While new packages like resilience and wellbeing are currently fashionable these are essentially repackaging the ideas of sustainability. This update includes three articles:
- BSI publishes sustainable development of communities’ standard ISO 37101
- EAC – Sustainable Development Goals in the UK
- Environmental Audit Committee look at Departmental Sustainability plans and finds the treasury wanting
1. BSI publishes sustainable development of communities’ standard ISO 37101
BSI, the business standards company, has published ISO 37101:2016, Sustainable development in communities. The standard has been developed to help city leaders set their city’s sustainable development agenda. Ensuring cities and communities are fit for the future is a key priority for many city leaders. Providing sustainable energy supplies, coping with environmental and climate changes, building and maintaining durable infrastructures and meeting the needs and expectations of citizens are just some of the considerations to be made. The UK has already developed similar guidance in the shape of BS 8904:2011 Guidance for community sustainable development which is suited to local grass roots organizations, with this standard contributing towards the development of ISO 37101.
The international standard sets out requirements and guidance to attain sustainability with the support of methods and tools including smartness and resilience. It can help communities improve in a number of areas such as:
- Developing holistic and integrated approaches instead of working in silos (which can hinder sustainability)
- Fostering social and environmental changes through collaboration of all stakeholders in a community
- Improving health and wellbeing for citizens encouraging responsible resource use
- Achieving better governance to support cost effective investment decision
2. EAC – Sustainable Development Goals in the UK
The Environmental Audit Committee have launched an inquiry into the domestic implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs were adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. The SDGs cut across all areas of Government – from ending poverty and achieving gender equality through to tackling climate change and using resources sustainably. This session will explore the potential for businesses and the private sector more broadly to contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It will also explore governance arrangements needed to ensure the effective implementation of the Goals.
3. Environmental Audit Committee look at Departmental Sustainability plans and find the treasury wanting
Treasury must factor in long term impact of policies on environment
Environmental Audit Committee publishes report on Sustainability and HM Treasury
5th Report – Sustainability and HM Treasury Insights into why a variety of policy decisions have been made