Sustainable Development Commission
Encyclopedia
The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) was a non-departmental public body
responsible for advising the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government
, and Northern Ireland Executive
on sustainable development
.
It was set up by the Labour Government in June 2000 and closed by the Coalition Government in March 2011.
entitled A better quality of life.
Pressure then came to oversee the Government's progress and develop policy on sustainable development, including from Michael Meacher
MP.
Subsequently, the Sustainable Development Commission was founded by Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott
in June 2000. It replaced the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development, a stakeholder body, and the British Government Panel on Sustainable Development, a Government think tank
.
The commission reported directly to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
(UK Government), the First Minister of Scotland
(Scottish Government), First Minister for Wales
(Welsh Assembly Government
), and the First Minister and deputy First Minister
of Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Executive
).
Its responsibilities to the four bodies were broadly similar: it was an official watchdog on sustainability; it scrutinised progress on meeting targets on the sustainable management of the bodies' estates and procurement; and it provided cross-departmental policy advice and assistance.
From 2000 to 2009 the Commission was chaired by the former Director of Friends of the Earth
, Jonathan Porritt, and between 2009 and its closure in 2011, it was chaired by Will Day formerly of Comic Relief
and the United Nations Development Programme
.
announced that it would stop funding the Commission. The decision was part of the Coalition Government's quango reforms
, termed by the media as a "bonfire of the quangos"
This news was criticised by Green Caroline Lucas
MP, Guardian journalist and activist George Monbiot
, Daily Telegraph journalist Geoffrey Lean, and Friends of the Earth
. They claimed the Commission was necessary for the Government to fulfil its ambition to be the “greenest government ever”.
The Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee
, Labour MP Joan Walley
, also criticised the decision to close the Commission. She has led efforts to ensure the Commission's role is succeeded, and in January 2011 the Environmental Audit Select Committee recommended the creation of a new Minister for Sustainable Development.
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
responsible for advising the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
, and Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
on sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
.
It was set up by the Labour Government in June 2000 and closed by the Coalition Government in March 2011.
Establishment
In 1999 the Labour Government made the policy case for sustainable development in a White paperWhite paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
entitled A better quality of life.
Pressure then came to oversee the Government's progress and develop policy on sustainable development, including from Michael Meacher
Michael Meacher
Michael Hugh Meacher is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton since 1997. Previously he had been the MP for Oldham West, first elected in 1970. On 22 February 2007 he declared that he would be standing for the Labour Leadership, challenging...
MP.
Subsequently, the Sustainable Development Commission was founded by Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
in June 2000. It replaced the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development, a stakeholder body, and the British Government Panel on Sustainable Development, a Government think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
.
Leadership and purpose
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
(UK Government), the First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
(Scottish Government), First Minister for Wales
First Minister for Wales
The First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, Wales' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the...
(Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
), and the First Minister and deputy First Minister
First Minister and deputy First Minister
The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
of Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
).
Its responsibilities to the four bodies were broadly similar: it was an official watchdog on sustainability; it scrutinised progress on meeting targets on the sustainable management of the bodies' estates and procurement; and it provided cross-departmental policy advice and assistance.
From 2000 to 2009 the Commission was chaired by the former Director of Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
, Jonathan Porritt, and between 2009 and its closure in 2011, it was chaired by Will Day formerly of Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
and the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
.
Closure and succession
On the 22 July 2010, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
announced that it would stop funding the Commission. The decision was part of the Coalition Government's quango reforms
2010 UK quango reforms
Following the 2010 United Kingdom General Election, the UK Government announced plans to curb public spending through the abolition of a large number of quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations . On 23 May 2010, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne unveiled a £500million plan to reduce...
, termed by the media as a "bonfire of the quangos"
This news was criticised by Green Caroline Lucas
Caroline Lucas
Caroline Patricia Lucas is a British politician. Lucas is the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, and the Green Party's first and only Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom...
MP, Guardian journalist and activist George Monbiot
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
, Daily Telegraph journalist Geoffrey Lean, and Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
. They claimed the Commission was necessary for the Government to fulfil its ambition to be the “greenest government ever”.
The Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee
Environmental Audit Select Committee
The Environmental Audit Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine how government department's policies and programmes will affect both the environment and sustainable development.-Membership:As of...
, Labour MP Joan Walley
Joan Walley
Joan Lorraine Walley is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent North since 1987.-Early life:...
, also criticised the decision to close the Commission. She has led efforts to ensure the Commission's role is succeeded, and in January 2011 the Environmental Audit Select Committee recommended the creation of a new Minister for Sustainable Development.
See also
- Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable developmentSustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
- Environmental Audit Select CommitteeEnvironmental Audit Select CommitteeThe Environmental Audit Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine how government department's policies and programmes will affect both the environment and sustainable development.-Membership:As of...
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
- Department for Energy and Climate Change
- Scottish Government Environment Directorates
- Welsh Assembly GovernmentWelsh Assembly GovernmentThe Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
- Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)The Department of the Environment is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for the Environment.-Aim:...
- 2010 UK quango reforms2010 UK quango reformsFollowing the 2010 United Kingdom General Election, the UK Government announced plans to curb public spending through the abolition of a large number of quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations . On 23 May 2010, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne unveiled a £500million plan to reduce...