§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they have made on preparing their national plan in response to the 1992 Rio Conference on environment and development.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Strathclyde)We intend to present a report on the UK's national sustainability strategy to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development before the end of 1993. We are conducting a national debate so that everyone with a concern for the environment has the opportunity to express views on how we can balance the need for economic development with protection of the environment. My department has held meetings and invited views from a variety of interested groups which will inform our plans for sustainable development.
On returning from the UN Conference on Environment and Development, the Prime Minister announced that by the end of 1993 we would also produce national reports on the implementation of the Climate Change Convention, on action on biodiversity and on the implementation of the forestry principles agreed in Rio.
An extensive consultation exercise is currently taking place on possible national strategies for limiting emissions of carbon dioxide, following the publication of a discussion document in December. The results of this exercise will be incorporated in the national action plan. We are also consulting widely on the national action plan for biodiversity and we are 49WA arranging a seminar later this year to provide an opportunity for issues associated with UK biodiversity to be debated. We are developing a national forestry plan and will be seeking the views of a variety of organisations.