Date:              18 September 2008
Embargo:       None

ESA Green Paper on Material Indicators Launched at LibDems Conference

ESA are participating in all the main party conferences this September and, as usual, started the season with the Liberal Democrats’ conference in Bournemouth.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Party Leader, Vince Cable MP, was the guest speaker at a lunchtime fringe event entitled “Measuring Environmental Success: Climate and Recycling Policies” which took place in the Gladstone Room of the Royal Bath Hotel.

The event launched a new ESA “green paper” on the development and use of material indicators which summarises work on material flow (MF) measurements and which is available on ESA’s website. This paper reports on the work of Biffaward, the OECD and ESA’s Carbon Committee.

Green Paper on Material Indicators

The event began with ESA Chief Executive Dirk Hazell outlining key aspects from the paper to the conference audience. In his contribution to the debate Dr Cable, who was instrumental in the development of the Liberal Democrats’ “green tax switch” proposals, began by warmly welcoming ESA’s publication as an important contribution to the debate. Dr Cable gave his thoughts on the growing role of environmental economics, before answering a range of questions from the audience.

Dirk Hazell also spoke at a lively evening fringe in the main conference centre focused around the question of “how green is your council?” alongside councillors from Camden, Hounslow and West Norfolk with the Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman, Steve Webb MP. Waste and recycling issues were a significant element of the discussion, covering issues such as anaerobic digestion, the merits of co-mingled collections, and energy from waste. Dirk Hazell highlighted the need for better measurement to be able to understand what is meant by success, and the long-term importance of extended producer responsibility contained in the new Waste Framework Directive. He said that, like councils, the waste management industry needed to be liberated to do the best job it could do and this included the need for a better planning system.

ENDS