Environment and Greener Living - Sustainable Development

What is sustainable development?

Everyone wants their quality of life to at least stay the same or hopefully get better. But what about all the rest of the people in the neighbourhood, county or world. And what about future generations? Don’t you want your children or nieces and nephews to have a safe and plentiful world to look forward to?

Sustainable Development is about achieving a balance of four elements - social, economic, environment and natural resources - and safeguarding these vital elements for future generations.

The diagram on the right illustrates this with Sustainable Development represented by the white centre where all the elements cross over.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Achieving a sustainable economy

We seek to build a strong, stable and sustainable economy which provides prosperity and opportunities for all, and in which environmental and social costs fall on those who impose them and efficient resource use is encouraged.

Source: Sustainable Development - The Government's Approach - delivering UK sustainable development together

Warwickshire County Council initiatives to improve your local economy:

Living within environmental limits

We have no future if we don’t respect the limits of the planet's environment, prevent pollution and protect biodiversity. But we don’t just want to conserve what we have, we actually want to improve our environment for future generations.

Warwickshire County Council is committed to ensuring that our own operations work within best environmental practice and minimise pollution and resource use. We do this through our Environmental Management System.

The council also has responsibility for:

Warwickshire County Council is not responsible for:

Controlling air quality in the county is the responsibility of your borough or district council and of the Environment Agency.
These bodies are also responsible for controlling litter and fly-tipping.
Your borough or district council is responsible for controlling noise and other nuisance.
Water quality and discharge is controlled by the Environment Agency and Severn Trent.

Protection of our natural resources

Natural resources are vital to our existence. Our health and well being are reliant upon our air, water, geological and biological resources. We have become a wasteful society, but small, easy changes in habits can make a difference and everyone can do their bit to use less.

Within Warwickshire County Council there are many initiatives to reduce our resource use when delivering services to you. These are detailed in our Environmental Management System pages.

Warwickshire County Council is the Strategic Waste Authority. We work with the borough and district councils to provide your homes with improved waste disposal services that help you recycle more.

We also work on many waste minimisation projects which are explained in Waste Strategy and Policy.

The council works with partners who are undertaking energy reduction projects to offer support and share best practice. We lead the annual Switch It Off campaign.

The county also has a Climate Change Strategy and a Sustainable Schools Strategy.

Ensuring a safe, strong, healthy and just society

We have a responsibility to meet the diverse needs of all people in existing and future communities, promote personal well-being, social cohesion and inclusion, and create equal opportunity for all.

Warwickshire County Council initiatives to improve your community:

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