Land use and re-use for sustainable development
Land condition is critically important as we transform society towards sustainability. The land we live on interacts directly with our homes, our food, our energy security, and the protection of the natural world that people love.
The health of our land can be compromised by how it was used in the past and how it is used now. Current regulations and consenting processes for developing land and disposing of waste are often disconnected or adversarial by nature, preventing solutions which would be better for everyone.
As part of our recommendations to the UK Government for 2024-2029, the IES published this chapter on 'land use and re-use for sustainable development', which sets out recommendations on land condition, planning, and land use.
Our recommendations for the UK Government
- Take a holistic approach to the use of land across the UK to secure multiple benefits for communities and our natural world.
- Promote a sustainable, healthy, and resilient approach to soils across Government policy by coordinating governance, monitoring, and practice.
- Realise the safe use, re-use, and redevelopment of brownfield land in line with sustainable development.
- Work with the environment sector and local government to deliver competency and best practice in the transition towards a more holistic approach to land.
Find out more
Read our recommendations for other fields of environmental science in 'Our Shared Mission for Sustainable Wellbeing'.
To find out more about the topic, you can read our briefing on the latest developments in land and nature policy. To connect with land professionals to share expertise, shape resources, and drive standards across the sector, join the Land Condition Community.
If you want to support the work of the IES, you can become an affiliate, or if you’re a professional in the environmental sector working with science, consider joining the IES.
Header image credit: © DL80WES | Adobe Stock
