Sustainable Development
The first United Nations 'Earth Summit' was held in Rio in 1992. This produced "Agenda 21", which has the aim of seeing 'sustainable development' taking place in the 21st century.
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development means "doing what we want today, but making sure that what we do does not create problems for later generations in the future". In other words, everything we make, build or do uses valuable resources and effort to do so.
We should make sure that what we make should last for as many years as possible. By not having to rebuild or do something later saves the need for those resources to be plundered again.
How does it affect Liverpool?
Governments around the world were asked to work together with their citizens to develop their own 'local agenda 21'. The British government has given this request its keen support.
Liverpool City Council does a number of things to help towards sustainable development. This goes a long way to improve the quality of life here. We do this through regeneration, education, social affairs, planning, housing, and transport.
We are also very aware of our environmental management responsibilities; and how we look after our city and its assets.
We have been talking with environmental leaders in the city to work out how to do things in the most sustainable way. We have also been trying to make the people of Liverpool more aware of what sustainability means; and what everyone in the city can do to help. This includes asking people to recycle more.
Building Sustainable Ways of Working - The Liverpool Sustainable Development Plan
In December 2001, the Council approved a Sustainable Development Plan (SDP). This document, Building Sustainable Ways of Working![(PDF [722.5Kb] opens in new window)](/images/PDF.gif)
was revised and reissued in early 2006.
The Plan highlights what we need to do if we are to provide leadership on sustainability to the community.
When the Plan was reissued, it was approved by the Environment & Heritage sub-committee. You can download and read the committee note.
Our approach has been to develop a unique SDP for the City Council itself. Working with Liverpool First, we have put together a local agenda partnership document. This includes sustainable initiatives, and acts as an interim plan to bridge the gap until the developing community planning process is in its stride.
"Building Sustainable Ways of Working" draws on the work previously undertaken by the Local Agenda 21 policy; and subject working groups that were set up by the Council. It is based around eight quality "Themes for a more Sustainable Liverpool".
These themes link with the Council Vision, the social inclusion agenda and the "Liverpool First Prospectus". Issues, strategy, framework indicators and action points are identified for each; and the key environmental actions for 2006-2009 put in order of priority. These are:
- assess the feasibility of formal internal environmental management systems;
- waste minimisation;
- waste recycling (internal and external);
- sustainable procurement (including Sustainable Procurement Guide and Sustainable Construction);
- Green Transport Plan;
- energy and water conservation;
- increased use of renewable energy
- internal staff training and awareness.
Contact us
If you want to find out what's happening with Sustainable Development within Liverpool, please contact:
- Christine Darbyshire within Regeneration, Liverpool City Council, email: christine.darbyshire@liverpool.gov.uk; or
- Jess Williams - Liverpool First,
email: jess.williams@liverpool.gov.uk
Other places to look for information:
- Find out about Recycling in Liverpool on this website
- If you want to find out what other Local Authorities around the UK are doing about this, please visit www.greenconsumerguide.com
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The Renewable Energy Centre is a national organisation that pulls a wealth of information into one central online location and includes such areas as:
- information on energy efficiency and energy saving measures
- links to community organisations and government contacts
- sources of grants and funding
- teaching resources
- information on university courses in renewables
- UK and international conferences and exhibitions
- practical introductions to 11 key renewable technologies
- local and national directories of contractors and suppliers.