover and operational processes. As part of Birmingham Airport’s Master Plan – a £500m capital investment to transform the airport into a world-class facility
Productivity is the key to a successful career. Without it, you can find yourself spinning your wheels. That can be a frustrating, unnecessary feeling. Here are a few ways to avoid feeling frustrated and start feeling productive. Use a Bullet Journal to Tackle Your To-Do List It might sound a
New polling, published today, shows the scale of the challenge faced by the homebuilding sector as it holds a summit to plot a route map to net zero carbon housing and other environmental objectives. The summit, with delegates including Government officials, house builders, energy suppliers, material and appliance manufacturers and
Until the late 20th century, Forex trading was only accessible to institutions. Today, large banks and corporations exchange currencies alongside individuals. Retail traders in the UK monitor finance trends and make profitable decisions with assistance from local brokers. These intermediaries do not only give access to the market but also
Robert Kerr from Rotherham, has recently joined the Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire executive team as Construction Director. With almost four decades experience in the construction industry, it is a role he is well placed to undertake. Robert, age 54, who is known as Bob, was most recently Construction Director at
A design by TODD Architects for the £50 million regeneration of Queen’s Parade, a 13 acre (5.26 hectares) waterfront site in Bangor, near Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been submitted for planning. The scheme will see Bangor’s Marine Gardens returned to its heyday of Victorian seaside elegance whilst creating a vibrant
A major new facility for UK timber trade has opened up on the River Medway in Kent following a £27m investment by operators Peel Ports. The site at Wellmarsh provides scope for storage, processing and handling of all timber types. The facility is based at the Port of Sheerness, which
Banking has come a long way throughout history. With improvements in technology, businesses and regular jobs have made banking a necessity. As of now, there are a gazillion banks around the globe managing the finances of people, organizations, governments, etc. A shift towards technological advancements in the banking sector has
Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving
As you advance in your medical career, you may find yourself in the position to open your own private clinic. For many, this can be a stressful decision. For one, you’d be leaving the comfort of the hospital to branch out on your own but for others, the ability to run your own clinic is part of the attraction. When building and owning a private practice, you have the control and the ability to steer the practice in the direction you want. There is a lot to be said for that amount of control whether you are an MBBS doctor or a medical assistant (see medical assistant programs here). However, it does come with challenges. The following will discuss aspects of starting your own practice and inform you of common missteps. There is no time like the present, don’t delay! While pursuing your medical career, you should constantly think about what you want for the future. If opening your own practice is something you’re interested in, consider the ramifications while you’re still in school. Thinking about the direction you want to go while still performing your internship or residency will help you make more informed decisions later on. It will also help you network with the right people to get your practice off the ground down the road. When it comes to getting your practice off the ground, give yourself a six-month head start. This will allow you the proper timing for the paperwork and credentials to clear if you need them. Get Your Finances in Order A private practice is a business and it will take capital to get it up and running. Many times you’ll need the help of a bank to secure a loan. You’ll want to do your research on the bank and the loan type for your practice. You’ll also want to put together a business plan and budget so the bank will understand what you’re trying to accomplish and the potential for growth in your industry. Having a good business model will help the bank make an informed decision on your loan, but it will also help define your vision moving forward. Take Your Time Vetting Employees Finding the right support staff is essential to running your practice. In fact, it is essential that you hire the right employees. When going through the hiring process, take your time. You want to be sure that you attract the right type of employee to your clinic, one who shares the same goals and level of service. You want staff that reflects your core values and echoes your philosophy. Also, consider the expense of hiring someone who doesn’t fit into your model, over time, this employee could end up costing you money and clients. Don’t’ be afraid to let someone go either, especially if they aren’t meeting your expectations. Don’t Get Too Focused on the Latest Technology We live in an amazing world where technology is expanding our horizons. The medical industry is no exception. Technology can be used to streamline the way you handle your patients from setting appointments to digitizing their records, but it can also be an effective tool to improving procedures. Don’t get caught up in the “latest” craze though. Make your practice efficient with the best technology available but don’t feel like you have to compete when it comes to the biggest or best gadgets, general facility fit out, chairs, or medical equipment. Focus on the Business In that past it was difficult to see the field of medicine as a traditional business but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. If you run your practice with a good foundation in business practice, the rest will fall into place. Of course, medicine does have its quirks but that doesn’t mean the basic rules don’t apply. If you don’t have a background in business management, consider hiring someone who does. An office manager who appreciates that side of the industry will do wonders for your practice and its success.
