Sustainable Development

One Wales: One Planet
Consultation on a new Sustainable

Development Scheme for Wales
November 2008
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Please respond to this consultation by 4 February 2009
Responses can be submitted by letter, fax or e-mail to:
Sustainable Development Branch

Department for Environment, Sustainability and Housing
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
sustainable.development@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Fax: 029 2082 5008.

Tel: 029 2082 3388/029 2082 6769
D3500809 © Crown Copyright 2008

ISBN 978 0 7504 4962 5
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Contents
Page
Context 1
Ministerial Foreword 5
Introduction 7
1. Our Principles and Vision 11
2. A Strong and Confident Nation 15
3. A Healthy Future 19
4. A Prosperous Society 23
5. Living Communities 27
6. Learning for Life 31
7. A Fair and Just Society 35
8. A Sustainable Environment 39
9. A Rich and Diverse Culture 43
Annex A: Measuring Progress 47
Annex B: The role of others 49
Annex C: Key supporting documents 51

Context
This consultation is on the draft of a renewed Sustainable Development Scheme
under the Government of Wales Act 2006. It sets out how the Welsh Assembly
Government intends to promote sustainable development in the exercise of the
Welsh Ministers’ functions.
The main aims of the Scheme are to set out:
• a long-term Vision of a sustainable Wales that is real, relevant and

meaningful to the people of Wales and its organisations;
• specific outcomes that the Assembly Government will seek to achieve
through its main policies and programmes; and
• processes that the Assembly Government will put in place to ensure its
work coherently reflects the goals of sustainable development.
Your views on this consultation will be used to develop the new Sustainable
Development Scheme. If you would like to get involved in providing feedback, there
are a variety of ways doing this, which are set out on our website:
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment/?lang=en
This includes written responses to this document, participation in consultation

events, and emailing your views and questions to our mailbox. We also welcome the
opportunity to meet with organisations to discuss the Scheme.
In particular, the Welsh Assembly Government would like to encourage you to give
us your views on the following questions/issues:
Q1. Is the overall purpose of the scheme, and how you should use it, clear - and if
not what else should it say to reflect your input into working towards a sustainable
Wales?
Q2. Is the new Vision helpful to you as a long term view of a sustainable Wales that
you can aim towards?
Q3. Are the key outcomes sufficiently clear and comprehensive to help you align
your activities as you plan and deliver your actions in support of a sustainable
Wales?
Q4. Are the specific actions and commitments helpful to you in demonstrating our
commitment to SD and the route we will take?
Q5. Is the suite of SD indicators comprehensive to act as clear drivers and provide
sufficient clarity about the direction of travel to help measure progress to SD, and do
they help you align the way you measure your organisation's contribution and
progress towards SD?
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Consultation issued: 19 November 2008
Responses to be submitted by: 4 February 2009
How to respond
When responding, please state whether you are responding as an individual or

representing the views of an organisation. If responding on behalf of an organisation,
please make it clear whom the organisation represents and, where applicable, how
the view of members were assembled.
Responses can also be submitted by letter, fax or e-mail to:
Sustainable Development Branch

Department for Environment, Sustainability and Housing
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
sustainable.development@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Fax: 029 2082 5008

Tel: 029 2082 3388
029 2082 6769
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Confidentiality of Consultations
The Welsh Assembly Government will publish a summary of responses following

completion of the consultation process. Your response, and all other responses to
the consultation, may be disclosed on request.
The Welsh Assembly Government can only refuse to disclose information in

exceptional circumstances. Before you submit your response, please read the
paragraphs below on the confidentiality of consultations and they will give you
guidance on the legal position about any information given by you in response to this
consultation.
The Freedom of Information Act gives the public a right of access to any information
held by a public authority, namely, the Welsh Assembly Government in this case.
This right of access to information includes information provided in response to a
consultation. The Welsh Assembly Government cannot automatically consider as
confidential information supplied to it in response to a consultation.
However, it does have the responsibility to decide whether any information provided
by you in response to this consultation, including information about your identity
should be made public or be treated as confidential. Usually, the name and address
(or part of the address) of its author are published along with the response, as this
gives credibility to the consultation exercise. If you would prefer for your response
not to be published, or to be published but not attributed, please include an
explanation in your response.
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You should also be aware that there may be circumstances in which the
Welsh Assembly Government will be required to communicate information to third
parties on request, in order to comply with its statutory obligations. This includes its
obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act
2000, and the Environmental Information Regulation 2004. For further information on
the Assembly’s Code of Practice in dealing with requests for access to information it
holds please visit our website: www.information.wales.gov.uk
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Ministerial Foreword
I am delighted to present our consultation on the new
Sustainable Development Scheme for Wales, One Wales;
One Planet.
We are very far from living sustainably. In May this year, I

launched a report that recalculates Wales’ Ecological
Footprint. This shows that if everyone on the earth lived as we
do, we would use 2.7 planets worth of resources. It also
shows that, unchecked, our Ecological Footprint could
increase by 20% by 2020. We would then be using 3.3 planets
worth of resources. Climate change is the clearest example
that our current lifestyles are unsustainable, but wherever we look - the amount of
waste we generate, the amount we travel - we know that we are living beyond the
environment’s means to sustain us.
I am proud that the Government of Wales Act 2006 places the promotion of
sustainable development at the heart of the Welsh Assembly Government’s work.
We remain one of the few administrations in world to have such a statutory duty, and
it gives us an opportunity to develop Wales, as a small, smart nation, in ways which
contribute sustainably to people’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing,
now and in the future. This new Sustainable Development Scheme provides an
opportunity for us to confirm sustainable development as the central organising
principle of public service – because public service must be about achieving benefits
for the whole of society and for the long term.
In this consultation document we have sought to highlight how our relevant policies
and commitments will both contribute to the well-being of the people of Wales and
move us towards using only our fair share of the earth’s resources. This is a
tremendous challenge, and one in which we must all play our part. I hope you will
aspire to Wales becoming a One Planet Nation – to achieve One Wales:
One Planet.
I invite you to let me have your comments about this proposed Scheme for
Sustainable Development and to help us ensure that together we can deliver real
and lasting changes to transform people’s live across Wales.
Jane Davidson AM
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“I want a Wales fit for generations to come…What motivates me is doing my
very best to ensure a brighter, sustainable future for [my grandchildren and their
grandchildren] and every other child growing up in Wales today…[Therefore],
top of the list… of our priorities which will continue to improve the quality of life
for people today and in the future… is sustainability”
First Minister, 8 February 2008.
INTRODUCTION
What is sustainable development?
The goal of sustainable development is to “enable all people throughout the world to
satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the
quality of life of future generations” 1.
In the context of Wales, sustainable development means enhancing the economic,

social and environmental wellbeing of people and communities, achieving a better
quality of life for our own and future generations. This must be done in ways which
and promote social justice and equality of opportunity, and which enhance the
natural and cultural environment and respect its limits - using only our fair share of
the earth’s resources and sustaining our cultural legacy. Sustainable development is
the process by which we reach the goal of sustainability.
Our Duty
In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government is proud that sustainable development is

