In line with Government commitments, I am currently preparing a national sustainable development strategy, which will address all areas of Government policy which impact on the environment. The strategy will have the purpose of integrating national environmental and socio-economic objectives more fully to improve the quality of life, while conserving the natural resources upon which development ultimately depends.
As part of the process of developing this strategy, I published last June Moving Towards Sustainability, a review of recent environmental policy and developments. This document identifies the extent to which environmental integration, which has been a policy of successive Governments, is already being pursued by economic sectors and relevant Government Departments. It also illustrates the need for further policy development, which I am undertaking in the preparation of the national strategy.