Sustainable Development

''If tackling climate change represents the greatest of challenges for the world, it is also the greatest of opportunities for Britain. And just as in each of the three previous technological revolutions Britain played a leading role, we now have the opportunity to play a leading role in taking the world towards a low carbon future.''

Prime Minister Gordon Brown

The goal of sustainable development is to enable people to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations. Our work helps business to contribute to this agenda, and to incorporate it into the Department's competitiveness and better regulation mission, by taking an integrated approach to product regulation.

We work to promote this agenda by:

• Promoting Government's sustainable development and waste strategies, within BERR and to its stakeholders, and leading and co-ordinating within Government on the related policy and corporate responsibility and minimising the impact of certain products on the environment.
• Providing a centre of expertise on the negotiation, transportation and administration of European harmonisation legislation which sets out the EU Single Market requirements for end of life treatment, restrictions on the use of environmentally damaging substances, environmental performance, product safety and product performance.
• Minimising the impact of certain products on the environment- e.g. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE); Hazardous Substances in Electrical & Electronic Equipment (RoHS); packaging; energy using products (EuP); spent batteries and accumulators and end-of-life vehicles. Monitoring of Environmental Regulation particularly on water and air quality, and UK's Pollution Control Legislation.