Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is fast becoming a by-word for better council
decision-making and delivering better council services. It is at the heart of good governance.

Sustainable development means:

• Placing greater emphasis on people’s well-being and quality of life – finding ways to bring prosperity sustainably and with equality.
• Thinking about the impacts of today’s actions on future generations – longer term vision that is informed by sound science.
• Protecting and enhancing the natural environment in which we live – recognising the earth’s ecological limits.

A world leading stance
Wales has taken the challenge head-on with a unique legal duty to promote sustainable development across all its functions, the Welsh Assembly Government seeks to drive improvement throughout the public services. All Assembly strategy and policy is assessed against sustainable development criteria and a scrutiny committee monitors progress in this area (see further information below).

The role of local authorities
All statutory local plans are required to deliver sustainable development.
The Wales Programme for Improvement positions sustainable development as a key component in effective, efficient performance.

• Community strategies must “promote and improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of their areas and contribute to the delivery of sustainable development in the UK”.
• Local authorities are large organisations, with significant capital assets and a large workforce. They must demonstrate strong leadership, by improving the sustainability of operations and aspirations.
• Local government works at the interface of society, the economy and the environment. Services relate directly to and impact significantly on these spheres and so what is done and how determines our contribution towards healthy, sustainable communities.
• Sustainable development challenges us to manage risk more effectively, recognising long-term risks such as fuel poverty or increased flood-risk and finding cross-service solutions that pro-actively exploit opportunities beyond simply mitigating such risks.

Key facts and figures
A review of sustainable development in local authorities in 2006 found limited progress and a widespread lack of understanding of the issues.

A National Consumer Council study found that 33% felt it was the job of government and industry to protect the environment. In the same study 52% were’ happy to do their bit for the environment’

The Welsh public sector spends an estimated £4.5bn a year – using this spend for public benefit and including social and environmental clauses can derive added value for Wales and its communities.

Wales currently consumes natural resources as if there were three planet earths – there is only one. Continued unsustainability adds to climate change and environmental degradation which is quite simply ecologically unsustainable.

Central to sustainable development is the notion of social justice. With growing inequalities and subsequent health inequalities, Wales now has 8 out of the UKs 10 worst health local authority areas.

Further information
Sustainable Development Framework (WLGA) Groundbreaking suite of guidance making practical sense of sustainable development in local government

Starting to Live Differently (Welsh Assembly Government) sustainable development scheme

The Sustainable Development Action Plan 2004-2007 (WAG)

Porritt, J. (2005). Capitalism as if the World Matters . London; Sterling, VA: (Earthscan) (Saesneg yn unig/English only)

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