GroupBC’s common data environment (CDE) will be at the centre of the expansion of Birmingham Airport, enabling optimum document and information management during the extensive construction, handover and operational processes. As part of Birmingham Airport’s Master Plan – a £500m capital investment to transform the airport into a world-class facility – GroupBC was selected for its industry-wide reputation as a digital information expert and specific industry expertise, having worked recently with Heathrow Airport and Dubai Airport. Presented on a user-friendly interface, GroupBC’s CDE is a turnkey construction solution which drives efficiency across the design, construction and operational phases. During these periods, GroupBC’s CDE will prove vital in coordinating the flow of information; particularly in terms of enabling the review, verification and approval of documents, drawings and models. With the CDE, project teams will be able to quickly identify the status of information all held securely on a single system. Speaking on the latest success, Stuart Bell, Sales & Marketing Director at GroupBC, said: “After winning both Heathrow and Dubai airports, securing the Birmingham Airport project is testimony to our expertise in working with major aviation clients. GroupBC’s CDE is widely used in the owner operator space due to its industry leading modern interface, rapid deployment and fast return on investment.” Marie Trembacki, Operations Manager at SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins, on behalf of Birmingham Airport, added: “Birmingham Airport will be a catalyst for growth across the Midlands, driving economic benefit to the region and the whole of the UK. We’ve been impressed with GroupBC’s CDE interface, which will encourage usability and reduce delays in information exchange to keep the project on track.” Supporting compliance with BIM Level 2, GroupBC’s CDE is the Airports single source of information, enabling project teams to access and disseminate live, up-to-date data without any duplication of effort. A templated implementation approach ensured the system was quick to deploy and when live delivered immediate governance to the project. With GroupBC’s CDE now delivering consistent, auditable information, the airport will be able to access, collate and review verified information any time, any place, in a professional, powerful and refined asset information management system, worthy of, what will be, one of the UK’s largest airports.
Productivity is the key to a successful career. Without it, you can find yourself spinning your wheels. That can be a frustrating, unnecessary feeling. Here are a few ways to avoid feeling frustrated and start feeling productive. Use a Bullet Journal to Tackle Your To-Do List It might sound a little too old school but trust us, a bullet journal can help you tackle your to-do list with precision. A bullet journal is just a way of making lists using a bulleted list template. All you need in order to begin is a basic notebook. You’ll then divide it up into four sections where you can track your daily activities. Turn Off Your Notifications You don’t need to be randomized with every single thing that happens in your online world. A new email message, a social media notification, etc. can cost you an hour of your day. It’s true. A 10-minute distraction can result in the loss of an entire hour. Even worse, keeping electronics on right before bed can affect your sleep and overall health the next day. Don’t let yourself be distracted by the small stuff. Turn off the notifications on your smartphone. Control Your Social Media Time Spending time on social media can rob you of hours from your day. You think you’re just posting a quick update but then suddenly, you find yourself in the endless scroll trap that causes time to fly by far too quickly. That fight about politics or disagreement about the color of a dress just isn’t worth your precious time. Consider using an app blocker that will prevent you from accessing social media apps during certain hours. Tackle the Big Stuff First Don’t let yourself procrastinate from the things that really matter. Put the big stuff at the top of the to-do list. That’s the stuff that will have the biggest impact on your life, so why not conquer it and reap the benefits? Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Quick Tasks Come Second Once you’ve conquered the big stuff on your list, look at the quick stuff. If there are any two-minute tasks on your list, get them done. You will feel more productive when you see your to-do list dwindling. As a result, it will help motivate you to conquer even more. Don’t Sit in Meetings All Day Meetings are one of the biggest wastes of time. Sure, there are important meetings that need to happen in order to keep the channels of communication open between the team. However, most meetings aren’t like that. Most of them are just a time suck and you spend most of the meeting wondering why they even included you on the invite list. Do yourself a favor and try the following: Cut your current meeting times down by 25%. Try stand-up meetings where you have a quick chat at your desk. Evaluate the meetings on your calendar and ask yourself if they’re really necessary. By trying these six productivity hacks, you should be able to carve out enough time to breathe and enjoy life. The important thing is to work smarter, not harder. Becoming productive is the key to making that happen.
