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Latest News25 November 2008 Hilary Benn visits China to develop our partnership on Sustainable Development Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) led a delegation of senior officials from Defra, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency to Beijing from 10-12 November, and held a successful third round of the UK-China Sustainable Development Dialogue (SDD). The visit reaffirmed the UK’s overall commitment to an innovative and effective partnership with China on sustainable development. Read more >>Whatever next? SD-scene e-newsletter September / October 08 Driving sustainability Science, research and evidence plays a crucial role in the delivery of sustainable development. This can start with a study into what influences behaviour change or innovation in technology. The results of studies and research provide an evidence base that helps policy makers to understand the cultural, social and economic factors that will either drive SD or create barriers to its delivery. The SDC works across government in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as an independent adviser, powerful advocate and scrutineer for sustainable development. Jonathon Porritt will step down in July 2009 after nearly a decade as Chair. Since it was established in 2000, the SDC has built strong relationships with Government departments, Devolved Administrations and wider society and has successfully influenced Government policy. We are seeking an exceptional individual to build on the SDC’s success so far and take it into the future. For more information on the job and application process, please visit http://www.veredus.co.uk/job/Chair_Sustainable_Development_Commission-13259/ The deadline for applications is 9am on November 17th. For more information on the SDC visit: www.sd-commission.org.ukChange of website address The previous website address www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government, operated by the Government as a whole, has been closed, and the contents have been moved to this new address within Defra’s own website. The information remains owned and written by all UK Government departments. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. The UK Government is in the process of reducing the number of websites it operates, to make it easier for customers to find information they are looking for. (1 October 2008) >>Sustainable development indicators in your pocket 2008 published
The set of 68 indicators covers issues as diverse as health, housing, jobs, crime, education and the environment and shows 'traffic lights' to signal where things are getting better, worse or staying the same. More than half the official measurements show improvement. Find out more. Policy background on the wellbeing measures included in the publication, a common understanding of wellbeing for policy, and information about how wellbeing measures and concepts are being used across government can be found here. >>Buy Sustainable – Quick Wins Defra has reviewed its previous list of ‘Quick Wins' specifications to re-launch and re-brand them as 'Buy Sustainable - Quick Wins’. The mandatory product criteria have been updated according to the market average level for each product group and a brand new set of criteria has been introduced at a best practice level for each product group. Their inclusion provides procurers with a tangible target to aim for and will facilitate a quicker and wider adoption of best practice standards across the market.
Defra Secretary of State Hilary Benn gave the keynote speech at the SDUK annual conference on 6 March 2008. He talked about sustainable development achievements and challenges three years after the publication of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the Future.
>>Regional sustainable development indicators updated Updated regional versions of 46 of the 68 national sustainable development indicators were published on 31 January 2008 to help provide a perspective of sustainable development in each region. The regional indicators include new indicators on environmental equality and on wellbeing.
The SEED Initiative The UK Government supports the SEED Initiative which promotes supports and researches such exceptional multi-stakeholder partnerships is pleased to announce the inspiring winners. An international jury of sustainable development experts will choose 5 winners from the 15 finalists from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. They offer exciting examples of innovative action in important fields of sustainability, recycling, creating community enterprises, climate change adaptation and mitigation, organic, fair-trade agricultural produce, empowering women and youth, biofuels, harvesting and marketing medicinal plants, community-based eco-tourism-they include innovations in small-scale irrigation. For more information please contact Helen Marquard, Executive Director, Seed Initiative Secretariat;
DirectgovDirectgov is the Government’s main public-facing website bringing together ‘everyday’ information and services in one place. It includes a section on the environment and greener living.
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Updated: 25 November 2008 |
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The latest edition of Sustainable development indicators in your pocket has been published, giving an updated picture of the UK's environmental, social and economic wellbeing. For the first time the booklet includes some measures of child wellbeing and estimates of carbon dioxide emissions associated with UK consumption, and there are also updates to some of the wellbeing measures included for the first time last year. 
The Government’s blueprint for tackling climate change has been published. The draft Climate Change Bill, the first of its kind in any country, and accompanying strategy, set out a framework for moving the UK to a low-carbon economy. It demonstrates the UK’s leadership as progress continues towards establishing a post-Kyoto global emissions agreement. 
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