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| Rural Environment |
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| In the past |
 Rural and industrial development has paid little attention to long term environmental consequences, with the result that:
- The true cost of our lifestyles is hidden but paid for by everyone.
- Poor air quality now poses a risk to human health and quality of life.
- The demand for new houses and infrastructure to support them is putting increasing pressure on the land.
- Global warming and climate change have lead to current extreme weather events.
- Landfill waste disposal has been at an unsustainable level
- 80 million tones each year from industry and commerce and 28 million tones from domestic sources.
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| Today |
Care for the environment is becoming a high priority for individuals, Governments and the international community:
- People are now genuinely concerned about our impact on the environment, but there is a lack of willingness to change.
- The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed by 159 Governments, including the UK, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It commits the UK to a national action plan to protect and enhance biodiversity.
- The Kyoto protocol is dedicated to reducing world greenhouse gas emissions – the main element in global warming.
- The EU requires its member states to meet obligations under environmental protection legislation that includes air and water quality and quotas for recycling waste
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| In a sustainable future |
For the environment must:
- Balance the needs of food production and the protection of the environment.
- Set the need for farmers and other land owners to make a profit in a commercial world, within the context of managing the land in environmentally friendly ways.
- Enable access to the countryside for recreation and leisure while protecting natural resources.
- Encourage the introduction of new technologies and farming methods, including biotechnology, in ways that do not risk the environment.
- Balance the needs of society with the needs of the natural environment.
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