§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the sustainability strategy is for her Department; and how it has changed since the Earth Summit in Johannesburg. [83445]
§ Clare ShortI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 15 October 2002,Official Report, column 651W.
My Department does not have a free-standing sustainability strategy. We focus on improving the effectiveness of the international development effort to reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the goal of ensuring environmental sustainability. This continues to be our focus following the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
My Department works to promote economic growth that is equitable and environmentally sustainable, and works with developing countries to ensure that their poverty reduction strategies reflect the need to manage environmental resources sustainably. The World Summit gave an impetus to this work by integrating sustainability into the international agenda agreed at the Doha meeting of the World Trade Organisation and the Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development.