Promoting sustainable development could be worth billions of pounds to the UK economy. In 2013, the low carbon economy generated over £120 billion in turnover. The 2015-20 period will be crucial for ensuring the Government continues to promote sustainable development, with many key policies coming to an end and due for renewal or replacement.
Objectives of the consultation
The new House of Commons' Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will be exploring what impact the new Government’s fiscal and legislative agenda will have on sustainable development. It will be looking to establish themes for its work during the Parliament and measures against which the Government's success can be judged. The Committee launched its first inquiry and a call for evidence on the Government’s approach to sustainable development on 21 July 2015. The Committee invited responses on the following questions:
- What key policies are needed over the course of this Parliament to adequately protect the environment, promote growth in the low carbon sector and improve wellbeing?
- Does the Government’s current fiscal and legislative agenda accord with the action required and, if not, why not and where might it be improved?
- Where should responsibility lie in Government for ensuring the sustainable development approach is adopted by all Government departments?
- What metrics could the Committee use to monitor the Government’s performance on sustainable development over the course of the Parliament?
The inquiry closed on 2 September 2015.
CIBSE response
CIBSE response to this inquiry was published, amongst other submissions, on the Environmental Audit Committee website. To read CIBSE response please follow the link below.