Sustainable development in Wales is defined by national planning policy as: “the process by which we reach the goal of sustainability. Sustainable developments enhance the economic, social and environmental well-being of people and communities, achieving a better quality of life for our own generations in ways which: Promote social justice and equality of opportunity. Enhance the natural and cultural environment and respect its limits – using only our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining our cultural legacy.”

The Welsh Assembly Government, alongside the UK Government, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Administration have agreed on a set of shared UK principles that will help us achieve our sustainable development purpose:

• living within environmental limits: by setting out a pathway to using only our fair share of the earth’s resources and becoming a One Planet nation within the lifetime of a generation;

• ensuring a strong, healthy and just society: our focus on how a sustainable approach will improve the quality of life and well-being of the people of Wales and especially those in our less well-off communities;

• achieve a sustainable economy: by setting out how we want to transform our economy so that it is low carbon, low waste;

• promoting good governance: through confirming sustainable development as a central organising principle and through encouraging and enabling others to embrace sustainable development as their central organising principle; and

• using sound science responsibly: through the use of our sustainable development principles as part of our evidence-based approach to policy making.