a core principle within its founding statute. We were, and indeed remain, one of the
few administrations in the world to have a distinctive statutory duty in relation to
sustainable development. This duty, which was contained within the Government of
Wales Act 1998 and which now falls under the Government of Wales Act 2006
(Section 79), requires Welsh Ministers to make a scheme setting out how they
propose, in the exercise of their functions, to promote sustainable development.
Much has been achieved since the inception of the duty through our two previous
Sustainable Development Schemes: Learning to Live Differently (2000) and Starting
to Live Differently (2004). This consultation document seeks to build on these
experiences and set out our proposals to promote sustainable development, how we
will make sustainable development a reality for people in Wales, and the benefits
that people will see from this, particularly in our less well-off communities. This
Scheme should be seen as a sustainable development scheme for the people of
Wales. This Scheme also provides an opportunity to respond to the issues raised in
the review of the effectiveness of Starting to Live Differently, and in work by
Cynnal Cymru2 3
1
UK’s shared framework for sustainable development
2
Flynn, Marsden, Netherwood, Pitts (2008), The Sustainable Development Effectiveness Report for
the Welsh Assembly Government.
3
Cynnal Cymru (2008), Transformation Nation, Report from Civil Society to inform the review and
re-make of the Sustainable Development Scheme,
7
The purpose of the Scheme for Sustainable Development
This Schemes sets out a vision for a sustainable Wales, and the principles and
actions to underpin that. We recognise that the vision will require radical change in
all sectors of society, and that the timescale for this transformation will be the lifetime
of a generation. The vision of a sustainable Wales, and the supporting definition of
sustainable development (the process of development to achieve the vision), will be
the overarching strategic aim of all of our policies and programmes, across all
Ministerial portfolios.
Recent commissioned work4 shows that the existing policy commitments in our
programme One Wales have the potential to stabilise Wales’ ecological footprint by
2020 in the key areas of transport, food and housing. But we recognise there will be
more to do, and that the required momentum of change must be faster. Whilst the
vision, the definition of sustainable development, and the underpinning principles of
sustainable development will remain constant, there will be a need to update this
Scheme in the future to reflect new policies required to take us further down the road
to achieve the Vision.
We hope that this Scheme will allow organisations in Wales to align their activities to
the vision and the supporting outcomes. We want the Scheme to be used actively by
all organisations in Wales to help them plan and deliver their work and activities.
Sustainable development represents a real organising principle, relevant to all
sectors of society. It demands joined-up government with a focus on the long-term
and serving the citizen, directly supporting the aims we have already set in the
Wales Spatial Plan and for Local Service Boards across Wales.
A framework supporting One Wales
This Scheme is not separate from our One Wales agenda, nor additional to our
existing policy work, but provides a unifying vision and set of operational principles
that will thread through, support and drive all our policies and programmes in a
joined up way to deliver sustainable development.
This Scheme is a strategic framework document setting out how our policies and
commitments will move closer to delivering sustainable development over this
Assembly term. It emphasise the twin guiding themes of helping people – particularly
those worst off - and reducing our environmental impact. To reflect these two key
threads, the title of the new Scheme is One Wales: One Planet.
Shared Principles
The UK’s shared framework, One Future - different paths, sets out that the goal for
sustainable development will be “pursued in an integrated way through a
sustainable, innovative and productive economy that delivers high levels of
employment, and a just society that promotes social inclusion, sustainable
communities and personal well-being. This will be done in ways that protect and
enhance the physical and natural environment, and use resources and energy as
4
Dawkins, E., Paul, A., Barrett, J., Minx. J. and Scott, K. (2008) Wales’ Ecological Footprint –
scenarios to 2020, report to WAG, Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York.
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efficiently as possible”5. This Scheme is consistent with the overarching principles of
the UK shared framework. In particular, by setting a pathway to using only our fair
share of the earth’s resources, and becoming a One Planet nation within the lifetime
of a generation, we will demonstrate the principle of living within environmental
limits. Our focus on how a sustainable approach will improve the quality of life and
wellbeing of the people of Wales, and especially those in our less well off
communities, will demonstrate ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
through achieving a sustainable economy.
EU context
At the EU level, the renewal of the EU SD strategy6 in 2006 confirmed the long
standing commitment to sustainable development and the support and promotion of
actions to enable the EU to achieve continuous improvement of quality of life for
both current and future generations. While environmental protection remains at the
heart of the strategy, other guiding principles include social equity and cohesion,
economic prosperity and ensuring policies are coherent with international
responsibilities. The EU SD Strategy priorities are reflected in our SD Scheme.
These linkages will ensure there is coherence between EU policies and coherence
between regional, national, and global actions in order to enhance their contribution
to sustainable development.
Format of this Scheme
The format of this Scheme will cover the following key elements:
• Our guiding principles and a renewed vision and pathway towards a

sustainable Wales, in line with our One Wales commitments (Chapter 1).
• A chapter on each relevant One Wales heading highlighting the outcomes
we wish to achieve through relevant commitments.
• An Annex on how we will measure our progress.
• An Annex on the key role of others sector in contributing to our vision of a
sustainable Wales.
5
UK’s shared framework for sustainable development.
6
EU Sustainable Development Strategy, available at www…..
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CHAPTER 1: OUR PRINCIPLES AND VISION
Principles
Sustainable development should be the central organising principle for Government
and the wider public sector in Wales, so that sustainable development – as the
process that leads to us becoming a sustainable society – becomes the overarching
aim of Government and the public sector. Such an approach will be underpinned by
the following 2 core principles, and 6 supporting principles:
• Core principle 1: Involvement – people and communities are at the

heart of SD, so we will be inclusive in our involvement of all our
stakeholders in the development of our policies and programmes, and the
identification of solutions that meet their needs, promoting innovation in
the way that we deliver services.
• Core principle 2: Integration – only an approach that makes the

connections between, and effectively integrates, economic, social and
environmental challenges will achieve sustainable development.
• Supporting principle 1: Decoupling - all of our policies will show how we

will reduce Wales’ Ecological Footprint to work towards our vision, initially
through showing how we will reduce our CO2 emissions by 3% a year,
year-on-year, from 2011 in those areas where we have devolved
competence, and move towards a zero-waste society.
• Supporting principle 2: Full costs and benefits – we will identify and

take account of the full range of costs and benefits, including those over
the long-term, those not measured in monetary terms, and those costs
that are global as well as local, in our policy making. We will promote
whole system thinking, taking account also of risks - especially to the
economic, social and environmental wellbeing of communities - and
uncertainties associated with action and inaction.
• Supporting principle 3: Precautionary principle – we will use an

evidenced-based approach to decision-making but we will not postpone
decisions on cost-effective solutions to potential problems, in cases where
there is lack of full scientific certainty.
• Supporting principle 4: Polluter pays principle – we will ensure that

social and environmental costs of development fall on those who impose
them.
• Supporting principle 5: Proximity principle - we will solve problems,

especially in managing waste and pollution, locally, rather than passing
them onto other places or to future generations
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• Supporting principle 6: Reflecting distinctiveness - our approach to
sustainable development will reflect and respond to the particular needs
and issues of communities in different parts of Wales, as outlined in the
Wales Spatial Plan update.
Our Vision of a Sustainable Wales
Through our One Wales Programme for Government we are committed to

developing a strong and confident nation: living communities that fully reflect our
rich and diverse culture, creating a fair and just society within a sustainable
environment, generating a healthy future for all, ensuring opportunities for
learning for life, and underpinned by the creation of a prosperous society.
Within the lifetime of a generation we want to see Wales using only its fair share of
the earth’s resources, and where our ecological footprint is reduced to the global
average availability of resources – 1.88 global hectares per person, with each
Spatial Plan Area making its full contribution (see Figure 1 for Wales’ ecological
footprint, by theme, for 2003).
To achieve this goal over a generation, we will need to reduce by two thirds the total
resources we currently use to sustain our lifestyles. The figure below shows how our
current footprint is made up. To reduce this we must:
• radically reduce by 80-90% our use of carbon-based energy, resulting in a

similar reduction our greenhouse gas emissions. This reflects the latest
estimates for action needed to address damaging climate change. It would
build on our existing 3% per annum reduction target in Wales and our
ambitions to make all new buildings zero carbon buildings and to move to
producing as much electricity from renewable sources by 2025 as we
consume;
• have a radically different approach to waste management, moving towards
becoming a zero waste nation. This will build on our stated goal of
achieving 70% recycling of municipal waste by 2025;
• organise the way we live and work so we can travel less by car, wherever
possible, and can live and work in ways which have a much stronger
connection with our local economies and communities;
• source more of our food locally and in season; and
• do all this in ways which make us a fairer society, reducing the gap
between rich and poor, building on our commitments to tackling child and
fuel poverty.
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Private services Other 1% Capital investment
5% 4%
Public services
12%
Housing 25%
Consumer items
15%
Food 20%
Transport 18%
Figure 1: Ecological footprint of Wales by theme (2003)
ACTION 1: To promote a low footprint Wales, we will further extend the use of
ecological footprinting by introducing a grant scheme from 2009/10.
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CHAPTER 2: A STRONG AND CONFIDENT NATION
Sustainable development should be the central organising principle for the whole of
the public sector, to provide the strong sense of purpose and direction necessary to
deliver the real and lasting changes to transform people’s lives all over Wales. The
Welsh Assembly Government aspires to become an exemplar organisation and has
a key role in leading change in Wales and encouraging and enabling others to do so.
The steps we are taking to meet this aspiration, and additional actions related to the
key outcomes, are set out below.
KEY OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS:
• The Welsh Assembly Government, as an exemplar organisation,

demonstrates leadership on sustainable development, and encourages
and enables others to embrace SD as the central organising principle.
• ACTION 2: We will benchmark our progress on sustainable development in
our operations against other Government departments using the Sustainable
Development Commission’s Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG)
reporting process, from spring 2009.
• Sustainable development considerations are at the core of the
evaluation and development of our policies and our new and existing
investment proposals.
• ACTION 3: Through our Policy Integration Toolkit, we will identify how each
new initiative can best contribute to sustainable development and we will use
the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) to identify the
contribution of these to reducing Wales’ Ecological Footprint.
• There are effective and participative systems of governance in all levels
of society.
• KEY ACTION 4 We will develop a strategy to reduce each Wales Spatial
Area's ecological footprint across the range of its activities, and set this out in
the Area's delivery framework. As part of this, we will define the concept of
low-carbon regions and how this can be achieved in each Spatial Plan Area.
How our work will improve the lives of communities
• Business decision-making - All of our business decision-making will