New polling, published today, shows the scale of the challenge faced by the homebuilding sector as it holds a summit to plot a route map to net zero carbon housing and other environmental objectives. The summit, with delegates including Government officials, house builders, energy suppliers, material and appliance manufacturers and environmental groups will discuss the scale of the challenge and start to plot a road map for delivery. Today’s results, based on polling by Public First, show that 20% of people put environmental concerns in their top three biggest issues facing the country (higher than terrorism, access to quality education, taxation or public transport). However, over half (54%) of the people polled were not aware of the energy efficiency rating of their current home when they moved in demonstrating the need for further consumer education. Consumers put saving money over environmental concerns when assessing why they went for an environmentally friendly home; with the most popular adaptations being triple glazing and water saving devices. However, 20% of people said they had not lived in a home with any environmental adaptations and only 8% said they had lived in a home, or knew someone who had lived in a home, with a heat pump. 80% of people polled are living in a home with a gas boiler, underlining the scale of the task posed by the requirement to heat new homes without gas boilers from 2025. Whilst the industry faces a whole host of challenges to meet the Government’s commitment to net zero, taking consumers – future home buyers – on the journey will be absolutely key. The research also found almost a third of people (29%) think mortgage providers should factor in energy bills when assessing a mortgage application – more than those thinking the number of children should be considered! More generally, whilst over two thirds of people are positive about the Government’s net zero emissions target for the country, only 12% think they should focus on cutting emissions form homes, compared to 42% for factories, 23% public transport and 25% on cars. Consumer engagement is just one of the issues being considered today in London by a broad range of stakeholders looking at how the sector could deliver the Government’s challenging net zero emissions target from 2050 as well as other environmental objectives. Whilst the industry has made significant progress over recent years, the milestones for delivery are looming large including; 2020 changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, (the current options include a 31% reduction in emissions from new homes) 2025 introduction of Future Homes Standard (including the effective ‘ban’ on gas boilers in new homes) 2050 target for net zero emissions from homes. As well as implementing a step change in how new homes and hot water are heated, delegates will also consider the vast range of other challenges that come under the environmental banner, including; Delivering further thermal efficiency improvements to new houses Providing a robust electricity network that can cope with increased demand from heating systems, plus other new sources such as car charging points Developing a range of new environmentally friendly technologies, supply chains and the skills to manufacture, install and maintain them whilst keeping a mindful eye on the end user and the need to provide customers with usable and practical solutions. Creating developments that deliver increased biodiversity once complete Speaking today, Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said; “The scale and scope of the environmental challenge we face is daunting, but it is one we are committed to tackling. Today was the start of a long journey that only underlined the broad range of stakeholders and issues involved. We have all committed to work together to develop a route map for how we deliver net zero homes and the range of other linked requirements. “Consumers will be key. Ultimately builders need to sell their wares and we need to ensure the homes and technologies are acceptable and deliver for the homeowner and the environment.” The polling also showed that; 37% of people said they would be willing to pay more for a ‘zero carbon’ new home; versus 36% who wouldn’t. Of those who say they would consider energy efficiency when moving home, 56% said it would be more for low ongoing bills compared to 39% who want to help the environment. Interestingly, when asked which outgoings should be considered by a lender when assessing a homebuyer’s mortgage application, almost 30% listed energy bills. Only current debts (51%) and council tax (34%) were higher. HBF is currently talking to lenders about a ‘green mortgage’. Of those polled 67% think new builds are more energy efficient. When those who were considering buying a new build were asked what factors might influence their views on deciding between two different home builders, ‘the respective companies’ environmental credentials was the third most popular answer only behind ‘reputation for quality work’ and ‘how attractive their home are’
