South West Debate Prompts Further Action to Deliver a "One Planet Economy"
16/01/2006 17:09South West decision makers attended an event in Bristol today to look at the role of leadership in achieving a 'one planet economy' - prosperity delivered within environmental limits. Initial ideas included providing a regional 'one stop shop' for information and best practice, introducing a competition to design a low cost, low carbon house and for more courage, creativity and competitiveness to secure the benefits of a one planet economy for the South West. The event will hopefully encourage the region to take forward these and other ideas.
The event, Leadership for a One Planet Economy, took place at At-Bristol this morning. A number of high profile speakers addressed the delegates to inform the debate, including: Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation; Peter Jones, Director of Biffa Waste Management; Simon Roberts, Chief Executive at the Centre for Sustainable Energy; Matthew Spencer, Chief Executive of Regen SW - the South West's renewable energy agency and Michael Smith, Managing Director of the Venus Company - an ambitiously 'green' café outlet.
The event was sponsored by the Environment Agency and supported by the South West Regional Development Agency. It was co-ordinated by Sustainability South West, the region's independent champion of sustainable development, as the first of a potential series of big regional debates on the South West's future.
Simon Hooton, Director of Policy and Strategy at the South West Regional Development Agency, who chaired the event commented: "The South West's new regional economic strategy is setting the agenda already. Most partners agree that the South West needs a prosperous economy, increasingly delivered within environmental limits."
Leslie Watson, Director of Sustainability South West, said: "According to a recent study, our region is running on an 'overdraft' of natural resources - as though we had three planets instead of one! Today’s event revealed a keen appetite for more commitment to ensure that our region gets ahead of the game."
Richard Cresswell, Regional Director of the Environment Agency, who have funded the event, added: "The RDA's economic strategy, together with the Government's sustainable development strategy, make our goals very clear. The South West needs a prosperous economy that protects and enhances our prized environment for future generations, and limits our contribution to climate change. This event was an opportunity for the region to get to grips with what would need to change for society in the South West to live within the resources available from a single planet - and we do only have one planet!"
© 2012 Sustainability South West - UK registered charity, no. 1106125 - info@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk.