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Sustainable development and the 2002 World Summit

Sustainable development and the 2002 World Summit. House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/55.

Type

Commons Briefing papers

Date

10 October 2002

Reference

RP02-55

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to sanitation issues; and what these (i) goals...

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

3 July 2002

Answered on

3 July 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to sanitation issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44365] Mr. Meacher: The Government has set goals and secured improvements in the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources for both water supply and waste water disposal, both through international and European agreement and domestic regulatory requirements since 1992. The measures under which this has been done include: (i) the Drinking Water Directive, which sets minimum standards for the wholesomeness of drinking water supplies; this has been transposed into national legislation by the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 which include some additional national standards; (ii) The Environment Agency has published "Water Resources for the Future", which plans reductions in existing abstractions in England and wales of water totalling some 700Ml/day to reduce unsustainable abstraction by 2010; (iii) the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 set standards and deadlines for the treatment of sewage; I announced in March 1999 a further goal that all significant sewage discharges in England and Wales should receive at least secondary treatment by 2005; and (iv) the Bathing Water Directive, under which a goal has been set for English beaches to achieve at least 97 per cent. compliance with the Directive's main mandatory standards by 2005. Among the improvements achieved are: (i) the level of compliance with standards in public drinking water supplies rose from 98.65 per cent. in 1992 to 99.83 per cent. in 2000; (ii) in England, between 1990 and 2000, there has been a 10 per cent. increase in river lengths classified as good or fair chemical quality and an 8 per cent. increase in rivers of good or fair biological quality; (iii) secondary treatment is now provided at 99 per cent. of sewage treatment works in England which serve population greater than 15,000; and (iv) compliance with the Bathing Water Directive's main mandatory standards for beaches increased from 79 per cent. in 1992 to 98 per cent. in 2001. Summary forward programmes of the measures required of water and sewerage companies to meet environmental and resource use goals in their operations and investment are set out once every five years in Ministers' guidance on the programmes of quality improvements for Ofwat's periodic review of water price limits. The guidance for the period 2000-05 was published in "Raising the Quality" in 1998.

Date

3 July 2002

Reference

44365; 388 c363-4W;388 c361W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

25 June 2002

Answered on

25 June 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to land use issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44344] Mr. Meacher: We have put in place a range of planning guidance to promote a sustainable pattern of physical development and land and property use. Sound planning policies and an effective and efficient planning system are central to the Government's policies to improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity. Our policies concentrate the majority of new development within existing urban areas and in doing so help to reduce the need to travel and safeguard the countryside from unnecessary development. We have a target to provide 60 per cent. of additional dwellings on previously developed land by 2008 which, as a result of our policy changes, has been met. Planning policy is also supported by a number of fiscal measures aimed at improving environmental outcomes; by encouraging better use of existing property to reduce new build, through a 150 per cent. tax credit for cleaning up contaminated land, and through taxes introduced on landfill in 1996, and on the quarrying of aggregates in 2002. Legislation to apply modern standards of conditions to old mineral workings was extended in 1995 to apply to all such sites, and tougher environmental tests before opencast coal sites can be opened or enlarged were introduced in 1999. Action, both statutory and voluntary, has commenced to limit or remove the more damaging existing planning permissions which threaten the integrity of the sites proposed or designated under the EU's Natura 2000 network. This includes a major voluntary purchase by English Nature of the most important and vulnerable lowland peat bogs in England. The Department and its agencies have a variety of mechanisms to protect and enhance the rural environment. These include nearly £1 billion for agri-environment schemes under the England Rural Development Programme, and further support by English Nature, the Countryside Agency and the Environment Agency. DEFRA also provides 75 per cent. of funding for national parks for the same purpose. These mechanisms are making a significant contribution to a number of the Government's PSA targets, including those to reverse the decline in farmland birds by 2020, and bring 95 per cent. of all nationally important wildlife sites into favourable condition by 2010. They also contribute to meeting the targets for maintaining/restoring priority habitats and species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan which was drawn up to meet commitments flowing from the Rio Earth Summit.

