Citation
(2006), "Review indicates problems in implementing sustainability in England", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 7 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe.2006.24907bab.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Review indicates problems in implementing sustainability in England
The recently published review, “The Next Steps – an Independent Review of Sustainable Development in the English Regions”, finds that a lack of joined-up thinking, conflicting government strategies and poor leadership mean that the regions are not delivering on sustainable development. The report recommends that:
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All regional development agencies and government offices should take immediate action on climate change with a package of new measures, including signing up to the Carbon Trust's carbon management programme to improve their energy efficiency and committing to 10 percent low carbon vehicles by 2012.
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Government offices should ensure that delivery of the national sustainable development strategy is no longer a small strand of rural policy, but their primary aim. All regional directors would then have to report on this new aim.
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Regional development agencies and regional assemblies should develop a proper accountability structure for sustainable development, to ensure that environmental and social issues are tackled at management board level.
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The current sustainable development roundtables should be transformed into stronger, well-resourced, independent champion bodies, which would both advise on and assess regional performance on sustainable development.
Further details are available from the UK Sustainable Development Commission at: www.sd-commission.org.uk