James Bevan (diplomat)

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

Sir James Bevan KCMG
Chief Executive of the Environment Agency
Incumbent
Assumed office 2015
Preceded by	Paul Leinster
High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India
In office 2011–2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Richard Stagg
Succeeded by	Dominic Asquith
Personal details
Born	13 July 1959
Nationality	British
Education	Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
Alma mater	Sussex University
Occupation	Diplomat

Early life

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

Career

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.

Bevan undertook a controversial decision to weaken environmental standards of rivers as part of post-Brexit proposals which would amend the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD). Just 14% of English rivers have been assessed under the directive as good. The directive sees water quality as an area that can have the most significant impact on the environment and examines factors such as biology, physical character, depth, width, flow and pollution as part of the four tests. Bevan's proposal would see quality only reflecting one of the four criteria which campaigners believe would present a false view of water quality.[6]

Personal life

Sir James is married with three daughters.

Honours

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

References

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. "Environment Agency chief supports plan to weaken river pollution rules". theGuardian.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.