DEFRA: Ministryně Beckettová navštívila konferenci "Jak můžeme s málem udělat víc"

On 19 November Margaret Beckett spoke at the Institute of Public Policy Research and Environment Agency conference "How we can do more with less".

The aim of the conference, which took place in London, was to discuss how the government's strategy for sustainable growth should be taken forward, and how business and individuals can work with governments nationally and internationally to make sustainable production and consumption a mainstream objective.

Mrs Beckett was invited to talk about the government's thinking on a strategy for sustainable growth, and in particular the government's Framework for Sustainable Production and Consumption - "Changing Patterns' - produced in September of this year.(See the Framework on this website.)

"The Framework shows where we are making progress, on water pollution and air quality - but also on where more needs to be done to stay within environmental limits: on greenhouse gases, water consumption and waste," Mrs Beckett said.

"We've also published a consultation document on the indicators that can be used to track progress and highlight the priorities and I amvery keen that we get the best possible indicators for the job and I hope that this consultation, among others, will spark further thinking." (See the consultation paper on this website.)

She cited some of the targets the government has set - cutting CO2 by 60% in 2050, maintaining water resources and cutting the levels of municipal waste going to landfill by 50% by 2013 - and fiscal measures and economic incentives - the climate change levy, the landfill and aggregate taxes, the Enhanced Capital Allowances - introduced to stimulate changes in behaviour and in the market. She also discussed the setting up of a Sustainable Buildings Task Group to identify specific, cost-effective improvements in the quality and environmental performance of buildings. (See news release 432/03 and news release 490/03.)

Amongst actions taken in the short term, Mrs Beckett referred to government procurement.
"We are taking a lead by making our own consumption more sustainable. From this month, all new central government department contracts must apply the minimum environmental standards when purchasing certain types of product, which cover aspects such as energy efficiency, recycled content and biodegradability," she said. (See news release 451/03.)

She also drew attention to business support programmes such as 'Envirowise', which last year helped UK business save over £200m and reduce solid waste by 1.6 million tonnes, at a cost of £5 million to the public purse. (See www.envirowise.gov.uk.)

Mrs Beckett said: "Sustainable consumption and production is as I said earlier a far reaching, ambitious and complex agenda. There is no single, quick or easy solution. So we very much see the publication of our Framework document as the beginning and nowhere near the end of the process. And I genuinely welcome debate and the exchange of views on the challenges involved and the responses that are needed."

See Mrs Beckett's speech in full on the site http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/speeches/mb031119.htm.