Brown challenged to modernise development plans by climate friendly champions
23/07/2007 13:05
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the charity Sustainability South West sounds the alarm bell about the lack of proposals for regional action plans to reduce the risks and social and economic costs of runaway climate change - which would cause more extre
me weather events like the current flooding.
The charity, whose members represent business, public and voluntary sector interests, are responding to the government’s recent launch of the ‘Review of sub-national economic development and regeneration.’
Director Leslie Watson explains, “We were taken aback by the traditional, and frankly ‘old school’, tone of the document. Economic growth at any social or environmental price will not secure a safe, fair or prosperous future for us all. Only focusing on increasing the rate of economic growth will not meet our region’s wider challenges. We need an integrated sustainable development action plan to provide safe, sustainably built, affordable homes for our fast growing and ageing population, offer environmentally friendly access to goods and services and care for our special natural environment which attracts so many to live, work and visit. We need to develop a region that is healthy, socially just, productive and lives within environmental limits or we will all be responsible for more and more climate change impacts - including severe flooding.”
Dr Julian Dennis, Chairman of Sustainability South West and Director of Compliance and Sustainability at Wessex Water, says, “We notice that the government’s proposals do not take account of the advice of the Stern Review which shows that it will cost us all far less to act to reduce climate change now rather than waiting to mop up the mess later. The region needs a strong, sustainable economy fit for the 21st Century which must, by definition, be a low carbon economy. To be competitive in the future business must be resource efficient; our homes and workplaces should be built with very low energy needs and therefore costs; we should use more locally generated, safe energy; support local communities to be more self sufficient by using local goods and services and move away from high carbon sectors towards the increasingly financially viable low carbon sectors of the future.”
Leslie Watson adds, “Experts tell us that reductions to greenhouse gas emissions must be made within the next ten years if we are to avert dangerous, runaway climate change which would be the biggest threat to economic prosperity and social progress we have ever faced. We recommend that the region delivers development within a 10 year carbon budget. Our climate change campaign Fair Shares, Fair Choice offers everyone help to live within their safe and fair share of carbon. A growing list of individuals, businesses and organisations are signing up to the campaign. Visit www.fairsharesfairchoice.com to join in“.
Click here to read SSW's full response in our letter to the Prime Minister (20th July 2007).
© 2007 Sustainability South West - UK registered charity, no. 1106125 - info@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk.