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Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland
FOREWORD
The fundamental aim of sustainable development is to secure the future. We have seen how the actions of the past have made life more difficult for us today. Developing sustainably means ensuring that our actions today do not limit our quality of life in the future. Our vision for the future of Scotland is based on three principles:
that we should have regard for others who do not have access to the same level of resources and the wealth they generate;
that we should minimise the impact of our actions on future generations by radically reducing our use of resources and minimising environmental impacts;
and, most crucially of all, that we should live within the capacity of the planet to sustain our activities and to replenish the resources that we use.
These principles are vital but they must lead to action. Without priority areas and measurable targets, it is difficult to progress sustainable development in a practical, down to earth fashion.
In April 2002 we published "
Meeting the Needs…, a report in which we set our vision for a sustainable Scotland and the key Scottish priorities for sustainable development: resource use, travel and waste. It also included 24 indicators across these priorities and social justice, against which we will measure our progress on sustainable development in Scotland.
In paragraph 43 of
Meeting the Needs… we promised to publish full data on each indicator later in the year. This report represents the fulfilment of that commitment. It contains detailed information on trends over time, statistical information, analyses of the information by urban and rural areas and highlights the action we are taking for all 24 indicators.
We have chosen these indicators as a starting point. As we continue with our commitment to sustainable development, so we will continue to refine the indicators that allow us to measure progress. They will be improved and we will add to and develop our range of targets.
Making sustainable development a reality in Scotland will not be simple to achieve. But the indicators in this report link directly to policies and programmes within the Executive and provide the measure of how our efforts are contributing to the goal of sustainability.
ROSS FINNIE, MSP
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
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