The recent defra report on the assessment of the UK national ecosystem using environmental economic principles (June 2011) sets a new standard on how government should view our environment.  Although some of the press coverage has been limited to a simple property development financial equation, the reality is rather more complex and, potentially, far reaching:

The principles used, if applied across government (for example, BIS, DECC and Defra) could deliver a far more integrated approach to sustainability in the UK - integrating biodiversity, agriculture, energy, infrastructure and business.

Were that the case, it might act as a catalyst to the development of business models for sustainability that provide a short-term return on investment as well as a long term return, better use of the UK’s natural resources and a move away from oil dependency.  Much of the technology to do this already exists (for example, desalination technology, hydrogen fuel cell technology etc) but no effective overall strategy to integrate such projects exists.  

Even simple infrastructure projects such as moving water around the country to alleviate drought conditions seem a long way off at present (although the Romans managed it...)

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