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UK democracies

As a UK-based charity, FDSD has a particular interest in ensuring that our own systems of democracy are lined up to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes.

Our research and advocacy spans democracy from local authorities to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster as well as the rapidly changing democracy landscape of the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Latest news on UK democracies

FDSD submits evidence to Parliament on strategic thinking in Government

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FDSD has submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into the capacity for strategic thinking in Government.

Our evidence is highly critical of the Government’s approach to strategic thinking when …

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So, does “sustainable development” now just mean “growth”?

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FDSD Director Halina Ward joined members of Friends of the Earth’s local group network in a seminar to discuss a worrying watering down of the definition of “sustainable development”. The seminar noted that the problem is becoming especially bad in …

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FDSD submits written evidence on Rio+20

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FDSD responded to the Environmental Audit Committee’s request to submit written evidence on preparations for Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development due to take place in 2012, 20 years on from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.

In our …

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Halina Ward and Chris Huhne debate the ‘triple crunch’

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Halina Ward, FDSD’s Director, shared a platform with Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne at the Social Liberal Forum Conference to debate the ‘triple crunch’ of growing shortages in credit, fuel and food.

Halina pointed out …

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FDSD calls for definition of sustainable development in the Localism Bill

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FDSD has joined 28 other organisations, including the National Trust and the Town and Country Planning Association, to call for the Localism Bill to be amended to include a definition of sustainable development.

“We believe that achieving sustainable development must …

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Sustainable Development Commission hands on the baton

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The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has closed its doors after eleven years of carrying out a brief to try to make sustainable development the ‘operating system of choice’ for the four UK governments.

We are very sad to see them …

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FDSD warns UK is suffering from ‘green policy subsidence’

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FDSD’s Director, Halina Ward, has severely criticised the Government’s paper “Mainstreaming Sustainable Development” (published last month), saying it is “a hugely disappointing piece of work” and the UK is in effect suffering from “green policy subsidence”: policy pronouncements without real …

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FDSD joins advisory group on corruption

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Corruption, fraud and lack of integrity are ever-present threats to both democracy and sustainable development. FDSD’s Director Halina Ward is pleased to have been invited to join the Advisory Group for a new National Integrity Study (NIS) being undertaken by …

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