Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this opportunity to discuss the recently published framework for sustainable development for Ireland, Our Sustainable Future. The debate is also timely as the start of the Irish Presidency of the European Union looms ever closer. Our ability to support and promote sustainable development in Ireland will be critical in meeting the social, economic and environmental needs of the population now and into the future. This is as true in the international and European context as it is here and that is why the issues we are debating here today will resonate throughout our Presidency of the European Union.

On assuming office, I felt it was important to start the new parliamentary cycle with a clear policy framework for environmental sustainability over the medium to longer term. This is the first comprehensive policy statement on sustainable development in Ireland since the inaugural Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland was published in 1997 by my colleague, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin. The framework on sustainable development resulted from what was a protracted process of cross-government consultation, which also involved consultation with other key stakeholders and civil society, on a draft document which I circulated at the end of 2011.

The public consultation phase included a stakeholder information seminar which was attended by a wide range of stakeholders. I was quite struck at the level of engagement of stakeholders across a diverse range of sectors. What was most encouraging was evidence of increased interest from the business sector in the development of the framework. Ensuring the strong participation of business in sustainable development is critical to its success, not just in terms of the economic pillar, but also in integrating the social and environmental dimensions. Irish business has already stepped up to the plate on this issue, the agrifood sector being an obvious example, where companies increasingly see the risks associated with food security, untrammelled resource use, and the threat from climate change. The intensive consultative process which was led by a cross-departmental high level group on sustainable development brought added rigour to the finished product and I was pleased to note the broad welcome that it has received across all sectors.

Our Sustainable Future was launched in June last and was Ireland's main national contribution to the Rio+20 conference held in Rio de Janeiro at the end of June, at which I represented the Government.

While considerable progress has been made in Ireland since the inaugural 1997 document was published, significant gaps remain and an updated policy was long overdue. We needed this new framework to systematically ensure that sustainability considerations are integrated into all economic and other policy development processes, concentrating on the key problem areas where progress has been slower. We set about this task, taking our lead from the EU sustainable development strategy and from Europe 2020 and its flagship initiative on resource efficiency. The challenge facing us is neatly described in the aim of Europe 2020, namely, to place Europe on the road to a smarter, sustainable and inclusive future.

This framework adopts a whole-of-government approach to policy making, reflecting the important inter-linkages between different policy areas and providing a context within which policy conflicts and trade-offs can be examined and resolved at an early stage. It takes a medium to longer-term view of how Ireland can transition to a resource-efficient, low-carbon, climate resilient economy, while recognising and adapting to the current priorities of economic recovery and fiscal stability. It is no longer appropriate to think of growth as just focusing exclusively on economic issues. We also have to factor in the environmental impacts and associated costs. We must look at the quality of that growth, its effects on the environment and society and at the jobs it creates. There is a growing global consensus that our current systems of production and consumption are not sustainable and need to be replaced by a more mutually supportive interface between environmental protection and economic and social development.

The Rio+20 outcome document, The Future We Want, reflects the global consensus around advancing the green economy agenda. The action oriented wording on the green economy contained in the outcome document provides a good basis for future policy development at the international, EU and national levels. The document specifically recognises that each country can choose an appropriate approach, in accordance with national sustainable development plans, strategies and priorities. The OECD and the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, have played leading roles in developing policy and research on green growth. As part of our preparations for the Irish Presidency, I recently met with Achim Steiner, director general of UNEP, to discuss these and other issues. Ireland will have responsibility for co-ordinating EU input into the UNEP General Council to be held in Nairobi in February next. The fact that we have put in place a framework for sustainable development places us in a good position to lead the debate on these issues during our Presidency.

My colleague the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, will shortly publish a policy statement on the green economy which has also involved the whole-of-government approach that underpins the Our Sustainable Future document. The potential for the transition to the green economy to create decent jobs is well documented and we are committed to using our time in Government to promote this objective, as expressed in the Action Plan for Jobs 2012. This framework offers the context for that development, including public and private sector inter-linkages, government support for enterprise, and coherent cross-government action.

Promoting resource efficiency is at the heart of the transition to the green economy as we attempt to use fewer materials and goods to provide the same output. The EU roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe under Europe 2020 sets out our objectives in this regard, while this framework provides the national context for implementation. As part of this approach, I would particularly like to mention the joint Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform action plan for green tenders. This action plan, the first of its kind to be introduced in Ireland, sets out to assist public authorities in successfully planning and implementing green public procurement practices. It does this by highlighting existing best practice and by using international evidence to identify actions to boost green public procurement. Our objective is to ensure that 50% of all public sector procurement will be based on green criteria and we are working closely with relevant Departments to deliver on this objective as a matter of priority.

The framework document is an action-oriented, pragmatic approach on the part of the Government and we are committed to delivering the measures it contains over the coming years. As part of the plan, we have committed to a high level of political oversight, through the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change and the green economy, chaired by An Taoiseach. Departments will regularly report on their progress on the implementation of the measures and actions for individual sectors to a specially established high level interdepartmental group on sustainable development. Membership of this group is in the process of being finalised and I expect the group's first meeting will take place shortly. Representation on the group is at assistant secretary level and I will act as its chair.

The concept of inclusivity is especially important in terms of our wider global responsibilities. Despite the current challenges faced by our economy, we must remain conscious of the global sustainable development agenda and of our obligations towards least developed and developing countries. While the transition to the green economy for Ireland will be focused on reducing our carbon footprint and improving our resource efficiency, this transition for the developing world is much more fundamental in its efforts to eradicate poverty. In this regard, we remain committed to the current 0.7% target for overseas development aid, the millennium development goals and the outcomes of the 2002 world summit.

Increasingly, the focus of our ODA programme is on promoting sustainability and food and nutrition security. However, the means of doing so goes beyond just financial assistance to a broader programme that includes information exchange and technology transfer. This new and more practical approach is much more in line with the long-term objectives of sustainable development and creates greater opportunities for the meaningful involvement of the private sector.

As we prepare to assume the Presidency of the EU next year, we will have the opportunity to consolidate this progressive approach in both the follow up to the Rio+20 conference, as set out in The Future We Want, and also in the wider consideration of the post-2015 development agenda. For many years we have enjoyed a very positive reputation for our support of the developing world, and the timing of this Presidency offers us a unique opportunity to consolidate that reputation by actively working towards the positive implementation of the Rio outcome and the establishment of a positive, action-oriented post-2015 development agenda.

Again, I would like to express my satisfaction with this opportunity to raise this issue in the House. Sustainable development is an issue which I believe warrants the highest priority within the overall policy making system, not just because of the opportunities it presents for green growth, but because we do not have any other option. Sustainable development is defined as development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We are already aware that the current patterns of consumption and production are unsustainable for a planetary system that is under significant pressure and so to protect ourselves and the future for our children, we must change the way we do things.

Too often our political and policy concerns are focused on finding short-term solutions to the problems of today, without giving due consideration to the long-term implications of our decisions. This framework seeks to address this challenge by putting in place structures and identifying measures that will protect our economy, our society and our environment now and into the future. We have a clear responsibility to the generations that follow us, both within our borders and in the international context. This framework gives voice to that responsibility and clearly demonstrates Ireland's commitment to be at the forefront of the international sustainable development agenda, while protecting our national ecosystems and resources for generations to come. I look forward to hearing the contributions of other Members.

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