World Environment Day – 5 June
June 5, 2015
Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with care
That’s the message behind World Environment Day 2015 – that the well-being of humanity, the environment, and the functioning of the economy, ultimately depend upon the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources.
But what does this actually mean in practice?
As the most populated National Park in the UK – with 112,000 people living here and 46 million day visits every year – sustainability is something we have to consider every day of the year particularly as we prepare the first ever Local Plan for the South Downs National Park.
We want to make sure that sustainability lies at the heart of the planning process and to do this we’re using an ecosystem approach – this means recognising that the natural environment benefits us in many different ways, both directly and indirectly.
For example benefits such as water filtration and carbon storage aren’t usually taken into account by local governments when making economic decisions. We’re the first UK National Park to use this ecosystems approach as the primary focus for our Local Plan in order to ensure that the value of our landscapes and the benefits they deliver are fully considered.
Sustainable development has three dimensions: an environmental role; a social role and an economic role. The Local Plan for the South Downs will need to combine all three while recognising that the first purpose of the National Park Authority is the conservation and enhancement of the landscape. As a working landscape, however, it is vital that the villages and towns that form an integral part of the landscape character get the investment they need to thrive.
A key element of this will be ensuring provision is made for affordable housing so that families can afford to stay in the communities where they have grown up. Others include making sure that the rural economy is supported by sustainable tourism and that the visitor economy promotes and protects the National Park.
Sustainability also means that the National Park’s landscapes are resilient in the face of both natural and human pressures. Climate change is having, and will continue to have, a visible impact on the landscape and we need to safeguard both the natural and semi-natural environment in the face of this and other pressures. We also need to consider the wealth of archaeological sites, historic buildings and architectural monuments that enrich the landscape – many of them nationally designated. Sustainability equates to providing a framework for their long-term conservation and enhancement and recognising that opportunities exist to re-use redundant or under-used heritage.
Recognising that areas of the National Park are not particularly well-served by public transport, the Local Plan will also need to consider where new development should be located and how it can be designed to minimise the need for car journeys – protecting the tranquillity of rural roads and reducing carbon emissions.
That’s our dream for the South Downs National Park this World Environment Day. Please get involved with the consultation on the Local Plan this autumn and help us to make it a reality.