support sustainable development as the central organising principle. Using
our new IDEAs management system, we will measure our performance
coherently against a few key outcomes so that we are clear how our work
is contributing to achieving lasting change. We will look to improve our
planning and budgeting processes through the Managing for Delivery
Project. This will help ensure that resources are aligned closely with policy
objectives. We will work towards embedding Wales Spatial Plan (WSP)
priorities in our business planning and project approval processes, aiming
towards ensuring Assembly Government budgets are aligned with the
WSP.
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• Procurement - We will use our buying power to raise our performance in
sustainable procurement by benchmarking, continually improving and
becoming an exemplar for the Welsh Public Sector. A Sustainable Risk
Assessment (SRA) will be applied to all competitively tendered contracts
over £25k. There will be more training and advice, encouraging the wider
public sector to benchmark its performance and produce action plans for
improvement, whilst encouraging the use of the SRA on all contracts over
the European procurement threshold.
• Policy making - We will update the Policy Gateway Integration Toolkit to

ensure that sustainable development is the central organising principle of
policy development. Our Equality Impact Assessment will further ensure
our policies, strategies and programmes meet the needs of all people and
communities in Wales.
• Training - Training programmes will be developed to raise awareness,

promote know-how, develop skills and change behaviour on sustainability
issues. A programme of events/awareness raising for the wider public
sector will be developed alongside Public Services Management Wales
(PSMW), building upon the success of the One Planet Leadership
Programme.
• Governance and partnership - Through our WSP Area Delivery

Frameworks, we will focus on delivering the strategic regional priorities
that have been identified in partnership through the work of the
Spatial Plan Groups and testing the spatial impacts of policies on the
ground. The Advice Note on Sustainable Development for Community
Strategies, supporting the statutory guidance, will guide local authorities
and their partners in developing Community Strategies which contribute to
our vision of a sustainable Wales. Local Service Boards (LSBs) will
provide collaborative leadership at a local level to enable a focus on
partnership action through the delivery of projects, captured in a local
delivery agreement.
• Improving local sustainability - Until now the law7 has required local
authorities to demonstrate continuous improvement each year in terms of
the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of their operations. This
neglects the broader and longer-term effects – positive and negative – that
they can have on the areas and communities that they serve. Accordingly,
we have brought forward a draft Assembly Measure to reform the law in
this area; it would provide that improving the sustainability of a local
authority’s operations and taking action to deliver community strategies
are as important as improving the measured quality or efficiency of local
authority services.
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Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999.
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How our work will contribute to reducing Wales’ ecological footprint
• Greening operations - Within the Welsh Assembly Government estate,

we will minimise our own ecological footprint by engaging with all
individuals to change their own working practices in order to reduce
resource consumption, waste and transport use for commuting, prevent
pollution and comply with environmental legislation. We will continue
working to extend Level 5 of the Green Dragon Standard to the entire core
WAG administrative estate, and achieve “excellent” standard under
BREEAM for new buildings.
• Financial scrutiny - We will ensure that scrutiny of expenditure plans

(including grant applications) tests whether the expenditure supports
policies effectively. We will demonstrate that sustainable development
considerations have been included as part of this.
• Partnership - The partnerships and processes set up under the Wales

Spatial Plan will be key to ensuring the integration, at a regional level, of
many of the strategies and programmes referred to within this Scheme.
The WSP Area Groups will provide the leadership for this process. This
will be especially important to achieve the outcomes in Chapter 8 of the
Scheme, A Sustainable Environment.
Measuring our progress
• Indicators - We will use our sustainable development indicators to drive

our policy development by ensuring that our policies are aligned with the
“direction of travel” provided by the indicators, as part of our Policy
Gateway process.
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CHAPTER 3: A HEALTHY FUTURE
A strong, healthy and just society, while living within environmental limits, is key to
sustainable development. Poor health constrains people’s lives and reduces the
vitality and prosperity of the community. It can be tackled by influencing people’s
behaviour, improving their natural and built environment, and by imaginative
investment in education, social development and other services. A real commitment
to good health for all is the basis for a strong, prosperous and caring community. We
want to see significant improvements in the health of all of the people of Wales – this
is a key challenge, and to make progress we set out the actions we are taking.
• A nation that values and promotes healthy living and improves the
quality of life for all;
• ACTION 5: We will invest £190 million in public health and health improvement
through the Public Health Strategic Framework for Wales, ‘Our Healthy Future’
which will improve the quality and length of life and improve equity in health.
• An NHS that leads on low carbon and sustainable development best
practice and health services that focus on successful outcomes.
• ACTION 6: We will ensure that sustainable development will be made a core
objective for the restructured NHS in all it does by giving clear duties to the
new bodies to demonstrate best practice in planning and design, building,
transport and waste management, and in use of energy and water.
• More exercise - We wish to see more people walking and cycling as a

result of the Wales Transport Strategy and other relevant programmes
such as the Coastal Access Improvement Programme and implementation
of the Assembly Government’s Walking and Cycling Action Plan.
• Better health - We want to see fewer people smoking, especially amongst

children in Communities First areas through our ASSIST initiative.
Through development and implementation of a Rural Health Plan and
Health Inequalities Strategy there will be fairer access to health services
for all and targeted actions to reduce health inequalities. There will be
more emphasis on preventing ill health through Health Challenge Wales
and we want many more organisations achieving excellence in workplace
health schemes alongside improved access to occupational health
services, particularly for those employed in smaller businesses and low
paid workers.
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• Healthy eating - Through our Quality of Food for All Action Plan we want
to see a strong, healthy food culture in all parts of Wales so that all
people’s diets are safe, nutritious, balanced, and contribute actively to
positive physical health and wellbeing. We want everyone to have access
to affordable, diverse, locally supplied food, for a healthy balanced diet.
• Stronger NHS - There will be stronger NHS engagement with the public
and communities on planning and accessing health services, with
sustainable development principles at the heart of the planning process of
the restructured NHS. There will be, where it is clinically appropriate and
sustainable to do so, more health services located closer to home and
communities, improving access and reducing the need to travel.
• Healthy food procurement - There will be greater proportion of public-

sector procured food sourced from within Wales, through the forthcoming
Local Sourcing Strategic Action Plan. Organisations’ procurement
strategies and specifications will be reviewed to ensure sustainable
development is built into the process and fresh food specified wherever
possible. Whilst action will be taken to improve the nutritional quality of
food supplied in public settings, there will also be a focus on community
groups in targeted areas of socio-economic deprivation to improve access
to healthy food. In hospitals, for example, health promoting vending
machines will make it easier for people to make healthier food choices.
Through our work we will contribute to reducing Wales’ ecological footprint by

ensuring:
• Energy and waste - We want to see energy use and carbon emissions in
the NHS Estate driven down, with more NHS bodies attaining a BREEAM
for Healthcare rating of EXCELLENT for all construction projects funded
using Welsh Assembly Government monies. There will be decreased
waste in the NHS Estate by achieving the targets contained within the
Healthcare Waste Strategy for Wales.
• Travel - NHS Trusts are required to develop and implement a sustainable

travel plan for their major hospital sites by 31 March 2009 to increase
walking, cycling and the use of public transport and to reduce traffic
congestion. A travel plan toolkit has been developed to assist in the
production of these plans.
• Local food - Through our Food and Drink from Wales Strategy, there will
be a much lower food ecological footprint & much lower CO2 emissions
associated with production, processing, distribution and consumption of
food in Wales, with minimum generation of food waste, and maximum
composting. We want to see widespread business skills in resource-
efficiency and environmental management in these areas. Progress will be
needed so the labelling of Welsh food and drink reflects its full costs and
its health potential. We want people to only buy the food they need, and to
reduce the amount of food waste households, as well as from retailers and
food outlets.
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Within our current Sustainable Development Indicators, we report on progress under

this heading using:
• Health inequality: infant mortality and life expectancy;

