Commitment at national (country) level is
vital for the achievement of environmentally sustainable
development
The national level is the context
for government policies on sustainable
development. Policy approaches can be of various kinds.
- Legislative
controls - for establishing minimum environmental standards,
for example, for pollution discharges from industrial and
other users, and drought orders to limit water usage
- Strategic
statements - to set frameworks for the co-ordination and
integration of activities: between industry, the environment,
the transport sector, and the community, for example.
- Investment
in research and development of new technologies in order to
find new practical solutions
- Economic
incentives, for example through pricing externalities via
water metering, carbon taxes, road tolls, pricing
differentials, and selective subsidies (for example for low
emission vehicles)
- Support
of collective environmental improvement schemes among
communities and businesses, for example through grants and
advice for local regeneration initiatives
- Provision
of better information about environmental issues in order to
put both producers and consumers in a better position to make
rational decisions
What sorts of national commitments are required?