Part 1: Environmental Governance Chapter 1: Improving the natural environment Section 17: Policy statement on environmental principles
Section 17(1) requires the Secretary of State to prepare a policy statement on the environmental principles set out in subsection (5).
	Subsection (2) provides specific information on what the environmental principles policy statement must include. The policy statement will explain how Ministers of the Crown should interpret and proportionately apply the environmental principles when developing policies. Proportionate application means ensuring that action taken on the basis of the principles balances the potential for environmental benefit against other benefits and costs associated with the action. This means that a policy where there is the potential for high environmental damage would require more stringent action than a policy where the potential environmental damage is low. This consideration of the principles policy statement throughout the policy-making process may be carried out by policy-makers on behalf of Ministers of the Crown, though Ministers will retain the responsibility to have due regard to the policy statement.
	Subsection (3) sets out that the Secretary of State may explain in the statement how other considerations should be taken into account by Ministers of the Crown when they are interpreting and applying environmental principles. For example, it may be necessary to balance the application of a specific environmental principle against other considerations, such as economic and social benefits, whilst taking care to ensure that these do not supersede environmental benefit but are considered alongside.
	Subsection (4) details two aims that the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the statement will contribute to. These are:
The improvement of environmental protection. This means being satisfied that the policy statement will be used to shape policies in a way that protects the environment. It underpins the interpretation and application of the environmental principles. This consideration is to be taken in line with other necessary considerations in these sections, such as in subsection (3).
Sustainable development. Sustainable development can be summarised as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It involves trying to achieve environmental benefit alongside economic growth and social progress. Therefore, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that, when using the policy statement, Ministers of the Crown will consider the needs of future generations. This means that Ministers should consider the environmental impact of their policies together with the economic and social factors and, as much as possible, ensure policy achieves all three aims.
	Subsection (5) sets out the list of environmental principles the policy statement will cover. These principles are drawn from a number of sources, including, for example, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992).
	There is no single agreed definition of the environmental principles. The policy statement will explain in more detail how these are to be interpreted, and provide information as to how they should be applied.
	The meaning of the individual environmental principles is as follows:
The principle that environmental protection must be integrated into the making of policy: environmental protection must be embedded in the making of policies.
The principle of preventative action to avert environmental damage: preventive action should be taken to avert environmental damage.
The precautionary principle so far as relating to the environment: where there are threats of serious irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation. This applies to issues regarding the natural environment and includes where human changes to the natural environment impacts upon human health, such as air quality.
The principle that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source: environmental damage should as a priority be rectified by targeting its original cause and taking preventive action at source.
The ‘polluter pays’ principle: the costs of pollution control and remediation should be borne by those who cause pollution rather than the community at large.
	Further direction on these environmental principles will be set out in the policy statement. These principles cannot be changed without primary legislation.