Until the late 20th century, Forex trading was only accessible to institutions. Today, large banks and corporations exchange currencies alongside individuals. Retail traders in the UK monitor finance trends and make profitable decisions with assistance from local brokers. These intermediaries do not only give access to the market but also educate clients on the most viable Forex trading strategies. Dozens of companies are advertising brokerage services online. Due to the incredible popularity of Forex trading around the world, the existence of scam sites is not surprising. Since brokers handle their clients’ financial operations, it is vital to make the right choice. This article will help you identify reliable operators in your country. Crucial Selection Criteria Use the following list of factors to weed out scammers. See if you can answer these questions. 1. Does the company comply with UK regulations? What regulatory body is it monitored by? The company must have a licence to conduct business in the United Kingdom. This information should be clearly stated on their website, as it is a sign of credibility. Check the list of regulating bodies carefully. After all, your financial flows will go through the broker. 2. Do client reviews look genuine? Online feedback can hardly be perceived as a reliable source of opinions. However, when reviews are fake or paid, this may be deduced from the language. Look at specialized platforms with comparisons of Forex operators. 3. How much are the transaction costs? The spreads (i.e., the difference between the Ask and Bid values) determine the broker’s commission for every transaction. Although it is natural to seek the lowest fees, remember that these must look realistic. 4. Are there any hidden fees? Unscrupulous providers may use deceptive passages in their Terms and Conditions. Reliable brokers, on the other hand, make all the conditions transparent. 5. How much is the minimum deposit? This usually depends on the type of account you open. Can you afford to start trading with this broker? 6. Are their deposit and withdrawal methods convenient? This determines your ability to make transfers using the accepted methods. 7. Does the broker offer comprehensive guidance? Renowned Forex providers supply clients with tonnes of educational material. Demo accounts should be available, so you can practice trades with zero risks. You should also be able to reach the support centre around the clock, at least on weekdays. Example: Trading with FXTM Established in 2011, this brand is now truly global. With 2+ million clients in 150 countries, it boasts impressive geographical coverage. In the UK, the company is subject to regulation by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). The mission of this entity is to protect consumers, enhance market integrity and promote competition in the finance field. Over the years, FXTM has collected over 25 industry awards. The firm is usually included in annual forex broker reviews. Importantly, all client funds are kept separate from corporate assets. This adds another degree of protection. Other competitive advantages include: Other UK Brokers Here are a few other brokers with positive trust ratings. All of them are regulated by FCA. Check the companies’ sites for exact terms and conditions of trading.
Robert Kerr from Rotherham, has recently joined the Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire executive team as Construction Director. With almost four decades experience in the construction industry, it is a role he is well placed to undertake. Robert, age 54, who is known as Bob, was most recently Construction Director at a Bradford based housebuilder. Bob was attracted to Harron Homes because of the high specification of the properties it builds and the opportunity the role offered to develop the construction and customer care teams to further improve customer satisfaction. He said “It’s a very exciting time for the business and I’m eager to use my skills to drive Harron Homes towards its future goals.” Noel Adams, Managing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire, said: “Bob’s wealth of experience means he was an obvious choice for the post. “Our operational area boasts some of the UK’s most attractive locations, some of its richest history and some of its most charming communities. “I am proud to say that the company has experienced great success over the past two decades years bringing high quality, family homes to these areas and with Bob’s input we look forward to playing our part in meeting the continued demand.” When he’s not out on site, Bob enjoys both playing and watching football, and spending time with his family – wife Julie and daughters Lauren and Emily. Harron Homes is currently building a range of executive new homes across Yorkshire, from Harrogate to Barnsley and Huddersfield to Howden, including a number of new developments due to launch in 2020 in Pocklington and Carlton. Harron Homes was founded in 1992 in Leeds. For more information about careers or for details of the homes for sale visit www.harronhomes.co.uk.
