We are the UK Government’s independent adviser on sustainable development. Through advocacy, advice and
appraisal, we help put sustainable development at the heart of Government policy
Publications
Sustainable Development: Third Annual Assessment of progress by the Scottish Government
| Date: | 02/12/2009 |
|---|---|
| Classification: | Transport, Health, Governance, Energy, Economics, Climate Change |
| Document type: | SDC Reports & Papers |
| Download: |  Scottish3rdAssess_report_w.pdf - 2838 KB |
| Summary: |  In its Third Annual Assessment of Progress by the Scottish Government, SDC Scotland praises the positive steps taken in developing a framework for action for sustainable development, and challenges the government to deliver on its ambitious plans. The central message of the Third Assessment is that, now more than ever, sustainable development is the right guiding principle for all work of Government. More effective policy can be delivered through better integration even at a time of shrinking budgets. The SDC also believes that action on climate change must be set within a wider sustainable development framework. The report sets five challenges to Government, summarised as follows: • Economic policy is still centred on economic growth as opposed to well-being and wider sustainable outcomes. Government should adopt economic indicators that help show wider policy outcomes and look at alternatives to growth based economics. • Government should deliver the objectives in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act in a way consistent with wider sustainable development. Vital though climate change action is, it must be tackled in a way that also delivers better outcomes across policy portfolios. • As a crucial element in tackling fuel poverty the finalised Energy Efficiency Action Plan must be backed by sufficient resources to deliver a radical improvement in domestic energy performance. • Government should address the disconnect between national planning guidance and local planning action. The sum of local planning decisions needs to change radically if we are to create sustainable, integrated communities that promote health, well being and low resource use living. • There must be greater focus on making significant improvements to the sustainability of procurement activity across the public sector. The choices made within £8 billion worth of public procurement have significant impacts – good or bad – on local economies, on society and on the environment. Background Papers » Annexe One: Scottish Government Indicator and Target Data » Annexe Two: Scottish Government Indicator and Target Analysis » Annexe Three: Delivery on recommendations from 'Sustainable Development: A review of progress by the Scottish Government, 2008' » Annexe Four: Summary of Stakeholder survey responses |