This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Executive responds to WWF report
11/10/2001
The Executive is undertaking extensive activities to promote sustainable development and is placing environmental issues at the heart of policy, the Environment Minister said in a response to a WWF report today.
Minister for Environment and Rural Development Ross Finnie was responding to the report which looks at the Executive's record on sustainable development. He said the report "fails to focus on its stated aim of examining action on sustainable development."
Mr Finnie added:
"While giving serious consideration to a number of constructive suggestions contained in the report, I am disappointed by its failure to recognise the Executive's extensive activities in promoting sustainable development.
"Sustainable development has been placed at the heart of policy making in the Executive. Our Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland (MoSS) is the only Cabinet committee among the four UK administrations which is solely focussed on sustainable development.
"This week I announced the group's challenging programme for the next few months which will - among other things - involve strengthening its membership and setting up a Sustainable Development Forum to build partnerships.
"Our approach cuts across every aspect of decision making. At least thirty three of the actions reported in Working Together for Scotland directly promote the sustainable development agenda.
"The report criticises the Executive for demonstrating a 'lack of political will' to promote sustainable development. This opinion is not borne out by fact. We have placed sustainable development at the heart of our decision making and we are making headway.
"Many of the criticisms have been overtaken by the work plan agreed by MoSS. We are taking the agenda forward."
BACKGROUND
1. Mr Finnie was responding to A Review of Scottish Executive Activity on Sustainable Development by WWF.
2. Over thirty actions reported in Working Together for Scotland directly promote the sustainable development agenda. These include:
Social progress
- 40,000 homes insulated under the Warm Deal initiative (thus reducing individuals' bills and using less energy.
- The building of 6,600 new and improved homes for rent or low cost owner occupation have been approved.
Environment protection
- The biggest ever programme of investment in Scotland's water and sewerage services (leading to cleaner beaches and cleaner drinking water).
- Special protection of additional 127 wildlife areas and proposed further 220 possible areas to the EC.
- Scottish Climate Change Programme and Air Quality Strategy published, legislation to create National Parks (among others).
Natural resources
- A national strategy for waste adopted and £50 million being invested over three years for a new Strategic Waste Fund.
- Legislation to conserve salmon stocks.
Economic growth and employment
- The highest rate of average employment (74 per cent in 2001) - highest since records began in 1960
3. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland (MoSS) has set out its work programme to be completed by January 2002. This involves:
- Strengthening the Group's membership to involve more Ministers and a further external member
- Agreeing a clear statement on what the Executive means by sustainable development and how it will work towards greater sustainability
- Developing ways to measure progress towards sustainability in the light of the consultation on sustainable development indicators which closed on Friday 28 September
- Setting up a sustainable Development Forum to build broad partnerships to work towards a sustainable Scotland.
4. MoSS was set up in 1999 and works to build sustainable development into the processes of government. Its membership includes six Ministers covering a wide range of Executive responsibilities. Further information on the Group's membership and summaries of previous meetings can be found on the Sustainable Scotland website at http://www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk/
5. Ross Finnie set out his priorities for delivering a sustainable Scotland on 26 March this year and the First Minister re-emphasised that sustainable development is a top priority in his statement on 21 September.