Programme objectives

PREMIAM works across government and with the wider scientific, environmental and emergency response communities to continually strengthen the UK's approach to post-incident environmental monitoring and impact assessment following marine pollution incidents. 

The programme aims to ensure that monitoring is timely, proportionate, coordinated and scientifically robust, providing the evidence needed to understand environmental impacts and support effective decision-making. 

Our objectives 

PREMIAM aims to: 

• Work collaboratively to review and improve post-incident environmental monitoring and impact assessment practices; 

• Maintain and develop the PREMIAM Guidelines and supporting resources, ensuring they continue to reflect current science, best practice and lessons learned from marine pollution incidents and exercises; 

• Provide a coordinating framework for the UK, supporting effective and integrated post-incident monitoring and impact assessment following marine pollution incidents; 

• Promote the generation and use of high-quality scientific evidence to support responders, environmental advisers, policy makers and decision-makers; 

• Share knowledge, information and expertise across government, helping to improve consistency, strengthen capability and make effective use of available resources; 

• Strengthen collaboration between PREMIAM partners and the wider scientific, environmental and emergency response communities, including industry and non-government organisations and; 

• Identify evidence and capability gaps in emergency preparedness, response and post-incident monitoring, and provide a forum in which research needs and priorities can be considered and communicated. 

Putting the objectives into practice 

Through these objectives, PREMIAM supports a professional, efficient and fit-for-purpose approach to post-incident environmental monitoring and impact assessment. 

The PREMIAM Guidelines, national network of expertise and monitoring coordination arrangements help ensure that monitoring following an incident can: 

Respond quickly 

Gather early evidence of environmental exposure, contamination and potential impacts, including baseline information for areas that may be at risk. 

Use the right expertise 

Identify and bring together appropriate scientific, technical and environmental expertise. 

Apply appropriate techniques 

Use scientifically robust and proportionate monitoring and assessment methods appropriate to the incident and the environmental receptors potentially affected. 

Make effective use of resources 

Focus monitoring effort where it can provide meaningful evidence and avoid unnecessary or duplicated activity. 

Apply and improve best practice 

Draw on established guidance, scientific evidence and lessons learned from previous incidents, exercises and monitoring programmes. 

Coordinate and integrate 

Bring together monitoring activities, organisations and evidence to support a coherent understanding of environmental impacts and recovery. 

Working together 

PREMIAM is supported by a cross-government Steering Group bringing together organisations with responsibilities and expertise across marine pollution response, environmental regulation, conservation and scientific assessment. 

This collaborative approach helps ensure that PREMIAM continues to evolve, maintaining UK preparedness and strengthening the scientific evidence available to support environmental decision-making following marine pollution incidents.