• Benefit dependency: percentage of people on key benefits.
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CHAPTER 4: A PROSPEROUS SOCIETY
The role of business within a prosperous, sustainable economy is central to the
generation of wealth and to the achievement of our vision. Local businesses can be
central to community wellbeing, in a variety of ways.
Through continuous innovation and technological advances, businesses must

produce goods and services with much greater resource efficiency. Much more
needs to be done. The purchasing power of the public sector, and the influence of
business supply chains, will be a powerful influence. The direction provided by
business leaders who are committed to sustainable development must become a
catalyst for other businesses, shareholders and customers. We recognise that more
needs to be done to achieve progress, and our approach is set out below.
• A strong, stable and sustainable economy for Wales that is able to

develop whilst stabilising, then reducing, its use of natural resources
and mitigating its impact on climate change. This will follow the core
sustainability principles and be based on the following objectives:
o where we move decisively and progressively to a low carbon, low
waste economy;
o a low carbon lifestyle is considered in the workplace as well as at
home; and
o regeneration involves and engages with local communities and is
firmly based on sustainability principles, with zero carbon
buildings at the heart of that goal.
• ACTION 7: In our regeneration work we will encourage our partners to adopt
similar principles to ours, integrating social, economic and environmental
considerations, and seeking to maximise the benefits to the local community
and economy from the way regeneration takes place.
• Best practice - We will encourage a pro-active approach by business to

Corporate Social Responsibility and community health and wellbeing,
including use of relevant standards such as the Corporate Health
Standard, including issues such as people’s work-life balance, and the
embedding of equal opportunities. Training, skills and capacity building will
be tuned to the new challenges of sustainable development.
• Tackling disadvantage - Our Communities First programme will enable

local people in the most disadvantaged areas to work together to develop
community-based, sustainable solutions which tackle the economic and
employment issues in their areas. Economically inactive and unemployed
people, especially those in disadvantaged groups, will be able to access
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greater training opportunities and recruitment through social clauses in our
procurement policies.
• Public procurement - Businesses and third sector organisations across

Wales will have the opportunity to compete for public sector contracts
through the adoption by the Assembly Government of a purchasing code
of practice. Public procurement will contribute to key regeneration
programmes, for example, in the Heads of the Valley and Mon a Menai.
• Sustainable tourism - Through our Sustainable Tourism Framework we

will maximise the contribution of tourism to the sustainable economic
prosperity of the host destination, including the proportion of visitor
spending that is retained locally.
• Structural funds - Through mainstreaming environmental sustainability,

equal opportunities and diversity across all projects, WEFO will ensure
that structural fund programmes contribute to the economic, social and
environmental well-being of Wales.
• Green Jobs Strategy - Through our Green Jobs Strategy we will aim to
encourage businesses in Wales to adopt resource efficiency in all aspects
of the production and supply of goods and services. We want businesses
in Wales to be low-carbon, low-waste businesses so they are “future
proofed” against the challenges of energy security and the scarcity of
natural resources, particularly oil. We wish to see sustainable
development as the key lens through which business risks are identified
and managed. We will encourage active links between businesses and the
Welsh Universities to take to the market place cutting edge sustainable
technologies in low-carbon resource-efficient design.
• Best practice - We will encourage businesses in Wales to involve their

work force actively in the preparation and delivery of “future-proofing”
plans and the drive for carbon reduction and resource efficiency. Where
appropriate this will include working to certification under an appropriate
Environmental Management System. We will work with partners to identify
possible new approaches to sustainability management systems.
• Masterplanning - We will aim for a holistic approach, embracing social,

economic and environmental considerations, in all our work to regenerate
places. We will use a sustainable masterplanning approach to set the path
towards net zero carbon/zero waste, and give weight to other issues
including accessibility and biodiversity.
• Sustainable transport - Working with our partners and the transport and
tourism industry, we will inform visitors to Wales of sustainable transport
options, so that more visitors able to travel to, and within, Wales by
sustainable means. Through our Wales Freight Strategy, we want to see
24
more freight moved in and out of Wales by rail and coastal shipping, and
overall a more efficient and reliable use of existing infrastructure.
• Public procurement - Through Value Wales we will make use of

procurement to purchase goods and services which reduce energy usage,
reduce water usage and minimise waste production. We will use the
Sustainable Risk Assessment Template.

this heading using:
• Employment – percentage of people of working age in work;

• Resource efficiency – the ratio of CO2 emissions to Gross Value Added
(GVA); and
• Resource use – Wales’ Domestic Material Consumption.
25
26
CHAPTER 5: LIVING COMMUNITIES
Where we live is central to our quality of life and our wellbeing. A sense of shared
vision and values, embracing equality and diversity, underpins a sustainable
community. Empowering people and fostering community leadership is also critical
to achieving sustainable communities.
The needs of different communities will differ according in particular to their location.
In rural areas, agriculture will remain at the heart of rural communities. Through the
Wales Spatial Plan process we will continue to improve our understanding of the
roles of settlements in Wales so that all parts of the community, including rural
areas, have effective access to services and opportunities. Decent housing for all,
along with the ability to easily access jobs and training, services such as health and
education, and shopping and leisure facilities, are vital. Transforming all of our
housing and our transport system, so that both become sustainable, remain key
challenges. We will seek, through the planning system, to regulate the development
and use of land in the public interest. We want to see thriving local communities in
all parts of Wales, and the steps we are taking towards this are set out below.
• We have a low carbon transport network which promotes access

rather than mobility so that we can enjoy facilities with much less
need for single occupancy car travel.
• ACTION 8: We will work with the Regional Transport Consortia to
deliver a series of Sustainable Travel Communities.
• All have access to better homes so that we reduce carbon
emissions and tackle fuel poverty, and new homes and
community facilities are sited in sustainable locations, free from
the risk of flooding.
• ACTION 9: We will initiate, in consultation with local government, a
strategic monitoring framework to measure key SD outcomes delivered
by the planning system.
• Housing - Through our National Housing Strategy we will ensure that

social housing will continue to provide high quality, affordable homes that
meet the needs of people on low incomes, with more opportunities for
tenants to engage and participate with local authorities in the supply and
quality of social housing. Guidance will be developed on opportunities to
improve environmental standards as part of investment to meet the Welsh
Housing Quality Standard. Housing will be a key lever for stimulating
private investment which will contribute to the sustainable regeneration of
communities. Through our National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan
and a much greater improvement in household energy conservation, we
want the incidence of fuel poverty to be greatly reduced.
27
• Transport - Through our Wales Transport Strategy, and working in
partnership with Regional Transport consortia, we want to see many more
people, especially in the more built-up areas, having opportunities for
safely walking and cycling for trips under 5 miles. Through our Safe
Routes in Communities programme, and school travel plans, we will work
to reduce traffic speeds near to schools. We want less congestion in
towns, and lower levels of noise and pollution from cars and freight. Our
plans for Sustainable Travel Towns will be a key ingredient for reducing
CO2 emissions and for supporting more active lifestyles. We will work with
the Regional Transport Consortia to deliver a series of Sustainable Travel
Communities. The aim is to enable a number of towns to become
exemplars of sustainable travel, with greatly enhanced opportunities for
walking and cycling, improved public transport and better travel planning.
Longer term, we will better plan and manage new and existing transport
routes, and ensure that more of the transport network is be protected
against future flood risk.
• Planning - Working with our partners in Local Government, there will be a

strong plan-led system across Wales, reflected in adopted Local
Development Plans (LDPs) to assist in delivering more sustainable
communities, with local communities sharing a greater sense of ownership
and influence. In the most disadvantaged areas, mechanisms will be in
place to ensure Communities First Partnerships are able to inform the
work of the Local Service Boards and the Community Planning process.
• Rural sustainability - In rural areas, local partnerships representative of

geographic and sectoral interests, will inform the local actions that deliver
sustainable development as part of the Axes 3 and 4 of the 2007-13 Rural
Development Plan for Wales. In particular, Axis 4 – Leader – will trial new
approaches, products and techniques that will contribute to the
sustainable development of rural communities.
• Transport - Through our Wales Transport Strategy, and working in

partnership with Regional Transport consortia, we want to see many more
people, especially in the more built-up areas, having opportunities for
safely walking and cycling for trips under 5 miles. Through our Safe
Routes in Communities programme, and school travel plans, we will work
to reduce traffic speeds near to schools. We want less congestion in
towns, and lower levels of noise and pollution from cars and freight. Our
plans for Sustainable Travel Towns will be a key ingredient for reducing
CO2 emissions and for supporting more active lifestyles. We will work with
the Regional Transport Consortia to deliver a series of Sustainable Travel
Communities. The aim is to enable a number of towns to become
exemplars of sustainable travel, with greatly enhanced opportunities for
walking and cycling, improved public transport and better travel planning.
Longer term, we will better plan and manage new and existing transport
routes, and ensure that more of the transport network is be protected
against future flood risk.
28

this heading using:
• Housing – percentage of unfit dwellings;

