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Sustainability

SSEE

11 March 2010

by

David Rice

Sustainable Transport Coalition of WA

- let’s get real

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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

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International Conference

NZ 2007

‘Transport – the next 50 years’

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International Conference

NZ 2007

‘Transport – the next 50 years’

Sustainability – whatever that is

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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.

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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

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Sustainable Transport Consultant

What is ‘sustainable transport’?

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Sustainable Transport Consultant

What is ‘sustainable transport’?

It is walking and cycling

No other modes are truly sustainable

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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

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Two parts

1.Getting real

2.Why other systems don’t quite make it

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1. Getting real

What is sustainability

in day to day use ?

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Get real

Most of our actions are not truly sustainable

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To get real

We need:-

a) Definition - simple, memorable

b) Process - to get as close as possible

c) Measure – of how close

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To get real

We need:-

a) Definition - simple, memorable

b) Process - to get as close as possible

c) Measure – of how close

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a) Definition

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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

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Principle is first do no harm

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Mind map:-

social

environment

economic

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social

environment

economic

the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant

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social

environment

economic

the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant

humankind, one of 1.7 million species on planet earth

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social

environment

economic

the ecosystem of planet earth, upon which all life is dependant

humankind, one of 1.7 million species on planet earth

a social outcome, to be seen in context and not seen as the sole goal, or even the paramount goal

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Economic

Typical economic impacts:-• Benefit Cost Ratios • Tourism• Resource development• Local business• Agriculture

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Social

Typical social impacts:-• Community access• Displacement of people• Heritage• Vibration• Noise• Traffic crashes• Personal security• Visual quality• Dangerous goods

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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

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b) Process

With community involvement:-

Review: see if objectives can be met another wayeg 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

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All impacts are assessed after modifications, remediations and offsets have been included

Principal – do no net harm

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c) Measure

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Our definition that the social, environmental and economic impacts of an action are all positive; now and for the next seven generations is aspirational

A cliché?

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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 ….

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Five star rating

 

to

(total)RATING

or lessGrossly unsustainable

to

Very unsustainable

to

Moderately unsustainable

Nearly sustainable

Sustainable

AlternativeLongevityEnviron-mental

SocialEconomic

total 4 to almost 5 stars

total 2 to almost 4 stars

total 1 to almost 2 stars

total less than 1 star

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Five star rating

 

to

(total)RATING

or lessGrossly unsustainable

to

Very unsustainable

to

Moderately unsustainable

Nearly sustainable

Sustainable

AlternativeLongevityEnviron-mental

SocialEconomic

total 4 to almost 5 stars

total 2 to almost 4 stars

total 1 to almost 2 stars

total less than 1 starTow

ards

sus

tain

abili

ty

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Five headings

Environmental

Social

Economic

fairly standard

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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?’

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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

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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

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2. Why other systems

don’t quite make it

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What other systems?

Google results:

32,000,000 for ‘sustainability’

237,000 for ‘definition of sustainability’

Some of the main ones …

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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

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Brundtland CommissionSustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

MemorableGreat philosophyDay to day meaning?

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Brundtland mind map

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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

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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?

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11 principles

6 visions

6 goals

Complex

Difficult to remember

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The STC mind map is:-

social

environment

economic

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arguably clearer than:-

sustainability

eco

nomic

social

environment

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or:-

sustainability

eco

nomic

social

environment

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social environment

economic

And much better than:-

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environmentsocial economic

or:-

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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

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Engineers Australia

Sustainable development requires balanced improvement across economic, social and environmental objectives in an integrated short term and long term decision making process

SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER

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Engineers Australia

Sustainable development requires balanced improvement across economic, social and environmental objectives in an integrated short term and long term decision making process

Balanced and integrated?No mind map

SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER

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Opportunity to improve

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MRWA

Main Roads’ Sustainability Policy4 is that:“Main Roads is committed to creating lasting benefits through an integrated consideration of social, environmental and economic aspects in all that we do”

4 September 2006

integrated?

No mind map

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Main Roads’ Policy includes the principle:“decision making integrates economic, social and environmental aspects and seeks to achieve positive outcomes in each”

integrates?If you cannot get positive outcomes?

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Australian Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Scheme

Seven catagories:• project management and governance

• economic performance

• using resources

• emissions/pollution/waste

• biodiversity

• people and place

• workforce

Complex

Not memorable

(by Australian Green Infrastructure Council)

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Green Building Council of Australia

Green Star

Nine categories, with weightings

Certifies buildings as 4, 5, or 6 star

Does not define what is truly sustainable

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Urban Development Institute of Australia

EnviroDevelopment

Uses six elements:• water

• energy

• ecosystems

• community

• materials

• waste

Certification in one element is significant

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Certification in a number of elements is truly outstanding sustainable development

Does not explain how missing one or more elements allows development to be considered truly sustainable

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COAG

House of Representatives, Inquiry into a sustainability charter, 2007

Recognises that Brundtland definition does not identify the necessity for a sustainable environment, just society and healthy economy

Refers to ESD as using, conserving and enhancing the community’s resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased

Quality of life?

Council of Australian Governments

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Relation between environment, society and the economy is underlying principle of sustainability

Rather than saying each is equal they …

… prefer the concentric circle model¹

similar to STC’s

¹ submitted by Water Corporation of WA

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UK engineers

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memorable?

fairly complex

no mind map

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Agenda 21

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Very complex

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WalesUK

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The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations

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The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations

Basic needs?

Quality of life?

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UK Civil

Engineers

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12 sections

weighted

applied by trained assessors

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72Complex, and CEEQUAL only assesses part

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UK DH

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Other systems consideredAustralia1. Factor of Ten2. University of Adelaide Embedding Sustainability in Civil and Environmental

Engineering Courses

Europe1. UK, The Crown Estate: Coastal and Marine2. UK, BREEAM, for buildings3. International Federation of Consulting Engineers4. Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe5. World Business Council for Sustainable Development6. International Institute for Sustainable Development7. Arup, SPeAR – Sustainable Project Appraisal Routine

US1. EPA – What is Sustainability?2. Harvard, Leading Green, blog3. Green Building Council – LEED4. Alachua County Energy Conservation Strategies Commission

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The STC mind map of sustainability

social

environment

economic

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Can you remember this?

social

environment

economic

All positive: now and for seven generations

Otherwise use star ratings towards sustainability

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Questions?

Need for an improved EA definition?

www.stcwa.org.au

david-rice@msn.com.au