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Arts Minister Urges Public Bodies To Become Ever Green

Arts minister Tessa Blackstone today called on the cultural organisations sponsored by the DCMS to do more to help promote sustainability.

Speaking at 'Building a Sustainable Heritage', a conference organised by the DCMS and the Science Museum, Baroness Blackstone, who is also a Green Minister, said of its title:

"Building a Sustainable Heritage' illustrates rather neatly the dual, and equally important, implications for my Department. On the one hand, we are concerned with conserving and maintaining our irreplaceable national heritage. On the other, we have to ensure continuity and sustainability, so that future generations have something worthwhile to inherit. I am keen that today's conference comes up with clear plans which DCMS sectors can put into action."

She commended several current initiatives including:

  • Royal Parks' formal system of assessing the energy and environmental impacts and opportunities of all their new projects and its plans to set up a sustainable energy park at Bushy Park
  • English Tourism Council's 20 national indicators to chart the sector's progress in protecting and enhancing the built and natural environment, supporting local communities and benefiting the economy
  • Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities, a £125 million New Opportunities Fund initiative to help local communities enjoy the local environment.

But she said more could be done, particularly in spreading the message of sustainable development with the public:

"Museums, galleries and libraries can provide neutral spaces where discussion can take place. We can engage the public in understanding the past, and in thinking about what might happen in future to make our society more sustainable. We must ensure that examples of good practice and lessons on what works are disseminated widely. People have to know what they can do, and feel encouraged that they can make a difference."

DCMS recently published its own environmental policy and has sent out a questionnaire to find out what practical steps its sponsored bodies are taking. 

Other speakers included Jonathon Porritt, the Chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, Alan Morton, the Senior Curator of Energy at the Science Museum, and Jeremy Leggart, Chief Executive of Solar Century, a solar electric power company, and author of The Carbon War.  The event also featured workshops, a discussion on the Lottery's role and a performance by Kandu Arts entitled Sustainability, Life, the World and Everything.

Welcoming the conference, Environment Minister Michael Meacher said:

"Sustainable development is a priority for the whole of Government. Every department must contribute and DCMS has clearly recognised this. There is a simple idea at the heart of sustainable development - it means a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.

"DCMS' areas of responsibility - tourism, sport, museums and galleries, heritage and the arts - mean it has much to contribute in the promotion of understanding of the sustainability concept and the achievement of our objectives. I look forward to seeing this action plan."


Note to Editors

A Green Minister has been appointed in each of the main central Government departments. The objectives they work to are:

  • To promote the integration of the three strands of sustainable development (economic, environmental and social) into decision making across Government and the wider public sector
  • To promote understanding of sustainable development across Government
  • To build on the work already taken to identify the significant environmental impacts of each department's operations (both negative and positive), developing strategies to improve departments' environmental performance.

They work towards these objectives both individually and collectively and meet as the Green Ministers Committee, chaired by Environment Minister Michael Meacher.
Further information on sustainable development, including the last Greening Government Annual Report and the Second Annual Report "Achieving a Better Quality of Life", can be found at http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/


 

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