Sustainable Northern Ireland's recent conference Sense and Sustainability: Financing the Path to Sustainability in a Tough Economy discussed how future economic growth in Northern Ireland is dependent upon embracing the principles of sustainable development. To view the presentations click here.

On 22 October 2009, the Executive approved the opening of the public consultation phase of its draft Sustainable Development Strategy. The Executive wants to hear your views on this document. The Strategy sets out the Executive's vision for a peaceful, fair, prosperous and sustainable society and aims to identify and develop actions that will improve the quality of life for ourselves and future generations. This Strategy is a follow up to First Steps to Sustainability, the first Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland published in 2006. The Strategy can be downloaded from the OFMDFM website (sustainable development section). Clicking this link will take you to the relevant page on OFMDFM's website.

There is a 12 week consultation period would then start the week commencing 26th October and meaning responses need to be with OFMDFM by 15th January 2010.

The contents of the draft Strategy is made up of ten short chapters and contain 20 high level commitments. The Strategy is intended to act as a platform on which to build an implementation plan. Officials intend to start developing the implementation plan at the same time as the consultation process on the Strategy is taking place.

The implementation plan will also be subject to consultation. Officials wish to involve the government department SD Champions in this process at the beginning of November. They also want to revise the Stakeholder Forum but with a different model. Officials are proposing to have a high level sectoral steering group, with each of the representatives on this forum having support from a larger working group.

Sustainable Northern Ireland's latest annual report is available to download. The report provides information on our activities over the past financial year (April 2008 - March 2009), including details of the pilot Sustainability Audit Matrix we have been testing with Ards Borough Council and North Down Borough Council. There is also information on the "Climate Change: What do you think" survey we undertook on behalf of Northern Ireland Climate Change Impacts Partnership.