The Sustainable Development Strategy

"A sustainable society is distinguished by ... governance that focuses on mainstreaming and balancing social, economic and environmental progress ensuring sound management and efficient use of natural resources"
(First Steps Towards Sustainability: A Sustainable Development Strategy for NI, May 2006)

Sustainable Northern Ireland is taking a proactive approach to help local authorities ensure the principles of sustainable development are fully integrated into their activities and policies, and to help them translate sustainable development principles into practical action.

In 2007 Sustainable Northern Ireland aims to:

· Promote sustainable development in local authorities and to encourage and facilitate them to deliver on its principles;

· Bring local authorities together to raise awareness, share best practice and encourage action;

· Encourage local authorities to provide leadership in sustainable development to communities and other sectors;

· Articulate the voice of local authorities to central government regarding sustainable development; and

· Influence the next Government Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.

To achieve the above, Sustainable Northern Ireland will be working closely with local authorities to assess attitudes to sustainable development, hold focus groups to identify needs and deliver capacity building programmes.