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Sustainability. - let’s get real. SSEE 11 March 2010 by David Rice Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA. Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA. An advocacy group for sustainable transport, especially the impact of peak oil Run conferences eg Oil: Living with Less
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Sustainability - let’s get real SSEE 11 March 2010 by David Rice Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA
Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA • An advocacy group for sustainable transport, • especially the impact of peak oil • Run conferences eg Oil: Living with Less • Prepare policies eg Alternative Fuels • Issue newsletters • www.stcwa.org.au
International Conference NZ 2007 ‘Transport – the next 50 years’
International Conference NZ 2007 ‘Transport – the next 50 years’ Sustainability – whatever that is
STC old definition of Sustainable Transport: • Canadian Centre for Sustainable Transportation: A sustainable transportation system is one that: • allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and with equity within and between generations. • is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a vibrant economy. • limits emissions and waste within the planet's ability to absorb them, minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources, limits consumption of renewable resources to the sustainable yield level, reuses and recycles its components, and minimizes the use of land and the production of noise.
STC old definition of Sustainable Transport: • Canadian Centre for Sustainable Transportation: A sustainable transportation system is one that: • allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and with equity within and between generations. • is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a vibrant economy. • limits emissions and waste within the planet's ability to absorb them, minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources, limits consumption of renewable resources to the sustainable yield level, reuses and recycles its components, and minimizes the use of land and the production of noise. Too long to remember, difficult to interpret
Sustainable Transport Consultant What is ‘sustainable transport’?
Sustainable Transport Consultant What is ‘sustainable transport’? It is walking and cycling No other modes are truly sustainable
Sustainable Transport Consultant What is ‘sustainable transport’? It is walking and cycling No other modes are truly sustainable Get real - we need to know more
Two parts • Getting real • Why other systems don’t quite make it
1. Getting real What is sustainability in day to day use ?
Get real Most of our actions are not truly sustainable
To get real • We need:- • Definition - simple, memorable • Process - to get as close as possible • Measure – of how close
To get real • We need:- • Definition - simple, memorable • Process - to get as close as possible • Measure – of how close
STC3 Definition of sustainability is the social, environmental and economic impacts of an action are all positive; now and for the next seven generations 3 Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA, 2009
environment social economic Mind map:-
environment social economic the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant
environment social economic the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant humankind, one of 1.7 million species on planet earth
the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant humankind, one of 1.7 million species on planet earth environment social a social outcome, to be seen in context and not seen as the sole goal, or even the paramount goal economic
Economic • Typical economic impacts:- • Benefit Cost Ratios • Tourism • Resource development • Local business • Agriculture
Social • Typical social impacts:- • Community access • Displacement of people • Heritage • Vibration • Noise • Traffic crashes • Personal security • Visual quality • Dangerous goods
Environmental • Impacts on the natural bio-physical environment • ‘Social’ and ‘economic’ cover impacts on humans • Typical environmental impacts:- • Air pollution • Water pollution • Flora/fauna • Wetlands • Soil loss
b) Process With community involvement:- Review: see if objectives can be met another way eg TDM rather than road construction Modify to avoid negative impacts eg divert the road around the houses Remediation is added eg build a noise wall Offsets are developed eg provide equivalent vegetation elsewhere
Principal – do no net harm All impacts are assessed after modifications, remediations and offsets have been included
Our definition that the social, environmental and economic impacts of an action are all positive; now and for the next seven generationsis aspirational A cliché?
Or a goal? We need to define ‘true sustainability’ otherwise we won’t recognise our goal But‘true sustainability’ remains a cliché unless we get real by using ….
(total) RATING Economic Social Environ-mental Longevity Alternative Sustainable to Nearly sustainable total 4 to almost 5 stars to Moderately unsustainable total 2 to almost 4 stars to Very unsustainable total 1 to almost 2 stars Grossly unsustainable total less than 1 star or less Five star rating
(total) RATING Economic Social Environ-mental Longevity Alternative Sustainable to Nearly sustainable total 4 to almost 5 stars to Moderately unsustainable Towards sustainability total 2 to almost 4 stars to Very unsustainable total 1 to almost 2 stars Grossly unsustainable total less than 1 star or less Five star rating
Five headings Environmental Social Economic fairly standard
Longevity Iroquois Indians kept in mind the needs of the seventh generation to come Seven generations: say 140 years Long time frame necessary, many actions have impacts for decades Assessed by asking ‘Is the action economically, socially, and environmentally benign for the next 140 or so years?’
Alternative Assessed by asking ‘Is there an alternative that is better economically, socially, and/or environmentally that could reasonably be used?’ Theoretically not needed: added as a practical consideration
Examples Walk, short and not carrying load - 5 star - sustainable Cycling, short to medium and not carrying load - 5 star - sustainable Public transport, inner area, in peak – say 4 star - nearly sustainable Public transport, inner area, off peak – say 2 star - moderately unsustainable Public transport, outer area, off peak – say 11/2 star - very unsustainable 4WD urban trip, driver only – less than 1 star - grossly unsustainable
What other systems? Google results: 32,000,000 for ‘sustainability’ 237,000 for ‘definition of sustainability’ Some of the main ones …
Brundtland Commission1 Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs ¹ United Nations,1983
Brundtland Commission Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Memorable Great philosophy Day to day meaning?
State Sustainability Strategy2 Sustainability is meeting the needs of current and future generations through an integration of environmental protection, social advancement and economic prosperity With a similar mind map 2 WA, 2003
State Sustainability Strategy Sustainability is meeting the needs of current and future generations through an integration of environmental protection, social advancement and economic prosperity Integration?
11 principles 6 visions 6 goals Complex Difficult to remember
environment social economic The STC mind map is:-
arguably clearer than:- economic environment sustainability social
or:- economic environment sustainability social
social environ ment economic And much better than:-
or:- environment economic social
Wikipedia • Bruntland definition is frequently quoted, but … • economy is a subsystem of human society, which is a subsystem of all life on Earth • no subsystem can expand beyond the capacity of the total system • Then refers to a concentric circle diagram similar to the STC’s Wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability at July 2009
Engineers Australia SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER Sustainable development requires balanced improvement across economic, social and environmental objectives in an integrated short term and long term decision making process