WWF resigns "in despair" over Government unsustainability

The WWF has resigned "in despair" from the Government's Senior Steering Group on building design, accusing the Government of backsliding on key environmental issues.

After working closely with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in developing the Code for Sustainable Buildings, for "18 months of agonisingly slow progress", the ODPM is due to issue a draft code which seems to be weaker than existing building regulations.

Robert Napier, Chief Executive of WWF-UK, said "It appears that the recommendations and advice of the Senior Steering Group has been ignored and, in a final demonstration of disregard, the members of the Senior Steering Group have not even been given the opportunity to comment on the draft."

The Code will be a requirement for the public sector in all building projects.

It was meant to address such issues as energy efficiency, as well as ensuring new developments have good public transport links and have ecological assessments as part of the planning process.

But Napier says the draft code drops these. "WWF seeks to work constructively with progressive government agencies, but on this occasion we regret we can no longer sanction what Mr Prescott's department is producing. The Government must now take the public consultation extremely seriously if it stands any chance of delivering what is so urgently needed," Napier said.

The draft Code for Sustainable Buildings is to be announced next week as part of Gordon Brown's pre-budget report.

WWF is the latest in a string of environmental bodies to be tearing their hair out over Government green policies.

The Low Carbon Kid has been closely watching developments for the last ten years and it is plain that this goverment has been stringing along environmentalists with a lot of fine talk and little action.

It should not be surprised this behaviour triggers a return to the days of Earth First! and direct action. It seems to be the only type of community involvement the government responds to.

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