POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

IS THE UK LEADING THE WAY?

INTRO:
Sustainable development:
• What is sustainable development? Why is it important? How is it
achieved? [Social, Environmental, Economical]
• Dimensions of sustainable development

Leadership:
• What is leadership?
• What is the role of political leaders in sustainable development? Why
should they be committed? How can they contribute to sustainable
development –
- Fiscal: Taxes/rewards [energy grants]
- Legislation: Regulations
- Technical: Investing in green tech [reforestation, improving
electrical generation efficiency, renewables, buildings]
IS THE UK LEADING THE WAY? – Defining key leaders and their roles
in sustainable development

1. LEADERS: Gordon Brown (UK prime minister)

Created the DECC (Dept of Energy & Climate Change) in
2008 – led by the secretary of state for energy &
climate change – Ed Milliband.
Ed Milliband (sec. of state for energy & climate change)
Key political leader for SD in UK
DECC (Dept. of Energy & climate change)
Organisation responsible for sustainable development –
how are they leading the UK in SD? – Their formation
and function – their relevance on an international scale
2. POLICIES: UK Energy Policy: Action Plan put forward by DECC
http://www.decc.gov.uk/Media/viewfile.ashx?
FilePath=White%20Papers\UK%20Low%20Carbon
%20Transition%20Plan
%20WP09\1_20090724153238_e_@@_lowcarbontransi
tionplan.pdf&filetype=4
What are their main targets? How are they progressing to
achieving them?
How does the UK energy policy compare with the rest of
the world?

3. CHALLENGES:
 What are the challenges of the DECC and the UK population?
How are they tackling them?
Who opposes them and why? [Leaders of commerce/industry?]
Analysis of their leadership skills [Very Critical]: Is the leadership
of the DECC effective? Why/why not? What can be done to improve
their effectiveness? How?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Understand – Living sustainably: How? [Individual level]
What questions can you raise for the audience?
How can you get them to think and question their own
ideas effectively? [Critical]
Influence – MLP – Leadership – raise awareness – future leaders, etc.