Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
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New Government study to explore the future use of land
The latest project from Foresight, the Government's futures think tank, will examine land use in the UK, it was announced today.
How we use land fundamentally affects our economy, the environment and our society. Over the coming decades we will face new and potentially competing pressures for land. The Foresight study is a fresh chance to explore the ways we view and value land as a resource in the future.
Demographic changes in the UK, the evolution of the global economy and the impact of climate change, are among the challenges that will affect the demands we make on land. For example, climate change will affect patterns of agriculture and biodiversity whilst changing demographics will create further demands for housing and infrastructure.
Foresight's new 'Land Use Futures' project will explore how our use of land may need to evolve to meet future challenges and how it can deliver economic, social and environmental benefits sustainably. It will look at both urban and rural land use.
The project is sponsored by the Departments for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Professor John Beddington, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the Government Office for Science, who oversees the Foresight projects, said:
"With the world's population rising and a rightful emphasis on living sustainably, the Foresight 'Land Use Futures' project is very timely.
"We have a limited amount of land but an increasing number of demands upon it. We need to closely examine the factors at play in order to make the best decisions.
"I am delighted that Jonathan Shaw and Baroness Andrews have agreed to be the joint sponsoring Ministers for this project and look forward to working together on this very challenging topic. I will shortly be inviting a number of leading academics and senior stakeholders to work closely with us throughout the project.
"Foresight has demonstrated that evidence-based futures analysis and horizon scanning are crucial tools for Government. If we are going to develop policies that can stand the test of time, we need to ensure that policymakers can think strategically about future uncertainties and opportunities. That is why Foresight's mission to embed futures thinking across Government is so important".
The project will be an in-depth two-year study involving experts and scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Combining the most up to date scientific evidence with well-informed futures work it will assist policymakers in developing strategies to manage our future better.
The findings will be launched towards the end of 2009.
Notes to editors
1. Foresight is in the Government Office for Science, within the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. DIUS brings together the nation's strengths in science, research, universities and colleges to build a dynamic, knowledge-based economy. Its primary role is to drive forward delivery of the Government's long-term vision to make Britain one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation and to raise the level of education and skills at every level in our economy to give the UK the competitive edge.
2. The UK Government's Foresight Programme aims to strengthen strategic policy making by embedding an evidence-based futures approach in government. This work, which uses the best available scientific and other evidence, combined with futures analysis, aims to inform policy-makers about potential risks and opportunities in meeting major societal challenges so that robust and resilient strategies, policies and priorities to manage our future can be developed.
3. The project will appoint a High Level Stakeholder Group to steer the overall direction of the project. It will be chaired by one of the stakeholder departments' ministers - either Jonathan Shaw (DEFRA) or Baroness Andrews (CLG). The membership of the High Level Stakeholder Group will be made up of senior representatives from key interested organisations in the public sector, the research community and business. An Expert Advisory Group will work with Foresight to ensure the project's findings are of the highest technical and scientific standard. Membership for both groups is underway and will be completed later this year.
4. Further details about the project can be found on the Foresight website (http://www.foresight.gov.uk).
