Greening Government 2012 Conference and Exhibition: Mainstreaming sustainable development, 1 year on

30th Oct 2012 11:38

Continuing our successful Securing the Future series of events, this is our Fourth Annual National Conference examining the progress, by Central Government in particular, in achieving sustainable development, which incorporates our national and international carbon reduction targets of a 34 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020, and 80 per cent by 2050.

Mainstreaming Sustainable Development outlined the Government’s “refreshed vision and commitments,” building on the principles set out in the 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy of embedding sustainability and interconnectivity across the so-called three pillars made up of the economy, society and the environment.

The Government’s aim was to lead this agenda by example, with the reform of operations and procurement through a “step change in leadership, efficiency, transparency and accountability”.

The Greening Government Commitments, which replaced the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) targets for 2011/12, aimed to reduce environmental impact by 2015, with a series of new high level measures to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a 09/10 baseline from the whole estate and business related transport:

10% cut in carbon emissions from Central Government offices in 2010/11, and publication of online real time energy use information

Reduce domestic business travel flights by 20% by 2015 from 09/10 baseline

• Reduce waste by 25% from a 09/10 baseline:

10% cut in paper use in 2011/12

Informed by a feasibility study to be published in 2011, Government will go to market with a requirement for ‘closed loop’ recycled paper

Redundant ICT equipment must be re-used or recycled

Greening Government ICT

• Reduce water consumption from a 09/10 baseline, with reports on water use against best practice

• Ensure procurement of sustainable and efficient products whilst reducing the impact of the supply chain:

Embed efficient procurement practices

Improve and publish data on supply chain impact

The Defra publications, ‘An Action Plan for driving Sustainable operations and procurement across government’ and the ‘Greenhouse Gas Footprint Analysis of UK Central Government 1990-2008,’ (both published in November 2010) and the Environmental Audit Committee Report, ‘Embedding Sustainable Development across Government,’ (published in January 2011), argued the case for the Government to lead by example and embed sustainable development in policy, operations and performance. This latest document aims to put this policy into practice.

Greening Government 2012: Mainstreaming sustainable development, one year on will examine progress to date, and explain how the policies have been actioned, transforming Government operations and performance, embedding sustainability strategically across UK Government policy and ultimately building our green economy of the future.

PUBLIC AND THIRD SECTOR ONLY

FULLY FUNDED (NO COST) DELEGATE PLACES FOR EAUC MEMBERS

To apply for a funded delegate place please forward your details to [email protected] or call 0161 238 8881

For further detail www.greeninggovernment.co.uk

David Nicholls
HEAD OF PUBLIC AND THIRD SECTOR DELEGATE SPECIAL PROJECTS
T: 0161 238 8881
Peter House, Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5AN