Celebrating 10+ years of Sustainability East

Sustainability East started life in 1998 as The Sustainable Development Round Table for the East of England (SDRT East), an independent organisation with representation from a wide range of sectors, to “bring sustainable development to the heart of policy making in this fast-growing region”. Its aim was to consider important issues for the region which others were not tackling.

Much of the early work focused on natural resource issues. We were the first organisation to identify that water resources were a key concern for the region – an issue which is now being taken seriously alongside other regional infrastructure pressures. We also recognised the potential our region has for generating renewable energy, particularly from wind. Following extensive research and consultation, we were able to promote and adopt the highest regional targets for renewable energy generation by 2010, which the region is on course to achieve.

In collaboration with East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), we produced the Sustainable Development Framework For The East Of England. The Framework set out a vision for sustainable development the region and provided as a central reference point for ensuring that regional and local strategies are consistent with the principles of sustainable development. Sustainability East continues to work with EERA to develop the Integrated Sustainability Framework, the Sustainable Development Framework’s successor document.

We were also the first organisation to research and produce an extensive study on adaptation to climate change, recognising that whatever was done to mitigate it, we were in any case going to have to learn to live with some of the consequences. We produced practical guidance for local authorities, businesses and other service providers, and as a spin-off to this research, educational guides were produced for teachers for curriculum key stages 2 and 3.

Other “firsts” included the production of Toolkit East, an on-line sustainability appraisal toolkit, based on the region’s sustainable development framework, and the first themed strategy, for the construction sector, addressing this sector as being particularly resource intensive.

During 2006, we reviewed our constitution and membership to ensure greater authority and transparency for the group as well as the ability to deliver a bigger work programme. As a result, a robust new constitution was adopted, affirming our independent status as the region’s sustainable development champion body. New members were selected in the summer of 2006 and appointed via an open and democratic process.

In May 2008 we celebrated our 10-year birthday and adopted the title of 'Sustainability East'. With the help of Barbara Follett, Minister for the East of England, we also launched our Strategic Plan to tackle key threats to the long-term sustainability of the region.

We contributed to the EERA document 'Sustainable Futures: Integrated Sustainability Framework for the East of England', published in January 2009. It presents a high-lvel vision and series of objectives for the region. (Sustainable Futures: Integrated Sustainability Framework for the East of England PDF)