Planning Is the Best Way to Improve the Quality of the Environment Essay

There is no agreed rendering of environmental prep ardness most studies defecate had an arduous job in arduous to meet a description for it as the environment covers a dewy-eyed c adenosine monophosphateaign of routines. In unity sense, al unneurotic t induce and Country proviso is concerned with the environment. (Cullingworth & Nadin, 1997, p163) But as the fargon of environmental concerns create risen up the policy-making agenda a repress of non- mean organisations substantiate had an increasing timbre to play.It must be nonable that the role formulation in the environment is not a refreshful instrument in its cherishion The idle Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 prohibited the emission of unknown smoke, in an travail to improve environmental quality. This essay intends to discuss the of import instruments implement in the contemporary readiness constitution of rules in the UK, which be handed the line of protecting and improving the environment. It be ats by short outlining the reasons why proviso is exercised for environmental protection and its sore role in promoting sustainability.These objectives argon highlighted in recent political sympathies papers and are explored in the objectives describe in LA21. The next section reveals how the provision system might be seen as failing these objectives and its shortcomings by a plan comparison with other nations, consequently providing conclusions for the suitableness of training as the best fashion of improving environmental quality. The United commonwealths Town and Country homework system is the framework indoors which the training and use of land is jogd.It put ups a body structure within which frugal, friendly and environmental considerations kitty be weighed to table service plug sustainable victimisation. (DETR, 1996) Planning has been illustrated as the main urge in achieving sustainable study it is move with the task to guide suitable knowledge wit hin a sustainable context via its developing control methods. This seems an obvious preference as the framework within the UK be after system is already in bulge to successfully implement policy on sustainable ripening, throughout totally levels of regimen.traditionally the Town and Country Planning system in the UK has had a pro-development bias, it is argued that in evidence to improve and maintain the environment, planners swallow to castrate this ethos to accept kBer issues. What has al ship manner been apparent within the realms of environmental think is the major role that politics plays. Indeed Britains disinclination in environmental concerns was partly delinquent to the conservative regimes of promoting a market-led economy, broad of acres intervention, it was not until the 1980s that the environment blush up the political agenda with the say-so of being a major pick out w inside(a).Before which, it was argued by Thatcher that environmental mean had be taking place for both(prenominal) years via the planners use of material considerations. The Conservative giving medication took a dramatic u-turn and its views on state free from intervention were quashed as it accepted the basis draw in 1992 Earth tallness. The multitude held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted talks for one coulomb and fifty nations, it was at this conference where sustainability define up a structure, in docket 21.The quest section discusses the issue of sustainable development and its implementation through Agenda 21, outlining the province of the UK planning regime to enhance and protect the environment. sustainable victimisation & Agenda 21 It is argued that the UK sustainable Development schema should be viewed as providing the guiding principles for environmental planning in the UK. Sustainability is seen as one of the main advocates for providing planning policies that protect and provide quality environments throughout the UK.It is certainl y consecutive that the issue of sustainability is a concept that surrounds environmental policy. moreover its large adoption since the resurrection of green issues in the 1960s has lead to is its utilise and ambiguity. The term has become a symbolic representation of environmentalism in contemporary politics. Governments, academics and environmental groups look at tried to attain an answer as they continue to commit to sustainable policy. It is just now surprising that the idea of sustainability has encompassed a number of differing views, one of the most famous ideas is include in the 1987 Brundtland ReportSustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without pliable the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (as cited in Cullingworth & Nadin, 1997, p164) However the issue of sustainable development became a human beings in the creation of Agenda 21, in Rio, 1992. This marked a wide solid ground programme for sustainable dev elopment in the twenty-first century, and the adoption of a wide degree of humanity participation. In the UK this is nonionic at key and local anaesthetic regime levels.The former outcomeed in the Sustainable Development Strategy of 1994. At the local level, local anesthetic Agenda 21 (LA21) calls for each local authority to prepare and adopt a local sustainable development strategy. LA21 provides an luck to promote and maintain environmental quality at a level where the ordinary posterior immediately feel the effects. It is subjective that LA21 is a process by which the public can get bear ond in environmental issues affecting their immediate area, thus educating the population in the concepts of sustainability.LA21 is the process of skeleton up and implementing local sustainable development plans, with the local authority working in partnership with citizens, local organisations and businesses to achieve this. (RCEP, 1999, p7) LA21 intentions are not purely environment al sustainability includes social and economic issues that cover the community as a whole in an effort to build a consensus between people, preferably than the traditional, confrontational ways of working. Once goals are sought, progress can be do and evaluated, by measuring progress.However the UK government could be criticised for being a micro slow to respond to the issues outlined in Rio, the focal point for local government activity was issued in 1998. It came in the form of the good go for guide on Planning for Sustainable Development, from the DETR. In 1999 Labour introduced a new strategy for sustainable development, entitled A Better Quality of Life, it highlighted four key fruit principles 1. Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone 2. vindication of the environment 3. Prudent use of instinctive resources 4.Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment (DETR, 1999) However the guidance has been criticised for its lack of st rategic vision, as it sets no quantitative targets or cartridge cliptables. This is highlighted in the judgment that it is a very broad document, as on that point is a need to secure the approval from other Ministries in crop to initiate new policy commitments. (UWE, 2000) Problems of the planning system in protecting the environment Advisory bodies have promoted the need for target-led planning for a number of years.The term objective-led planning is adviseed at broader strategic goals, e. g. Improving line of descent quality, whereas target-led planning relates to more specialized goals, e. g. Ozone levels not exceeding a certain concentration over a specified time period, as in the case for the inner London Boroughs. However there is pipe down indisposition by government to set concrete targets in any(prenominal) sectors or areas at field level.They prefer to parting it up to the level tiers of government, which can oft cause considerable strain, e. . Meeting hol d targets. However target-led planning is slowly turn the norm for umpteen local authorities as they implement their plans. They usually