Jersey Environment Forum: Appointment of Members

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A decision made (27.07.2009) to approve the appointment of members to the Jersey Environment Forum.

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2009-0131
Decision Summary Title	Appointment of Members to the Jersey Environment Forum		Date of Decision Summary:	2009
Decision Summary Author:	Sarah Le Claire, Assistant Director for Environmental Policy		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title	Appointment of four new Members to the Jersey Environment Forum		Date of Written Report:	14 July 2009
Written Report Author:	Sarah Le Claire, Assistant Director for Environmental Policy		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Jersey Environment Forum: appointment of members.
Decision(s): The Assistant Minister approved - 1. The appointment of Nick Palmer and Adrian Demaid as members for three years until August 2012. 2. The appointment of Christopher Le Cornu and Joanna Starkie as student members for one year until August 2010.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Jersey Environment Forum is a non-executive body whose purpose is to advise government on matters of environmental policy. It has twelve members who serve for terms of three years, resulting in the need to replace four retiring members each year.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: 1. The Director of Environment to write to the new members (once agreed) informing them of their successful appointments. 2. The Assistant Director for Environmental Policy to publish the new appointments on gov.je
Signature:		Position: Assistant Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision

Jersey Environment Forum: Appointment of Members

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION

Appointment of new members to the Jersey Environment Forum

(Public)

Purpose of the Report

For the Assistant Minister to approve the appointment of four new members to the Jersey Environment Forum: Adrian Demaid; Nick Palmer; Christopher Le Cornu and Joanna Starkie.

Background

The Jersey Environment Forum (JEF) was established by the Environment and Public Services Committee in June 2003 to bring together the views of all those who have a stake in Jersey’s environment. Support for such a forum was confirmed at an open workshop held in December 2002. In the past six years the Forum has provided advice on the development and implementation of environmental policy issues to ensure that it is on a sound and informed basis. JEF has also facilitated the effective exchange of knowledge, information and views at all levels between the Government, the public and non-governmental stakeholders.

The JEF acts at an ‘operational level’, providing constructive criticism to the Minister and Assistant Minister for Planning and Environment on specific policy issues, bringing together the areas of interest that each member represents (in this sense the term operational refers to specific policies, projects and the business of the Department as defined by the States of Jersey Strategic Plan and Departmental Business Plan).

Discussion

The JEF has twelve members who each serve for a period of three years, except for the two youth members who serve for one year. This results in the need to replace four retiring members each year. The recommendation of members of the Forum is carried out by the Chairman in consultation with the Director of Environment and they are formally appointed by the Assistant Minister.

The recommendations of full members for this year are Adrian Demaid and Nick Palmer.

Adrian Demaid is Emeritus Professor of Engineering at the Open University. He began his sustainability work in the mid 1970s with developing and teaching energy accounting, life cycle analysis and waste management modelling. Before retiring from the Open University he researched and consulted (concentrating on the use of knowledge in planning procedures and sustainability assessments) on the Sustainable Urban Environment program of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in a consortium of universities working with Worcester County Council, Halcrow and other companies. As a partner in Fracture Training Associates he provides training for professional engineers from the power generation, oil & gas and aircraft industries on failure and safety cases: living with cracks, so to speak.

On moving to Jersey he became concerned that the extensive political debate over the new Energy from Waste plant was based on unsound principles that had created ten years of heavy pollution and lost a year’s worth of local electricity generation.
His view is that many of the political imperatives of the UK, where much damage is being done in the name of sustainability, do not translate to a small island. He believes that Jersey needs to develop its own protocols for sustainability based on sound analyses.

Nick Palmer is a long term campaigner on environmental matters, including involvement with "Save the Whale", the local branch of Friends of the Earth for many years from before 1988 until 1998. He became the recycling campaigner then the newsletter writer/editor/dispatcher and ultimately the Co-ordinator. He also planned and led various environmental "actions" to reduce waste and conserve energy and biodiversity. During part of this time as a resident of Bellozane, he also led the neighbour group which obtained a fair resolution to the situation from the States. He has continued to develop his environmental knowledge and frequently writes to the JEP and lobbies politicians about green issues, especially in relation to the replacement of the incinerator. Mr Palmer is also on the committee of J-CAN (Jersey Climate Action Network).

Recommendation

1. That the Assistant Minster approves the appointment of the following members of the forum for three years until August 2012: Adrian Demaid; Nick Palmer and the following youth members to serve for approximately one year until September 2010: Christopher Le Cornu and Joanna Starkie.

Written by: Sarah Le Claire, Assistant Director for Environmental Policy, Planning and Environment

Approved by: Andy Scate, Chief Executive Officer, Planning and Environment