• Accessibility – percentage of households where the time taken to reach
local facilities on foot or by public transport is 15 minutes or less;
• Crime – recorded crime figures for vehicles, domestic burglary and
robbery; and
• Mobility – number of trips per person per year by main mode, and
distance travelled per person per year by broad trip purpose.
29
30
CHAPTER 6: LEARNING FOR LIFE
People, particularly children and young adults, have a right to understand the crucial
issues facing the planet and to know how they can personally play a part in helping
shape the future. We want to inspire and educate people to develop their
knowledge, values and skills so they can participate in decisions about what affects
them, and live more sustainably. A key opportunity and challenge is for the
education system at all levels to play a full role in this.
Similarly, skills and employment are the foundation of a successful life, and they are
essential for a more prosperous and more equal Wales. One Wales aims to create a
strong economy based on full employment and high-quality jobs. A key challenge is
to equip more people with the skills needed to get into work and for them to make
the most of opportunities. Our skills and employment strategy, Skills That Work for
Wales, describes how we are working to integrate approaches to skills, employment
and business development.
We want to ensure education brings empowerment which delivers a better future for
the people of Wales, in particular, where high quality lifelong learning helps people
reach their goals, creates better opportunities, empowers communities and helps
provide the jobs and skills that people need.
• Every learner is actively involved in a variety of sustainable

development and global citizenship initiatives. These may be through
school, college or via youth work. They could be part of work based or
community based learning;
• ACTION 10: We will intensify our support for Education for Sustainable
Development and Global Citizenship initiatives across all learning sectors,
focusing on enabling greater access for learners; the establishment of support
networks within each sector; production of best practice, training and
resources; and, the development of the social justice aspects of ESDGC.
• Every educational institution is embedding sustainable development
and global citizenship within its education programmes and way of
working.
• ACTION 11: We will deliver against all priority actions in the Education for
Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Action Plan by the end of
2009 and from this, we will update and review the plan to provide a renewed
focus from 2010-2014.
How our work will improve the lives of communities:
• Young children - Young children in the Foundation Phase will be given

more opportunities to gain first hand experiences of their world through
play and active involvement. They will be able to take part in activities,
indoors and outdoors, where they will have first-hand experience of
solving real-life problems, learning about conservation and sustainability.
31
• Schools - The revised school curriculum for Wales places sustainable
development and global citizenship as a cross curricular theme and all
schools, colleges and other educational settings are encouraged to
become involved in a range of schemes covering issues as diverse as Fair
Trade, international partnerships and equality and human rights. Eco
Schools, global schools partnerships, healthy schools, forest schools and
fair trade schools will be developed, with community focussed schools –
linking all schools and educational establishments with their local
communities – being a focal point for community-based learning and
activities.
• Young people - There will be a wider range of learning experiences to

encourage young people to continue in education or training beyond 16
through the Learning Pathways 14-19 whilst our adult community learning
policy will include support for the development of skills for individuals and
communities to take a more active role in society.
• Skills and training - Skills training will be aligned with the sustainable
development agenda, encompassing both vocational and academic
sectors. Through this, there will be more opportunities for adults to build a
basic platform of skills including the development of short, intensive basic
skills courses in eight key sectors by 2010 and the full range of sectors
represented by the Sector Skills Council by 2012. More people will
therefore be able to gain the training and support they need to move from
benefits into work with additional support being provided to support benefit
claimants who want to find a stable job, with an improved job matching
service enabling people from disadvantaged groups to access
employment within a reasonable travel to work area.
• Work-based learning - A tool-kit will be developed for providers that are

funded by the Assembly Government to deliver work-based learning, to
measure and monitor their progress in addressing the ESDGC agenda.
• BREEAM - We have introduced the requirement that BREEAM ‘Excellent’

or equivalent should be achieved as a condition of grant for all brand new
school buildings and stand-alone extensions supported by the School
Buildings Improvement Grant. We will continue to promote the BREEAM
environmental assessment framework method to Local Education
Authorities. We want all educational establishments to work towards
obtaining environmental management systems for their own business
premises such as EcoSchools or Eco Campus, Green Dragon or
ISO140001.
• Zero carbon buildings - We will look to understand and examine the

potential for applying the principles of ‘zero carbon building’ developments
into school capital investment.
32

this heading using:
• Education - percentage of people aged 19-21 with at least a National

Qualification Framework level 2 qualification; and
• Education – percentage of adults of working age with at least a National
Qualification Framework level 4 qualification.
33
34
CHAPTER 7: A FAIR AND JUST SOCIETY
The pursuit of equality of opportunity is a continuing challenge to achieve a
sustainable Wales - where every individual has equal rights, respects each other,
and plays a role in which they can fulfil their potential within an inclusive society.
This approach, where people living in Wales are confident in all aspects of their
diversity, will result in a fairer, more prosperous, healthier and more sustainable
country. But there is much to be done. The challenges of sustainable development
mean that we need to engage with, and empower, all groups within society, to make
the fullest use of their talent, knowledge and enthusiasm. We need to regenerate our
communities, and tackle the causes of problematic behaviour, ensuring we protect
the vulnerable. Our commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child ensures that children and young people are regarded as citizens too. Our
actions below are aimed at making decisive progress across this agenda.
• A fair and just Wales, in which citizens of all ages are empowered to
determine their own lives, shape their communities and achieve their
full potential. In particular, where equality for all is a core value to all our
work, and the six equality themes of age, gender, race, disability, sexual
orientation and religion are actively promoted; child poverty is
eradicated and more broadly a real translation of wealth and power in
our poorest communities has been achieved; and active citizenship is
encouraged, with everyone meeting their personal and community
responsibilities, both as a national and global citizen.
• ACTION 12: Our flagship programme, Communities First, will be reconfigured
to ensure it will be more focussed on sustainable outcomes for local people
and communities whilst tackling economic inactivity, child poverty and
promoting income maximisation.
• Single Equality Scheme - The promotion of equality, diversity and human

rights will continue to be central to the way we work, fully reflecting the
potential of all individuals, and reflecting too the commitment of employees
to a fair and just society and to community wellbeing. Through our Single
Equality Scheme we will identify and tackle the barriers that people may
encounter in their everyday lives. Public services will be fit for purpose for
all the people of Wales, taking full account of equality, and fully reflecting
the needs of different groups.
• Communities First - Living conditions and prospects for people will be

improved in our most disadvantaged communities across Wales through
Communities First. Through this long-term programme, local people
themselves will be actively involved and decide what is needed and will be
helped to make it happen. Communities First now covers over 160 areas
and some 20% of the population of Wales; every Communities First area
35
has a local partnership which brings together the local community with
representatives of the statutory, third and private sectors. Key services will
be organised and delivered with the interests of the people and
communities they are serving at the heart of all they are doing.
• Child Poverty Strategy - We want children and young people to be free

from the fear of poverty and abuse, are treated with respect and have
access to services which will help promote their development, health and
well-being. Through our child poverty strategy, we will continue to play a
full and active role in reaching our commitment to halve child poverty by
2010 and eradicate it by 2020.
• Post Office Development Fund - We recognise the important role post

offices have in our communities – especially in our most deprived or
isolated communities. The Post Office Development Fund aims to provide
grants to enable sub-post offices to diversify their businesses and offer
new services to the communities they serve.
• Community organisations - Social enterprises can be found throughout

Wales, working across a number of diverse areas. They are key players in
community regeneration and public service delivery. The Social Enterprise
Action Plan 2008 supports social enterprise development throughout
Wales A successful and sustainable Welsh credit union movement across
Wales will be established to provide core financial services and education
about managing finances to community based organisations. We will also
be establishing a Community Asset Transfer Fund to help sustain
community organisations The role and contribution of the voluntary sector
will also be enhanced. Many more people will be engaged in formal and
informal volunteering.
• Community Cohesion Strategy Through our Community Cohesion

Strategy, communities will be more integrated and all sectors of the
community are treated with respect and tolerance and do not fear for their
personal safety. By working with the police, Home Office, Community
Safety Partnerships and others, we will help people feel safer in their
communities, reduce crime and the fear of crime.
• UN Millennium Development goals - More people will have opportunities

to be involved in work to address global poverty, environmental protection
and tackling of disease, which causes so much human suffering across
the world. This will engage all parts Welsh society to actively contribute to
the United Nation Millennium Development goals to halve global poverty
by 2015.
• Engagement - We want all groups in society to understand, and be fully

engaged with, the move to a low carbon, low waste society, and facilities
and services to enable this will be designed and delivered with the needs
of all users in mind.
36

this heading using:
• Childhood poverty – children in relative low-income households;

