Sustainability

Sustainable development

These pages provide you with information on the Sustainability Group’s sustainable development and climate change work. Follow the links on this page to find out more about these areas.

The Sustainability Group's mission statement is:

"To protect, maintain and enhance Shropshire’s unique environment and to improve the quality of life in Shropshire."

In order to achieve this, the group works with wide range of planning and environment services. In all these service areas, the group has experts who help to set policy, promote best practice and offer specialist advice. They also carry out research and maintain extensive information resources, which are available to the public.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is a process of making decisions which balance economic, social and environmental factors for positive benefit. Sustainability doesn’t have to be difficult to understand. It is about treating the earth as if we intended to stay and making sure that future generations inherit the earth in a good state.

Social - ensuring a strong, healthy and just society

Meeting the diverse needs of all people in existing and future communities, promoting personal well-being, social cohesion and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity for all.

Achieving a sustainable economy

Building 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 resources use is incentivised.

Living within environmental limits and protection of our natural resources

Respecting the limits of the planet's environment, resources and biodiversity - to improve our environment and ensure that the natural resources needed for life are unimpaired and remain so for future generations. Natural resources are vital to our existence; we are reliant upon our air, water, soils and biological resources.

Promoting good governance and engaging with people’s creativity, energy and diversity, and ensuring policy is developed and implemented on the basis of strong scientific evidence as well as public attitudes and values is essential to understand and implement sustainable principles.

Acting in a sustainable way, where decisions are based on fairness and understanding, can develop the world into a place that future generations will thank us for.

How to find out more

Follow the links on this page for more information about sustainability and climate change, what is happening globally and in the UK, what we are doing in Shropshire and how you can get involved.

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