UK Ministry of Defence,
The MoD today publishes challenging targets for itself on the environment which need to be achieved by 2012.
The targets are part of MoD's Sustainable Development Action Plan which outlines key priorities for Defence in contributing to the aspirations of Sustainable Development.
On the action plan, Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne said:
“Environment and Defence are by no means separate issues. The strengthening of international peace and stability is necessary for Sustainable Development. The Armed Forces currently operate in places around the world where access to scarce resources can contribute to conflict, and communities are directly affected by environmental devastation. We are now certain that Climate Change contributes to instability, and will have implications for future operations.
“The extent of climate change that we can expect over the coming decades will potentially present MOD with considerable security challenges. Defence must adapt to meet these challenges by working to understand the impact on our personnel, equipment and estate. We also need to limit our impact on the environment when undertaking defence operations and activities.”
“We have set high standards in our Sustainable Development Action Plan. The targets will present challenges, but are crucial for MoD to meet its aspiration to become a national leader in sustainable development by 2012.”
The plan details our commitment to delivering against both pan-Government and our own targets for a wide range of areas including energy efficiency, waste management, water and biodiversity, and sustainable procurement. A number of projects are already underway to achieve our targets.
Key areas and achievements include:
– Climate Change – we aim to reduce MoD's CO2 emissions from buildings by 15 per cent by 2012, through increased energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and investing in more sustainable technologies.
– Water – In 2006, the MoD saved over three million cubic metres in annual consumption through leakage reduction against an annual consumption of around 24 million cubic metres. We aim to reduce water consumption by a further 25 per cent by 2020.
– Waste Management – Some MoD sites are recycling up to 70 per cent of waste arisings. MOD will continue to minimise waste, and will recover and recycle more waste than we send to landfill by 2012. A recent MOD waste study will help us achieve this.
– Biodiversity – As part of the Defence Estate, The MoD is responsible for 174 Sites of Special Scientific Interest across the UK. Of these sites, 81 per cent are already in “target” condition in England against a pan-Government target of 95 per cent by 2010.
– We will also continue to build on existing links between the MOD and local communities to deliver wider social benefits.