A design by TODD Architects for the £50 million regeneration of Queen’s Parade, a 13 acre (5.26 hectares) waterfront site in Bangor, near Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been submitted for planning. The scheme will see Bangor’s Marine Gardens returned to its heyday of Victorian seaside elegance whilst creating a vibrant mixed-use development of residential, hotel, office, retail and cultural and recreation floorspace in the heart of the town centre. The Queen’s Parade project, led by Developer Bangor Marine Ltd, is being developed in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Ards and North Down Council. It aims to create a premier year-round waterfront destination for Bangor and for Northern Ireland and is seen as critical to the future of the town and maximising the economic growth potential of the wider borough of Ards and North Down. It forms part of a combined investment of £110 million in Bangor over the next 10 years that is set to generate new jobs, shops, offices, homes and tourist attractions. Nigel Murray, Associate at TODD Architects, says: “This is a rare project, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to define the town for generations to come. The design takes its direction from the unique character of Bangor as a seaside town, marrying old and new, responding to the needs of residents and visitors alike. A prime objective has been to re-stitch the town back together, with TODD Architects’ design for Queen’s Parade placing great emphasis on maintaining and creating connectivity through linked lanes and streets, whilst also providing welcoming, social spaces. The scheme seeks to reconnect people to both the town and the sea, with one of the key elements being the creation of an elevated Market Square looking over the Marina and to Belfast Lough beyond, offering the town a different relationship to the water and creating a distinctive character of space to the seafront Marine Gardens. The waterfront will be re-activated by creating all year-round places and spaces to enjoy the water. A lively and inclusive public realm, elegant contemporary promenade and flexible outdoor event space are complemented by the residential and hotel elements which are key to providing 24/7 footfall. Continues Nigel: “Bringing new homes, office space and a hotel into the town centre also has a significant role to play in the regeneration of the area, improving the town centre’s viability by creating a critical mass of people in one place that can sustain the town’s other uses more effectively. At a time when the vitality of our high streets and town centres is of significant concern, these plans provide a template to reinvigorate the town centre through the delivery of a high quality mixed use proposal to secure long-term benefits for Bangor, creating employment, attracting visitors and stimulating further investment for the town and the local area.” Bangor Marine Limited is a joint venture partnership between NI property development company Karl Group and leading NI contractor Farrans, created specially to deliver the project. TODD Architects is the architect lead and, along with Turley, have led the delivery of the planning application submission for the Queen’s Parade area as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team including Atkins as transport engineers and Park Hood as landscape architects, with Wayne Hemingway as brand and vision consultant.
A major new facility for UK timber trade has opened up on the River Medway in Kent following a £27m investment by operators Peel Ports. The site at Wellmarsh provides scope for storage, processing and handling of all timber types. The facility is based at the Port of Sheerness, which is the largest terminal of its kind in the UK, handling 1.1 million tonnes of timber and forest products a year. The port already has 40-acres of timber storage facilities and Peel Ports’ investment takes it to a total of over 50 acres. The secure base is used to supply factories, production lines, construction projects and retailers, with rapid access to London via the M2 and M20. There is a further option for international distribution. The Port of Sheerness has 11 metres of water depth with no tidal restrictions or lock system, allowing for unrestricted 24 hour berthing. Port Director Richard Goffin said: “This investment is a direct response to the interest we’ve had from throughout the construction sector in using the Port of Sheerness as the ideal location for serving the south-east construction market. As well as supporting the local business community, we’re also proud to have created a number of new permanent jobs at the port, underlining the role we play as a major employer in the region.”
Banking has come a long way throughout history. With improvements in technology, businesses and regular jobs have made banking a necessity. As of now, there are a gazillion banks around the globe managing the finances of people, organizations, governments, etc. A shift towards technological advancements in the banking sector has given us a ton of newer avenues to work upon. Over the decades, more things have gone online than ever before. Not just businesses but a lot of other disciplines, such as research, higher education, medical sciences, etc. have benefitted from going online. There is a considerable relaxation on the physical entities, and in time, they’ll cease to exist. Another leap in banking: Neobanks Since the beginning of the resurgence in sophisticated technologies, banking started to adapt as per the digital norms as well. The world got indulged with Bitcoins and whatnot, but the real deal came in the form of a totally online system of banking. And this system came to be known as a Neobanking system. In a more straightforward tone, Neobanks are such banks that are totally online and operate their vast array of functions through a server. Perhaps the best thing about a Neobank is the fact that it doesn’t have a branch of any kind, unlike the physical banks. A single online portal will govern your banking processes no matter where you are. Knowing the benefits offered by Neobanks is something that should be a good update for the creative denizen. ● A global reach A Neobank allows you to access its features from any country across the globe. For example, if you want to know about your previous list of transactions while stationed in the UK, fret not for you can do it easily. Different neobanks in UK allow their clients to access several features just like every other standard bank. This lets people worry less about moving in and out of place for necessary proceedings. ● A single portal As mentioned above, a Neobank doesn’t have a branch. It means that the risk of moving from one place to another or losing a substantial amount of money amidst a transaction decreases to a great extent. This also allows the people to access any service of their liking without having to pay an extra fee to access it. Since it’s all online, the problem of having to worry
Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving this has been made. Since now we live in a digital world where we rely heavily upon the likes of technology and transport vehicles in our day to day lives, climate change has had huge effects on us because of this. Therefore, it’s important we understand how the implementation of policy changes set to help save the environment will impact us. 2050 Target: Net Zero Now The governments ‘net zero’ target to help cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was legislated in June 2019. This makes the UK the first major economy to legislate to end its contribution to global warming.[1] This latest move is a more ambitious plan than the country’s previous target of an 80% emissions reduction by 2050, taking it one step further – cutting emissions to as close to zero as possible in the same time period. David Taylor, Head of Corporate affairs and Innovation at Flogas, said: “With so many premises still relying on high-carbon traditional off-grid fuels like oil – and heating making such a major contribution to current emissions levels – the transition to lower-carbon alternatives is long overdue. LPG energy is the cleanest, most efficient and effective conventional off-grid fuel, so it is uniquely placed to help reduce emissions immediately. “Building on this, we see biopropane (or BioLPG) as a hugely significant part of the UK’s renewable future. Produced using biological sources (such as waste, sewage and energy crops), bioLPG is chemically-identical to LPG. This means it can be simply ‘dropped in’ to the UK’s existing, comprehensive LPG network – so it will become increasingly important as we strive to meet the UK’s new 2050 net zero deadline.” A Carbon Neutral Future may be in sight: The Clean Growth Strategy The governments introduction of the Clean Growth Strategy is another key attribute the UK’s move towards a carbon neutral future involves– a plan brought into place to help accelerate the pace of ‘clean growth’ by decreasing emissions whilst simultaneously increasing economic growth. Most notably, the Strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions in the six areas that together make up 100% of the UK’s emissions.[2] These are: Improving business and industry efficiency (25% of UK emissions) Improving efficiency within our homes (13% of UK emissions) Increasing the shift to low-carbon transport (24% of UK emissions) Delivering clean, smart, flexible power (21% of UK emissions) Enhancing the benefits and value of our natural resources (15% of UK emissions) Leading the public sector (2% of UK emissions) The government stated that they plan to roll out lower-carbon processes, technologies and systems across the whole nation in order turn this vision into a reality – doing so in the most cost-effective way possible for businesses and homes alike. The 2018 Road to Zero Strategy plan The road to zero strategy, first implemented in 2018, outlined the government’s plans to reduce road transport emissions and build greener infrastructure. Part of this plan will be encouraging the uptake of zero-emission cars, vans and trucks, as part of the government’s mission to tackle air pollution and deliver cleaner air across the country. Changes such as putting a stop to the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 is one of the most significant ways in which it intends to deliver this plan.[3] The UK government aims to make 50%-70% of new car registrations and 40% of new vans to give off ultra-low emissions by 2030.[4] What this means for the UK is that we’ll begin to see a huge rise in electric charging points as the government throws it weight behind the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). Despite the governments determined attempt to reduce carbon emissions, the introduction of Clean Air Zones (CAZ’s) into various UK cities has been delayed. Most recently, Leeds and Birmingham have experienced delays with their digital vehicle checking tools, which allow drivers to check the type of emissions their cars produce. Delays to the introduction of this software are likely to push back their plans to introduce Clean Air Zones.[5] United fight: The Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement was the initial catalyst that lead to many other legislation changes, ultimately helping strengthen the united fight against climate change. It saw more than 200 countries take part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, resulting in an agreement that strengthened action for a more sustainable, low carbon future. The Paris Agreement states that all parties involved, including the UK, aim to limit temperature rises to no more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial times and preferably less than 1.5 degrees. A regular five-year review will also take place to monitor progress as well as increased funding to developing countries to help keep them in line with similar national targets. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary [3] https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/69795/low-emission-road-zero-strategy/ [4] https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2018/07/09/government-launches-road-to-zero-strategy [5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48679008