Date

25 June 2002

Reference

44344; 387 c755-6W;387 c753-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

23 May 2002

Answered on

23 May 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to energy issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44341] Mr. Meacher: The UK is one of the few OECD countries to have met, and gone beyond, the target agreed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 to return its emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000. It is estimated that UK emissions were more than 13 per cent. below 1990 levels in 2000. The UK published its climate change programme in November 2000. This sets out how the UK will deliver its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008-12, and move towards its domestic goal to cut CO2 emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. The programme contains a substantial, integrated package of policies and measures. It will improve business use of energy, stimulate new, more efficient sources of power generation, including renewables, cut emissions from the transport sector, promote better energy efficiency in the residential sector, and ensure that the public sector takes a leading role. Following publication of the PIU Energy Review 14 February 2002, the Government plan to publish a White Paper later this year which, with full consultation, will consider the future of Government policy on sustainable energy. The Government have introduced a wide range of measures, including market incentives, financial assistance, legal obligations, and guidance and information, to promote energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy. These include: the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) on domestic energy supplies, from 2002 to 2005; the climate change levy and climate change agreements; the UK emissions trading scheme; revised building regulations which require high energy efficiency standards; the market transformation programme; a wide range of measures to support combined heat and power (CHP); substantial Government funding of the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust to promote and support energy efficiency in the domestic, public, industry and business sectors.

Date

23 May 2002

Reference

44341; 386 c485W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to strengthen the implementation of (i) the Rio Declaration, (ii) Agenda 21 and (ii) other commitments made at (A) Rio in 1992 and (B) the United...

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

20 May 2002

Answered on

20 May 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to strengthen the implementation of (i) the Rio Declaration, (ii) Agenda 21 and (iii) other commitments made at (A) Rio in 1992 and (B) the United Nations General Assembly Special Section in 1997. [44350] Mr. Meacher: On question (a), the UK's sustainable development strategy, "A Better Quality of Life" (1999), sets out the many steps that DEFRA and its predecessors have taken to implement the various Rio agreements and the outcome of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session in 1997. The Department has led the world on the elaboration of sustainable development indicators to assess progress. The Government's first annual review of progress towards sustainable development, "Achieving a Better Quality of Life", was published in January 2001. This is available at www.sustainable-development.gov.uk. We have ratified the conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification, which were products of the Rio process, and we have made particular efforts in the promotion of Local Agenda 21. Our future plans, (b), include the publication of a DEFRA sustainable development strategy and implementation of the recently published fuel poverty strategy and waste strategy. We are also implementing the outcomes on fisheries quotas from the December 2001 Fisheries Council, and the recommendations of the Independent Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food. DEFRA's formation itself underlines the Government's commitment to delivering a more sustainable development focused agenda on food, farming and rural communities. "Working for the Essentials of Life", published in March, sets out DEFRA's plans for the future.

Date

20 May 2002

Reference

44350; 386 c3-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 May 2002

Reference

44343; 385 c271-2W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

30 April 2002

Reference

44340; 384 c665W;384 c663-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

26 April 2002

Reference

44347; 384 c505-6W;384 c503-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

25 April 2002

Answered on

25 April 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to health and the environment issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44346] Mr. Meacher: The Government set out its targets for safeguarding people's health and protecting the environment from air pollution in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1997 and revised in January 2000. It includes health-based standards for eight pollutants of main concern and objectives for their achievement between 2003 and 2008 together with objectives to be met by 2000 for the protection of vegetation and ecosystems. Good progress has been made towards achieving most of the targets as a result of the measures put in place by central Government and local authorities. We are, for example, broadly on track to meet our policy objectives for carbon monoxide, benzene, 1,3 butadiene, lead and sulphur dioxide, but we will need to do more to meet our targets for nitrogen dioxide, particles and ozone. We have met the objectives for vegetation and ecosystems. The strategy is kept under continuous review and last year we consulted on proposals to tighten several of the current objectives and to add a further objective. The Government have successfully negotiated and adopted various agreements, both with our partners in Europe and internationally, which will reduce emissions of harmful substances to the air. We are committed to meeting all of the mandatory limit values prescribed by EU legislation. To comply with the EC Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) the UK Government passed the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) regulations which came into force on 1 August 2000, under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999. Separate arrangements apply the IPPC Directive to Scotland, Northern Ireland and the offshore oil and gas industries. IPPC applies an integrated environmental approach to the regulation of industrial activities. Emissions to aid, water (including discharge to sewer) and land, plus a range of other environmental effects (including noise, vibration and odour) must be considered together. IPPC aims to conserve energy, prevent emissions and waste production and, where not practicable, reduce them to acceptable levels. IPPC also takes the integrated approach beyond the initial task of permitting, through to the restoration of sites when industrial activities cease. On resource productivity the Government commissioned a major study headed by the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit. Its recent report, "Resource Productivity: Making more with less", identifies the scope for significant environmental and business benefits. We are committed to following up the report, which includes recommendations on establishing a long-term strategy with indicative targets, policy to encourage innovation in sustainable technologies, and action to integrate sustainable development objectives with the business of Government procurement.