• Pensioner poverty – pensioners in relative low-income households;
• Workless households – percentage of children and of all working age
people living in workless households; and
• Active community participation – percentage of people volunteering on
a formal and informal basis.
37
38
CHAPTER 8: A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
The natural environment is the ultimate source of the primary resources we use to
develop our economy, it is a source of enjoyment and inspiration, underpins our
culture, and provides a very deep contribution to our own sense of place and our
identity. The variety of life of earth has its own intrinsic value and worth. For all these
reasons, the overall health of the natural environment is key to our physical and
mental wellbeing.
Wales’ ecological footprint is an indicator of the stresses and strains we are putting
on the natural environment through our overuse in Wales of the earth’s resources.
Climate change is the most obvious demonstration that our current pattern of
development is unsustainable. Key challenges remain in dramatically reducing our
use of carbon-based energy, reducing our use of materials and waste, increasing
our recycling and composting rates, and in better managing our land and seas so
they can sustain a wide variety of ecosystem services.
KEY OUTCOMES AND ACTION:
• We are self-sustaining in renewable energy, more energy efficient and

are producing more of our energy at a community level, close to where
it is used, and every community enjoys better local environments which
contribute to health and wellbeing, and local people are involved to
promote low carbon, low waste living as part of a One Planet nation;
• ACTION 13: We will have a National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan that
will better target our energy efficiency investments at the fuel poor, whilst
promoting improvements for all households.
• Our land, freshwater and marine environment is best managed to
provide the services of food, wood, water, soil and habitats and
recreation.
• ACTION 14: Following a review of Axis II of the Rural Development Plan for
Wales we will set in place a structure of support for environmentally
sustainable land management, including support for land-based carbon
management through best practice management of soils, and management
for water quantity and quality, biodiversity, woodland, landscape, heritage and
access.
• Energy efficiency - Through our National Energy Efficiency and Savings

Plan we want the energy efficiency and conservation performance of the
existing housing stock, including social housing, to be far higher, helping
to eradicate fuel poverty, and ensuring that all households have affordable
warmth. People will have more information and support to reduce their
resource use and household energy bills, through our Climate Change
Community Packs and our communications campaigns on climate change
and waste. We aspire to all new homes being zero carbon from 2011.
39
• Waste - Through the introduction of local authority schemes that are both
easy to use and involve frequent collections, we aim for 70% of household
waste to be recycled by 2025, as a move towards a zero waste society.
We will support strategic work on Regional Waste Plans to ensure
acceptable locations for the new waste facilities required to secure the
diversion of waste from landfill. Through our new waste strategy,
commercial sectors will see more support for reduce, re-use and recycle.
• Biodiversity - Through our Environment Strategy and its Action Plans

there will be increased work in partnership with all sectors to achieve a
better environment whilst using fewer resources. Biodiversity will be built
in to everything that we do, and alongside work of other partners such as
local authorities, people and communities will have more opportunity to
take action to help biodiversity. We want more wildlife areas and
conservation areas to protect our rarest and most precious species for
people to appreciate and enjoy.
• Water - The forthcoming Strategic Policy Position Statement on Water will

ensure a clean affordable drinking water to the people of Wales, better
water quality and increasingly robust water resource management. There
will be plans in place to manage the impacts of climate change on this vital
resource, and water will be used much more efficiently.
• Flood risk - There will be much greater emphasis on flood risk

management, alongside better awareness of and protection from flood risk
through the expansion of floodline and flood defence schemes and more
information and guidance will be given to householders in relation to flood-
proofing their properties.
• Local environment - People will be engaged and involved in making their

communities tidy, clean and safe through the Tidy Towns initiative. There
will be greater awareness of the impact of litter and waste on community
safety and wellbeing, and the use of green volunteers will raise
understanding and engagement on wider environmental issues. There will
be more access to green space particularly in less well-off communities.
• Planning - Through the planning system, we will regulate to deliver more

sustainable buildings, secure from the risk of flooding. We will embed
climate change policies within Planning Policy Wales - such as “Merton-
plus type policies”, supplemented by revisions to TAN 12 ‘Design’ - so that
all new buildings will incorporate sustainability measures reflecting the
best European practice, using the Code for Sustainable Homes and
BREEAM standard. In housing this will be reflected through our National
Housing Strategy.
• Access to the environment - People and communities will have more,

and nearer, access to green spaces in rural and urban areas, such as
through the creation of the All-Wales coastal path with specific provision
for different types of user, and through the Water Recreation Strategy.
Through a revised Woodlands for Wales Strategy, more people will have
40
the opportunity to have more involvement with their local Forestry
Commission Wales woodland to pursue social and economic objectives
that benefit themselves and the wider community.
• Climate change - We will achieve an annual 3% reduction in greenhouse

gas emissions in areas of devolved competence from 2011. We aspire to
ensure that all new buildings constructed in Wales from 2011 should be
zero carbon.
• Renewable energy - Through our Renewable Energy Routemap and

Microgeneration Action Plan we aspire to see Community-scale renewable
energy installations, and the use of household-level micro-generation,
marine renewable energy and biomass energy become more common.
Our aim is to generate annually more than 30TWh of electricity from
renewable sources by 2025 and 3 TWh of heat, mainly from biomass. Our
aim is to produce more electricity from renewables than we consume as a
nation within 20 years. The planning system, which fully recognises the
implications of climate change, will facilitate the uptake of energy
efficiency and renewable energy measures and avoid siting new
developments in areas of known flood risk.
• Marine management - The Welsh Assembly Government shares in the

UK vision for all our seas - for them to be clean, healthy, safe, productive
and biologically diverse. The Marine Bill will give us the opportunity of
better regulation, better protection for marine life, integrated planning and
management of the sea, estuaries and coast. This strategic approach will
benefit all who use the sea to maximise sustainable benefits including
potential marine renewable energy sources, while protecting precious
resources. We need a range of tools to manage our seas sensitively and
the Marine Bill adds to our tool kit, which includes giving us the ability to
plan more strategically, protect important conservation areas and update
our fisheries management and licensing systems.
• Fisheries management - The Wales Fisheries Strategy will continue to

support the development of viable and sustainable fisheries in Wales. The
strategy will emphasise the important progress and continuing work to
date to develop and manage fisheries in a sustainable way as a part of
healthy and productive ecosystems.
• Land management - Through our approach under Wales’ Rural

Development Plan 2007-13, land will be managed in an integrated way,
providing food and fibre at the same time as providing a wider range of
ecosystem services. We wish to achieve a more profitable future for
farming and its associated food processing industry which will sustain
farming families while safeguarding the environment, mitigating climate
change and maintaining the vitality and prosperity of our rural
communities. It recognises the crucial role of rural land managers in
helping to deliver carbon and water management, soil conservation and
41
biodiversity. Resource use on farms will be reduced, and there will be
improved management of farm level waste.

this heading using:
• Biodiversity conservation – population of wild birds;

• Ecological impacts of air pollution – areas of sensitive habitats
exceeding critical loads for acidification and eutrophication;
• Air quality – days when air pollution is moderate or higher;
• River quality – percentage of river lengths of good quality;
• Soil quality – soil organic carbon;
• Waste – waste arisings by sector, and by disposal;
• Household waste – household waste, and amount recycled or
composted per person per year;
• Sustainable water resource management – percentage of resource
zones reporting target headroom deficits;
• Greenhouse gas emissions – emissions of greenhouse gases; and
• Electricity from renewable resources – percentage of electricity
produced in Wales generated from renewable resources.
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CHAPTER 9: A RICH AND DIVERSE CULTURE
A rich and diverse culture, supporting and sustaining our traditions, languages and
heritage, is a crucial element of a sustainable Wales. Our historic landscapes and
buildings are vital to our sense of place, identity and belonging. Using heritage and
culture as a force for sustainable regeneration has the capacity to engage local
communities, improve their wellbeing, and enhance the natural and built
environment as a resource available to all.
Wales’ approach to sustainable development is based on the contribution of its

people and rooted in its culture. The leadership that Wales can offer is recognised
internationally. Wales is a founder member of the network of regional governments
for Sustainable Development nrg4SD. We will continue to work with United Nations
agencies and, in particular, regions in Africa which have been amongst the first to
suffer the effects of climate change. We are also keen to ensure Wales continues to
be a leading sustainable tourism destination that promotes local sustainable
economic prosperity, supports community wellbeing and engagement, enhances the
natural environment and culture, and delivers a high quality experience to visitors.
• Wales’ rich culture, values and traditions are celebrated, particularly

through encouraging diversity, distinctiveness and promoting the
Welsh language; caring for our heritage and fostering local
distinctiveness and a sense of place.
• ACTION 15: We will secure the conservation of a range of iconic Welsh
cultural and heritage sites using sustainable techniques and traditional skills
as well as achieving improved public access.
• Improved global impact by ensuring that Wales is an international
exemplar of sustainable development; leading the world in promoting
Fair Trade; and delivering strong community partnerships with
sub-Saharan Africa.
• ACTION 16: We will ensure that every community in Wales is encouraged to
join the Gold Star Community scheme to link with a community in sub-
Saharan Africa, and will support them in helping to deliver the UN Millennium
Development Goals to halve global poverty by 2015 whilst building
community cohesion at home.
• Welsh language - We want more people to be able to learn Welsh and to

