Sustainable consumption and production is the theme of World Environment Day 2015 (5 June), organised by the United Nations Environment Programme.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has appointed Rory Stewart MP as minister responsible for ‘resource and environmental management’.

Philip Simpson, Commercial Director at ReFood, looks at the latest developments in food waste recycling and discusses his wishes for greater government commitment.

Scottish Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead is meeting with his UK counterpart, Liz Truss, to discuss the potential of bringing in a deposit-return scheme for drinks packaging.

Resources & Waste UK has released a manifesto for 2015, which calls for the new UK government to be ‘proactively engaged’ in circular economy policy making.

West Scotland MSP Stuart McMillan has written to the Scottish Government calling on it to ban large supermarkets from disposing of unsold food items.

Professor Timothy Dafforn is to succeed Professor John Perkins CBE as Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.

Eric Pickles MP, the former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and weekly collections advocate, is to receive a knighthood for his political services.

The Resource Association has issued an open call to Prime Minister David Cameron to turn his ideas for ‘blue-collar Conservatism’ into ‘green-collar Conservatism for the green economy’.

Lord de Mauley is no longer a minister at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, after failing to be reappointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Science.