involve targets for the protection of sites, air quality, waste recycle etc. Central advice is starting to emerge, referring to the advice outlined in the DETRs Planning for Sustainable Development Towards Better Practice, 1998 here it noted that guidance on sustainability should contain specific targets, which could be desegregated into RPGs.It is these relationships between bailiwick and local objectives which take into account for need to be observed closely in the heartfelt future in range to determine how different interests are integrated in the final production of plans. In many areas, there needs to be a greater range of targets, with clear strategies for their implementation. The bother is that plans remain plans unless they are implemented and with scarcely 30% of all local authorities having theirs in place in 1998, sustainable policy go away remain un achieveed theory. DETR, 1999a, p2) It is zippy that the plans are implemented in order to set realistic targets.environmental planning in the UK is currently in a period of significant change. This is at all levels and across many issues. The number of plans, strategies, begin produced today is far greater than at any previous period. This is partly the result of spacious criticism over many years from the lack of planning in areas most of it derives from EU or worldwide developments (80% of all UK environmental policy originated in the EU).Plans have been advocated as being the chief(a) source of reference in determine sustainable objectives that improve the quality of the environment. environmental plans have subsequently grown easily from local authorities, government agencies and ad hoc groups, which has brought together different issues. The number of plans should not be seen as a problem, the important issue is whether their development is co-or dinated and to what effect decision-makers implement them. As we near 2002, the next Earth Summit get out ask questions of LA21, as the UK councils are getting ready to launch their plans.However work has already begun on residential district Plans, which outline strategies for the intimately being of the local area and its people, a pee all councils are required to produce these. In aim theyre very like LA21, it is not clear how the two will splice together. In some places the LA21 is acting as the first draft of the Community Plan, which has advantages and disadvantages. In other places completely different teams of officers are developing the Community Plan, and theres no guarantee of any familiarity between the two.It seems obvious that the people who took the vexation to have an input into the LA21 process will want to see some sue come about as a result. Another concern is that Community Planning doesnt have the connection to the globose picture that LA21 has built in. As environmental issues have become more complex, ways have been sought to measure the dazes of development. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a unconscious process introduced into the British planning system as a result of an EC Directive.EIA provides a forefingerful tool for aiding planning decisions it has highlighted questions on the technical rationality of the environment and the availability of relevant information and skills. EIA needs to be able to subjectively demonstrate its finding of development with their effects on the environment. The fosterage of planners and access to environmental information is essential in making sense of the answers. recent studies have shown that the UK does not have the extensive requirements for environmental assessment as some of its European counterparts.Sweden and the Netherlands have quite pixilated regulations on the environmental assessment of its planning applications, New Zealand in particular requires all planning a pplications to have an environmental impact assessment statement. (UWE, 2000) This illustrates the differing views on sustainable objectives countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have interpreted it in terms of very specific principles, whereas the UK has use a plethora of general statements, which incorporate the environment, economic and social dimensions of sustainability.However there is an overall general recognition from European countries towards the need for a more comprehensive view of planning. The importance of planning is maybe best highlighted by looking at those nations which have a relatively jerry-built framework the the States system adopts a vary degree of influences, to the extent where it is gruelling to identify any particular ethos. major influences arise from the roles of non-governmental organisations and the US courts. It is worth noting that the USA has been one of the nations who have struggled to attain sustainable objectives.Is the UK plannin g system the best way to improve the environment? The UK needs to gain a greater understanding of sustainability and environmental protection and the implications for the operation of environmental planning. It seems that there are clear holes in national strategic planning, which have left(p) the decisions to the lower tiers of government. Part of the reason could be the UKs fairly complicated legislative framework, which maybe needs to be simplified to allow for greater integration of environmental planning. IEEP, 1999, p60)This rigidness is reflected at all levels, unless is particularly noticeable in local government where professional officers now have to understand the large scope of environmental policy, whilst adapting from an ethos of development led planning. Another circumstanceor is that ranking(prenominal) planning officials may lack the environmental expertise needed to review planning applications. A issue accentuated by the accompaniment most environmental data is presented with in-depth scientific knowledge, planners often have to sub-contract these aspects of an application to environmental experts.This is accentuated by the fact that storm from central government to reduce the time taken to process planning applications may well conflict with environmental assessment, which invariably is a lengthy process. Criticisms of planners originate from the political reputation of their profession. The key principle to maintain is the fact that the final decision rest with Politicians, planners have to remain the professional advisor, therefore the power to govern the land environmental will always remain in the hold of a political advocate.In reflection, planning in the UK has had a range of knock-down(a) tools that can effectively govern the environmental implemented in recent years. The main stimulus cannot be attributed to the national government, who have largely been apprehensive if not head-on in their approach to environmental poli cy. The paste of environmental concern is a set result of public and international pressure consequently governments have had to respond.The environments direct conflict with development has ensured that action has filter down to planning systems, which can effectively govern and control evelopment. The bulky task of ensuring sustainable objectives is thus left to the local authority via the guidance from regional and central government, however the vagueness of which, means that LA21 objectives will vary greatly. This uncertainty has ensured that local sustainable development plans have been slow to be implemented. This is accentuated by the governments reluctance to establish target-led planning, which could provide a worthy insight on how to tackle sustainable objectives head on.Therefore the issue of planning as the best means to improve environmental quality does represent an imitative statement. Planning is certainly a potent tool in environmental protection, which is b y chance not being utilised to its fullest extent, but it will always have a heavy political influence. The growth of agencies extracurricular the planning regime such as the Environment Agency can help ensure that environmental quality is maintained.