05 May 2006
Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett this week pledged that the government would play its part in helping to transform the nation's lifestyle habits into more environmentally friendly ones.
Welcoming the report of the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable, published on May 2, Beckett agreed that there was a greater public interest in ethical consumption.
'This is an issue for all us all; business, industry, individuals and government all share a responsibility to use our power as consumers to reduce our impact on the planet,' she said.
'If everyone consumed as we do in the UK, we would need three planets' worth of natural resources. In the UK, and in most other rich and developed countries, we are currently consuming way beyond our environmental means.'
The round table's report, I will if you will, called on the government to help people make greener and more ethical choices.
'People do appear ready and willing to see new policies introduced that will help them change their behaviour in the face of challenges such as climate change and global poverty,' the report states.
'They are looking to government to make it easier for them to do the right thing.'
The report recommended that the government adopt a set of procurement priorities to make sustainable consumption visible in public sector buildings and transport.
By 2009, all public sector bodies should aim to ensure that more than 25% of their car fleet is low carbon emission and to shift catering services away from meat-intensive diets to ones maximising the use of fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables and sustainable fish species.
Ministers should also commit themselves to ensuring that central government is carbon neutral by 2012, with the wider public sector following in 2015.
The SCR, a joint initiative between the Sustainable Development Commission and the National Consumer Council, is supported financially by Defra and the DTI. Its report comes after 18 months of consultations with members of the public, businesses and other stakeholders across Britain.
SCR co-chair Ed Mayo said: 'Going green can be smart and stylish, but it is not yet simple. We want to call the bluff of politicians, to take action to make the sustainable choice the easier choice.'
PFmay2006
