Environment
The state of the Northwest environment matters to everyone. It
is a regional asset that provides the foundations for economic and
social wellbeing.
The environmental agenda has become an increasingly important
topic area over the last decade. In 2008 the RIU commissioned SQW
to produce a study to reflect this increasing importance. The study
is known as ECOSEG (Environmental Considerations of Sustainable
Economic Growth) and comprised of two stages.
Stage 1 focused on reviewing the
inventory of existing data and intelligence relating to the
sustainable growth of the region over the next 10-15 years. The
report summarises the current capacity of the region’s various
natural and man-made systems to sustain current economic and other
human activity.
Stage 2 intended to develop the Stage
1 work by analysing in detail four infrastructure themes identified
as key to regional growth, namely:
A fifth key infrastructure theme ‘Green Infrastructure’ was
developed in addition to a separate piece of work called known
as Green Infrastructure Solutions to Pinch
Points Issues.
As part of the RS2010 evidence base, the RIU, with regional
partners, developed the ECOSEG environmental themes into three
evidence papers:
- Natural Environment – The natural
environment should be valued for its own sake and for the
contribution it makes to sustainable economic growth. This
paper examines the wider environment including climate change and
the natural, historic & built environments.
- Energy – Energy as a theme is not
restricted by regional, national or international boundaries, and
is a major focus on the international efforts to curb climate
change, whilst also being an issue in itself. This paper
examines energy in terms of electricity and gas demand, consumption
and capacity, renewable energy, nuclear energy and energy
infrastructure.
- Sustainable Consumption & Production
(SCP) – Across the World there is a drive towards low carbon,
resource efficient living and working which presents both
opportunities and challenges for our region. This paper
analyses regional performance in terms of resource consumption, low
carbon environmental goods & services sector and resource
scarcity.
The environmental evidence base was created to be supplemented
by a number of completed and emerging pieces of research and
regional actions plans, including:
For further information on environment related research, please
contact: nwriu@nwda.co.uk
Visit the Publications
page to access research related to the Environment
theme.