encourage it to thrive as a language of many communities all over Wales.
We will seek enhanced legislative competence on the Welsh language,
and expand the funding and support for Welsh-medium magazines and
newspapers. We aim to place a statutory duty on local authorities to
promote culture and encourage partnership to deliver high-quality cultural
experiences for their communities.
43
• Access to heritage and culture - Through our arts and culture
programme, we will widen access to Wales’ many heritage and cultural
activities so that they are available to all people, irrespective of where they
live, their background or their income. This will include the introduction of
free entry to Assembly Government funded heritage sites for Welsh
pensioners and children. We wish to see a smaller number of listed
buildings ‘at risk’, with more historic buildings and ancient monuments in
stable or improving condition.
• Fair Trade - We want more individuals and organisations to understand

the benefits of buying Fair Trade, building on our achievement of
becoming the world’s first Fair Trade Nation.
• Wales for Africa - Through our innovative Wales for Africa programme
there will be more opportunities for communities in Wales to link with
communities in sub-Saharan Africa and work on mutual development,
through the Gold Star Communities project. We will continue to provide
opportunities for skilled professionals and managers from the public sector
and public service organisations in Wales to undertake work placements
in sub-Saharan Africa. We will work with diaspora communities in Wales
to increase their positive impact on their homelands.
• Sustainable tourism - Through our Sustainable Tourism Framework we

will ensure that tourism maintains and strengthens the quality of life in
local communities, through engaging and empowering local communities
in planning and decision-making. We will continue to support the
Sustainable Tourism Forum, as a key opportunity for stakeholders to
share best practice in sustainable tourism and advise Visit Wales on key
sustainability issues.
• Maintaining a sense of place - We will promote master planning skills,

so that regeneration plans are based on an understanding of all the
environmental components of the area, enabling us maintain our cultural
distinctiveness and sense of place. We will continue to provide financial
support and advice to the owners of historic assets, to sustain a well
protected historic environment.
• Carbon offsetting - We will explore the opportunities for off-setting our

carbon use and helping contribute to the development of renewable
technologies and energy production in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Sustainable tourism businesses - Through our Sustainable Tourism

Framework we will mainstream sustainability within the Visit Wales
Grading Scheme, and this will help tourism enterprises and visitors to
minimise the use of scarce and non-renewable resources, and minimise
pollution of air, water and land and the generation of waste.
44

this heading using:
• Welsh language – end of Key Stages 1,2 and 3 teacher assessments in

the subject of Welsh first language.
45
46
ANNEX A: MEASURING PROGRESS
Delivery Plan
We have published a Delivery Plan showing what progress we have made on

meeting our One Wales commitments and describing the further action we will be
taking. This Plan is updated quarterly.
SD Annual Report
Once this scheme has been produced we will keep it under review, and publish a
report each year on how its proposals have been implemented. This report will be
laid before the Assembly. We include some independent commentary from the
Sustainable Development Commission on how our Scheme has been implemented.
We will also report against its effectiveness in promoting sustainable development

after each election to the National Assembly.
SD Indicators
We will continue to report our progress towards sustainable development annually,

using our Sustainable Development Indicators. This consultation has listed the
current indicators we use to measure our progress towards sustainable
development. They are available on our web site at:
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment/susdevnews/sdindicat
ors/?lang=en
Under the previous sustainable development scheme it was proposed that progress
be reported using 5 headline indicators of sustainable development. The headline
indicators, when considered collectively, are intended to give a high level view of
progress towards sustainable development. At the moment we currently report only
on four headline indicators, and we set out proposals for developing the fifth
headline indicator below. The current headline indicators of sustainable development
are:
• Economic output - Gross Value Added (GVA) and GVA per head;
• Social justice – percentage of the population in low-income households;
• Biodiversity conservation – percentage of Biodiversity Action Plan
species and habitats recorded as stable or increasing; and
• Ecological Footprint - Wales Ecological Footprint.
The fifth headline indicator was originally proposed to be “genuine economic

progress, taking account of environmental factors, resources, and well-being”. It has
proved impossible to develop such an all-encompassing indicator, so we propose to
replace this with a headline indicator:
47
• Wellbeing – the wellbeing of the people of Wales.
Wellbeing is defined8 as a positive physical, social and mental state; it is not just the
absence of pain, discomfort and incapacity. It requires that basic needs are met, that
individuals have a sense of purpose, that they feel able to achieve important
personal goals and participate in society. It is enhanced by conditions that include
supportive personal relationships, strong and inclusive communities, good health,
financial and personal security, rewarding employment, and a healthy and attractive
environment.
This would reflect the use of wellbeing within the suite of indicators included in the
UK Framework on Sustainable Development, and would also serve to tie in the
overall purpose of sustainable development to the wellbeing of the people of Wales.
We intend that the development of an overall wellbeing indicator would be one of the
key actions that fall under this Scheme.
ACTION 17: We will develop a measure of wellbeing in Wales, and report it as a

5th headline indicator of sustainable development.
Performance indicators
To reflect the key role of local authorities in delivering the sustainable development
agenda, we will ensure that those indicators within the performance measurement
framework for local authorities that clearly contribute to Wales’ sustainability are
clearly identified within the framework.
8
DEFRA (2008) Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket
48
ANNEX B: THE ROLE OF OTHERS
We are committed to working in partnership with others to deliver real change and
will actively encourage others to do the same.
Businesses
Businesses have crucial role in contributing to a sustainable Wales, In particular,

they can:
• Develop resource efficiency within the organisation and through supply

chains, improving productivity and competitiveness;
• Reduce waste;
• Develop environmental and sustainability policies and targets;…
• Monitor performance and resource use and report publicly on them;
• Engage with the workforce in both adopting sustainable practices and
encouraging employees to become sustainable champions in their own
communities; and
• Engage with and support local communities.
Local Government
We will continue to work with local government and National Park Authorities to
promote sustainable development. In particular, the active use and mainstreaming of
the WLGA’s SD Framework for Local Government will continue to assist authorities
on their journey to sustainability by interpreting what SD mean in practice for key
service areas, highlighting examples of good practice and identifying further areas of
work.
Third sector
The Third sector continues to be a key partner in promoting and delivering

sustainable outcomes, particularly through the delivery of public services, using their
powerful channels to reach out to people an encouraging them to act, and as a key
method of communication to its members to encourage behavioural change. The
work of such organisations involves a wide range of activities which aim to improve
and protect our natural and built environment and improve communities.
In particular, the third sector's special ability to work at local and community level
means that it is also well positioned to promoting sustainable forms of development.
At the community level, it is often at this very local, neighborhood and family level
that third sector organisations can make the greatest difference, with their
accessibility and responsiveness to individual and group needs being a key strength.
Community organisations can help to build people’s confidence, especially among

those less likely to participate, and can increase civic participation whether into more
formal institutions or in the wider community, building social networks and cohesion.
49
Community Strategy Partnerships
The community strategy is the overarching strategy for each local authority area,
providing a long-term strategic vision, based on a set of shared ambitions and
values, discussed and negotiated with local citizens, communities and their leaders.
WAG has issued statutory guidance, "Local Vision", on developing and delivering
community strategies. This emphasises the statutory purpose of Community
Strategies – to promote economic, social and environmental wellbeing, and to
contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the UK. Accompanying
“Local Vision” are a series of non-statutory Advice Notes, including those on
Sustainable Development, Climate Change and the Environment. The SD Advice
Note emphasises sustainable development as the overarching policy framework
which integrates social, economic and environmental actions to achieve a common
vision for the area. It advises that community strategy actions should be “joined up”
in a way which actively help and encourage people to change their behaviour so that
their lifestyles become more sustainable.
Individuals and Households
Through our climate change communications campaign we are encouraging people

and households to take practical steps to reduce the size of their carbon footprint.
We have published “Tips to reduce your carbon footprint” showing the steps you can
take at home, at work, when travelling or shopping. We have also produced a
booklet for householders considering improvements to their homes, available from
local planning authorities, entitled Improving Your Home: A Climate Change Guide.
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/climate_change/?lang=en
50
ANNEX C: KEY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Assembly’s code of practice in dealing with requests for access to information
(www.information.wales.gov.uk)
Wales’ Ecological Footprint

