To achieve sustainable development we need:
- social progress which recognises the needs of everyone
- effective protection of the environment
- prudent use of natural resources
- maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment
The East Midlands Regional Assembly website hosts a range of success stories from across the East Midlands.
East Midlands Sustainable Development Framework
The Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS) is the East Midlands Sustainable Development Framework and was published in 2000 then updated in January 2005.
The Framework covers all strategies in the region with the main aim to develop the East Midlands in a sustainable manner and is split into four themes:
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economic
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environment
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social
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spatial
Progress in achieving the sustainable development objectives of the IRS is reported in the East Midlands ‘State of the Region Report 2007’.
Promoting Sustainable Development Group
We work closely with the regional Promoting Sustainable Development Group to demonstrate and showcase sustainable development, lead on cross cutting issues, develop good practice and co-ordinate regional activity.
The Group membership is made up of key regional organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
More information - Promoting Sustainable Development Group
UK Sustainable Development Strategy
‘Securing the Future’, the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, was launched by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in March 2005. The Strategy updated ‘A Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the UK’ published in 1999.
The new national strategy is based around five principles;
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living within environmental limits
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ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
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achieving a sustainable economy
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promoting good governance
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using sound science responsibly
And contains four agreed priorities:
It also includes a new indicator set which is more outcome focused.
Sustainable Development In Your Pocket Indicators 2007 and The Environment in Your Pocket 2007
Pictures of the UK's environmental, social and economic wellbeing were first published on 2006, and updated during 2007, with more than half the official measurements showing improvement.
Securing the Region’s Futures
In 2006, the Government published ‘Securing the Regions’ Futures’ which sets out the ways in which Government is strengthening the delivery of sustainable development in the English Regions.
Area Profiles
Area profiles showing sustainable development quality of life indicator results are available to view on the Audit Commission website.
More information: www.audit-commission.gov.uk
Quality of Life Counts
The Government established a set of 15 headline indicators and a wider set of core indicators in 1999. These were called 'Quality of Life Counts'. They provide a baseline from which progress can be measured. An update was published in 2004.
Regional Quality of Life Counts
In 2005, Defra produced a factsheet looking at a selection of the national indicators from a regional perspective.
