Watchdog
The UK Government’s sustainable development strategy (Securing the Future) empowers the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) to act as the Government’s watchdog for sustainable development, reporting to the Prime Minister. This includes “scrutinising and reporting on Government’s performance on sustainable development”.
The SDC reports to the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, with a distinct remit agreed with each of these Governments.
» Our Watchdog Role by J. Porritt
The SDC’s watchdog role will continue to develop over time. There are several ways in which the SDC currently monitors cross-governmental and departmental progress towards sustainable development:
Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) Report
The UK Government has set itself sustainable development targets to ensure it runs its estate and travel operations more sustainably. The targets include energy, water and waste management, and managing land for biodiversity. The SDC assesses progress against these targets, and publishes the results annually.
» Sustainable Development in Government Reports 2005-2007
Sustainable Development Action Plans (SDAPs)
Securing the Future requires all Government Departments and their Executive Agencies to produce Sustainable Development Action Plans (SDAPs) and report progress on them regularly. These plans set out the contribution of each organisation to the delivery of the Government's commitments and goals as set out in Securing the Future. The SDC reviews the content of SDAPs and progress made against them.
» Sustainable Development Action Plans and Reviews
Sustainable Procurement
Procurement activities (purchasing goods and services) have the potential to support or undermine sustainable development. The SDC will report on Government’s progress against its Sustainable Procurement Action Plan through the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report, and through scrutiny of departmental Sustainable Development Action Plans (SDAPs) and progress reports.
» UK Government Sustainable Procurement Action Plan, 2007 (PDF)
Thematic Reviews
The SDC also carries out thematic in-depth reviews of public services. Recent and current reviews are:
Green, healthy and fair – Reviewing the extent to which supermarkets deliver a sustainable food system in the UK and the role of Government in facilitating this (published February 2008).
Lost in Transmission? – The role of Ofgem in a changing climate – An evaluation of the role of Ofgem as energy regulator in offering the public a fairly priced, reliable, flexible and efficient energy system (published September 2007).
Building Houses or Creating Communities? – An assessment of whether the Government has delivered on its promise to create sustainable communities (published May 2007).
Review of Public Service Regulators and Sustainable Development – Review of public service regulators and sustainable development: looking at regulators of education, healthcare and local government.
Watchdog Team
If you have questions about the work of the SDC in this area, please contact:
Farooq Ullah Policy Analyst – about Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) and SDAP assessments.
Susannah Senior Policy Analyst – about thematic reviews.
Anne-Marie Shields Policy Analyst and Callum Clench Policy Analyst - about SDAPs and general queries about the SDC’s Watchdog role.