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment/publications/ecofootprint/?
lang=en
One Wales Programme for Government

http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/strategy/publications/onewales/?lang=en
One Future – different paths

http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/publications/uk-strategy/framework-for-
sd.htm
EU SD Strategy 2006
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/06/st10/st10917.en06.pdf
Wales Spatial Plan update

http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/strategy/spatial/wsp2008update/download/?lang=en
Advice note on Sustainable Development for Community Strategies

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/localgovernment/partnership/commstrategies/advicenotes/
sustainable/?lang=en
Health Challenge Wales

www.wales.gov.uk/healthchallenge
Green Dragon Standard

http://www.greendragonems.com/
Sustainable Development Commission’s Sustainable Development in Government

report
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications.php?id=700
Communities First
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/regeneration/communitiesfirst/?
lang=en
ASSIST initiative
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgId=719&pid=24092
Quality of Food Strategy

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/health/improvement/food/foodhealth/qualityoffood/?
lang=en
BREEAM for Healthcare rating of Excellence

http://www.breeam.org/page.jsp?id=105
51
Healthcare Waste Strategy for Wales
http://cymrugydnerth.org/topics/health/publications/circulars/2006/whc2006043?
lang=en
Sustainable Development Indicators

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/sustain2008/?lang=en
Heads of the Valley

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/property/HofV/?lang=en
Mon a Menai
http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/cabinet/cabinetstatements/2008/menai/?lang=en
Sustainable Tourism Strategy

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism/aboutvisitwales/strategypolicy/SusTourism?
lang=en
Wales Freight Strategy

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/publications/wfs/?lang=en
Sustainable Risk Assessment Template

http://www.buyforwales.com/PRP/strategy/procstrat/sustainableriskassessmentand
performancemonitoring.html
Wales Spatial Plan

http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/strategy/spatial/?lang=en
National Housing Strategy

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/housing/strategy/publications/
betterhomes/?lang=en
Welsh Housing Quality Standard

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/housing/social/whqs/?lang=en
National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/energy/efficiencyplan/?
lang=en
Wales Transport Strategy

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/publications/transportstrategy/?lang=en
Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-13

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/rurald
evelopment/20072013ruraldevelopmentplan/ruraldevelopmentplan4wales2007/?
lang=en
Planning Policy Wales

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/planning/policy/ppw2002/?lang=en
52
Foundation Phase
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/policy_strategy_and_planning/
early-wales/foundation_phase/?lang=en
Eco schools
http://www.eco-schoolswales.org/
Global Schools Partnerships

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/funding/globalschools.asp
Forest schools
http://www.forestschools.com/
Fair Trade schools

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools/
Learning Pathways 14-19

learning_pathways/?lang=en
Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Action Plan

sustainabledevelop/?lang=en
ISO140001
http://www.iso.org/iso/management_standards.htm
Single Equalities Scheme

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/equality/sescheme/?lang=en
Post Office Development Fund

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/grants/postoffice/?lang=en
Social Enterprise Strategy for Wales

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/regeneration/publications/
socialenterprisestrategy?lang=en
Community Safety Partnerships

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/safety/partnerships/?lang=en
United Nations Millennium Development Goals

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
Climate Change Community Packs

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/climate_change/howyoucan
help/communitypack/?lang=en
Environment Strategy
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/Envstratforwales/?
lang=en
53
Environment Strategy Action Plan
http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/epc/118554/Env_strat_rewrite/Action_Plan
_e.pdf?lang=en
Floodline
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/826674/
New Approaches programme

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waterflooding/flooding/?
lang=en
Regional Waste Plans

http://www.walesregionalwasteplans.gov.uk/
Code for Sustainable Homes

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment/design/code/?lang=en
BREEAM standard
http://www.breeam.org
TAN12 Design
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/planning/policy/tans/tan12?lang=en
All-Wales coastal path

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/consmanagement/
countrysidecoastalaccess/?lang=en
Water Recreation Strategy

http://asiantaeth-
amgylchedd.cymru.gov.uk/news/2066457?lang=_e&region=Environment%20
Agency%20Wales
Renewable Energy Routemap

http://new.wales.gov.uk/consultations/closed/envandcouncloscons/renewenergymap
/?lang=en
Integrated Coastal Zone Management

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/consmanagement/marine
fisheries/integratedcoast/?lang=en
Sustainable management of fisheries

http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/strategy/publications/fisheries/?lang=en
Water Resources Strategy

http://www.environment-
agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/981441/137651/?version=1&lang=en
54
Aggregates Levy Fund
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/grants/voluntary/aggregates
levy/?lang=en
Fair Trade
http://www.fairtradewales.com/
UN Gold Star Communities

http://goldstarcommunities.webspring.org.uk/welcome
Sustainable Tourism Framework

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism/aboutvisitwales/strategypolicy/aop?lang=en
Visit Wales Grading Scheme

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism/grading/schemes/?lang=en
A revised curriculum for Wales

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/curriculumassessment/arevised
curriculumforwales/?lang=en
Biodiversity Action Plan

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/consmanagement/
conservation_biodiversity/walesbiodiversitypartnership/?lang=en
SD Framework for Local Government

http://www.wlga.gov.uk/english/sustainable-development-framework/
Regional Transport Consortia

www.sewta.gov.uk; www.tracc.gov.uk; www.taith.gov.uk;
http://www.swwitch.net/default.aspx
Tidy Towns initiative

http://www.keepwalestidy.org/english/default.asp?Category=Default&NewsID=211&
Menu=0.26.13.243
Local Service Boards

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/improvingservices/localserviceboards/?lang=en
PSMW’s One Planet Leadership Programme

http://new.wales.gov.uk/psmwsubsite/psmw/?lang=en
Opening doors – the charter for SME Friendly Procurement

https://www.buy4wales.co.uk/PRP/strategy/procstrat/theopeningdoorscharter.html
55

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One Wales: One Planet

Consultation on a new Sustainable

D3500809 A4 report cover.indd 1 4/11/08 10:15:03

Responses can be submitted by letter, fax or e-mail to:

Sustainable Development Branch

Fax: 029 2082 5008.

D3500809 © Crown Copyright 2008

D3500809 A4 report cover.indd 2 4/11/08 10:15:04

1. Our Principles and Vision 11

2. A Strong and Confident Nation 15

6. Learning for Life 31

7. A Fair and Just Society 35

9. A Rich and Diverse Culture 43

Annex A: Measuring Progress 47

Annex B: The role of others 49

Annex C: Key supporting documents 51

The main aims of the Scheme are to set out:

• a long-term Vision of a sustainable Wales that is real, relevant and

This includes written responses to this document, participation in consultation

Responses to be submitted by: 4 February 2009

When responding, please state whether you are responding as an individual or

Responses can also be submitted by letter, fax or e-mail to:

Sustainable Development Branch

Fax: 029 2082 5008

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Confidentiality of Consultations

The Welsh Assembly Government will publish a summary of responses following

The Welsh Assembly Government can only refuse to disclose information in

We are very far from living sustainably. In May this year, I

First Minister, 8 February 2008.

In the context of Wales, sustainable development means enhancing the economic,

In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government is proud that sustainable development is

A framework supporting One Wales

Format of this Scheme

• Our guiding principles and a renewed vision and pathway towards a

• Core principle 1: Involvement – people and communities are at the

• Core principle 2: Integration – only an approach that makes the

• Supporting principle 1: Decoupling - all of our policies will show how we

• Supporting principle 2: Full costs and benefits – we will identify and

• Supporting principle 3: Precautionary principle – we will use an

• Supporting principle 4: Polluter pays principle – we will ensure that

• Supporting principle 5: Proximity principle - we will solve problems,

Our Vision of a Sustainable Wales

Through our One Wales Programme for Government we are committed to

• radically reduce by 80-90% our use of carbon-based energy, resulting in a

Figure 1: Ecological footprint of Wales by theme (2003)

KEY OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS:

• The Welsh Assembly Government, as an exemplar organisation,

How our work will improve the lives of communities

• Business decision-making - All of our business decision-making will

• Policy making - We will update the Policy Gateway Integration Toolkit to

• Training - Training programmes will be developed to raise awareness,

• Governance and partnership - Through our WSP Area Delivery

• Greening operations - Within the Welsh Assembly Government estate,

• Financial scrutiny - We will ensure that scrutiny of expenditure plans

• Partnership - The partnerships and processes set up under the Wales

Measuring our progress

• Indicators - We will use our sustainable development indicators to drive

KEY OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS:

How our work will improve the lives of communities

• More exercise - We wish to see more people walking and cycling as a

• Better health - We want to see fewer people smoking, especially amongst

• Healthy food procurement - There will be greater proportion of public-

Through our work we will contribute to reducing Wales’ ecological footprint by