It is apparent that as a society we have still not grasped the concept of environmental damage being caused by us. We may recycle the odd newspaper, the empty plastic drinks bottles and purchase re-usable bags from the supermarket, but where it counts we still fall short. The booklet of 2008 ‘indicators in your pocket’ published by Defra highlights our shortcomings in the environmental challenge. For example, there are discouraging statistics in these areas: aviation emissions of greenhouse gases, fossil fuels used for electricity generation, increased demand for energy and increased household waste.

Are government departments – now into their second edition of Sustainable Action Plans – going to deliver on them? Will they create energy efficiency in the government estate, reduce carbon emissions and develop the energy technologies that we require to move into the future? Will they look at the reality of zero carbon homes and the eco town debate? Will transport take on the climate change battle?

Sustainable Development 09 will focus upon the latest decisions and plans surrounding sustainable development policy, from government strategy to European best practice. Defra will give the high-end cross departmental progress that has been made and explain ways each government department will deliver on its sustainable action plans.

The UK leads the way in new technology but rarely puts this technology into action. We see that Portugal has started to implement its new wave farm with Pelamis Wave Power of Scotland providing the technology and Pelamis Wave energy converters, and we see wind farms growing on European soil at ever increasing speed. Why do we not take heed? Our wave power is significantly greater than that off the coast of Portugal, and the British Isles’ weather is somewhat blustery at the best of times. With this in mind, we will focus an expert line-up of speakers to debate the UK’s position within the wider context of the Sustainable Development agenda and see how EU best practice can help us to ‘make waves’ and progress into a sustainable future.