Date

25 April 2002

Reference

44346; 384 c380-1W;384 c378-9W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

23 April 2002

Reference

44342; 384 c143W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

11 April 2002

Answered on

11 April 2002

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to forestry issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44382] Mr. Meacher: The management, conservation and sustainable development of forests was one of the key issues at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. The main outcome for forests was the adoption of a Statement of Forest Principles which included a commitment by countries to publish national forest programmes. In 1994 the UK set out its aims for forestry in Sustainable Forestry--the UK Programme. In 1999, we published our strategy for sustainable development for the UK, A Better Quality of Life. This includes a section on forests and woodlands setting out the contribution that forestry can make to meeting sustainable management of forests in the UK. We also facilitated the development of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard for forest certification and environmental labelling of wood products. About 40 per cent. of the UK's woodlands have now been certified, including the entire public forest estate. The UK has made considerable progress on forestry issues by increasing timber production and the environmental and social outputs from forests. These outputs are reported in British Timber Statistics and Forestry Commission Facts and Figures, which are in the Library of the House. Following consultation with stakeholder groups and the public, the Forestry Commission will be publishing a new set of indicators of sustainable forestry in the UK. These will make an important contribution to the monitoring processes set out in A Better Quality of Life and the UK Forestry Standard.

Date

11 April 2002

Reference

383 c602W;383 c600W; 44382

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 March 2002

For answer on

25 March 2002

Answered on

25 March 2002

Date

25 March 2002

Reference

44364; 382 c726W;382 c721W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Asked by

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 March 2002

Reference

382 c269W;382 c267W; 44348

House

House of Commons

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what changes were made to BS5422 on thermal insulation of pipes after the Rio Earth Summit; and what assessment he has made of its compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 1991.

Asked by

Tom Levitt (Labour)

Answering body

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

26 October 1999

Reference

336 c791-2W; 94886

House

House of Commons

Deposited Paper Dep 98/190

The United Kingdom national report on biological diversity. DETR. 1998.

Deposited by

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Deposited papers

Date

31 March 1998

Reference

Dep 98/190

House

House of Commons

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, If he will comment on the outcome of the Kyoto summit on climate change. (Failed OPQ).

Asked by

Michael Fabricant (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

16 December 1997

Reference

19421; 303 c147W

House

House of Commons

Statement on the Kyoto Summit

Statement on the Kyoto Summit. (Full protocol in Library).

Lead member

Lord Prescott

Department

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Ministerial statements

Date

16 December 1997

Reference

303 c129-44

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

Supplementary on the importance of the Kyoto summit.

Asked by

Lorna Fitzsimons (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Prime Minister's questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

10 December 1997

Reference

302 c1008

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

Answered by

Tony Blair (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Type

Oral answers to questions

Date

10 December 1997

Reference

302 c1008

House

House of Commons

Deposited Paper Dep/3 5593

EU position papers and statements relating to the forthcoming Kyoto Conference on Climate Change: agreed to at the recent Bonn negotiations 20-29 October. DETR. 1997.

Deposited by

Luxembourg Government

Type

Deposited papers

Date

27 November 1997

Reference

Dep/3 5593

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher