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Summary

Our Strategy for sustainable development has four main aims. These are:

social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;
effective protection of the environment;
prudent use of natural resources; and
maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.

For the UK, priorities for the future are:

more investment in people and equipment for a competitive economy;
reducing the level of social exclusion;
promoting a transport system which provides choice, and also minimises environmental harm and reduces congestion;
improving the larger towns and cities to make them better places to live and work;
directing development and promoting agricultural practices to protect and enhance the countryside and wildlife;
improving energy efficiency and tackling waste;
working with others to achieve sustainable development internationally.

Government policy will take account of ten guiding principles set out in chapter 4:

putting people at the centre;
taking a long term perspective;
taking account of costs and benefits;
creating an open and supportive economic system;
combating poverty and social exclusion;
respecting environmental limits;
the precautionary principle;
using scientific knowledge;
transparency, information, participation and access to justice;
making the polluter pay.

We have developed a way of measuring progress by a system of 'indicators' which are explained in chapter 3. Headline indicators identify the key issues relating to quality of life. We shall publish the headline indicators every year and report on our actions and forward plans.

Chapter 5 describes measures to build sustainable development into policies and decisions, in Government and across society.

Chapter 6 looks at how to create a sustainable economy with less impact on the environment.

Chapter 7 discusses how we plan to support better communities for people to live and work in.

Chapter 8 describes the strategy to protect our environment and natural resources, both for their own sake and for the contribution they make to our economic vitality.

Sustainable development is very much an international issue and Chapter 9 deals with international co-operation.

Chapter 10 looks briefly at the progress made in the past, the priorities for the immediate future and how we shall report on the result of our actions. The Government will publish an annual review of progress, starting in 2000.

A better quality of lifeprovides a national focus from which local and regional action can also follow. We have set a target for all local authorities to prepare local sustainable development 'Local Agenda 21' strategies by the year 2000 and hope to have sustainable development frameworks for each English region by the end of 2000.

The Government cannot do the job alone. We need to work together, forging partnerships with business, local authorities and voluntary groups. There are many initiatives where industry and local communities are already making a difference.

Everybody can help. We are investing in a major information campaign, Are you doing your bit?, to explain how small changes by individuals can add up to really major improvements for us all.

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Updated: 07 March 2005