§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the application of the ethical dimension of foreign policy in her Department's activities overseas. [128253]
§ Mr. BradshawThe common theme of the Department's overseas activity is sustainable development—meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of future generations.
Defra's overseas activities support the Government's wider international objectives, by contributing to preventive measures designed to address potential causes of future conflict; by supporting multilateral cooperation to address international problems; and by contributing to the spread of good governance.
292WDefra's key international activities support sustainable development by:
tackling the causes and effects of environmental degradation, for example, by addressing climate change;promoting sustainable use of natural resources, including water, soil, forestry, fisheries, and biodiversity; andpromoting fairer world trade in agriculture, notably through CAP reform and the WTO's Doha Development Agenda.These overseas activities, on which Defra works closely with other Departments, particularly the FCO, DfID, and DTI, help address problems facing the world's poorest countries.