Colin Holm

Sustainability Co-ordinator

Background to Sustainability

What is sustainability?

We’ve never had it so good

• I can drive anywhere I want, even better, I can save time and catch the plane

• Goods are so cheap I don’t even need have them repaired, I can just go out and buy new ones

• I can have strawberries in the middle of winter

• I don’t see any problems

We’ve never had it so good???• Every year in Europe we require the equivalent of another

Europe’s worth of land to support our consumption

• More than 1 billion people subsist on less than $1 per day

• Of those people, in sub-Saharan Africa the average income fell from $0.62 in 1990 to $0.60 per day in 2001

• Hunger and poverty provide fertile ground for conflict: between 1994 and 2003 13 million people died in conflict – 12 million of whom died in sub-Saharan Africa or Asia

• Between 1990 and 2000 940,000 square kilometres of forest were lost and not replaced – an area the size of Venezuela

Closer to home…

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The pollutants emitted by road transport contribute to poor air quality that damages human and ecosystem health and contain greenhouse gases.

The disposal of waste to landfill can result in the loss of many tonnes of valuable materials and emit methane, a greenhouse gas

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How can we tackle these problems and enhance quality of life?

Sustainability

Definitions of Sustainability / Sustainable Development• There are numerous definition of sustainable development and

sustainability (Kingston University note over 200).

• “Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” – Brundtland Commission (1987)

• “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” –UK Government SD Strategy (2005)

• “Sustainable development is a dynamic process which enables all people to realise their potential, and to improve their quality of life, in ways which simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth’s life support systems” - Forum for the Future (2000)

• Most definition emphasise the ‘three pillars’ of sustainability – environment, economy and society - to differing degrees

An alternative model….Five Capitals• Forum for the Future have developed an alternative model which uses

the language of economics to argue for sustainability.

• There are 5 types of capital from which we derive the goods and services we need to improve the quality of our lives:

-Natural capital (e.g. ecosystems, organisms, carbon sinks, minerals etc etc – derived from the natural world

-Human capital (e.g. the things needed for productive work – knowledge, health, skills)

-Social capital (e.g. families, schools, voluntary organisations)

-Manufactured capital (e.g. things that contribute to the manufacturing process - plant and machinery)

-Financial capital (money)

• Sustainability is about living off the income generated by capital without reducing the capital itself

A brief history of sustainable development

• Debate over who first coined the term – some commentators suggest Eva Balfour, some say Wes Jackson (an American farmer)

• A series of influential books started to stir debate about the negative impacts for development – notably Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’, Garret Hardin’s ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ and the Club of Rome’s ‘Limits to Growth’ report

"If the present growth trends in world population, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years. The most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity."

The Limits to Growth, a report for the Club of Rome (1972).

UN conference on the Human Environment 1972• Stockholm held the first conference on

sustainability in 1972 where 113 nations and 500 non governmental organisations attended.

• It was the first time that the attention was drawn to the need to preserve natural habitats to produce a sustained improvement in living conditions for all, and the need for international cooperation to achieve this.

• The emphasis was on solving environmental problems without ignoring social, economic and development factors.

The Brundtland Report 1987• The report highlighted three key components to

sustainable development: environmental protection, economic growth and social equity.

• The environment should be conserved and our resource base increased, by gradually changing the ways in which we develop and use technology.

• Developing nations must be allowed to meet their basic needs of employment, food, energy, water and sanitation.

The ‘Rio’ Earth Summit - 1992

• The first ‘Earth Summit’ was attended by 108 heads of state and 180 countries sent delegates

• Produced a major 500-page action plan, Agenda 21- a morally but not legally binding statement of goals and strategies for government and business sectors

• A number of other international agreements were made including the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity

• A follow up ‘Earth Summit +5’ in New York (1997) expressed ‘deep concern’ that overall trends were worse than in 1992

World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002 (Johannesburg)• A decade after Rio most people agreed that

progress did not match expectations

• 100 world leaders addressed the WSSD and 193 countries were represented.

• WSSD achieved a universal reaffirmation of Agenda 21 plus the eight Millennium Goals set by the UN

WSSD commits the UK to the following:• Minimise adverse effects of chemicals on human health

and environment by 2020

• Provide reliable and affordable energy services

• Halve proportion of people without access to drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015

• Significantly reduce rate of biodiversity loss by 2010

• Restore depleted fish stocks by 2015

• More sustainable patterns of consumption and production

• Urge countries to ratify the Kyoto protocol

• Urgently and substantially increase global use of renewable energy; increase energy efficiency

Local Government in Scotland Act 2003“It is the duty of a local authority to make

arrangements which secure best value [and] the local authority shall discharge its duties under [best value] in a way which contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development”

ie. By addressing the UK / Scottish priorities for sustainable development we can achieve Best Value.

2006: National Priorities

• UK Sustainable Development Strategy and UK Shared Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development guide Sustainable Development in the UK

• The UK Sustainable Development Strategy ‘Securing the Future’ covers England and all non devolved issues

• The Scottish Executive Sustainable Development Strategy will guide Scottish policy and action

UK Strategic Framework to 2020UK Government Strategy

Welsh Assembly Action Plan

Scottish Executive Strategy

Northern Ireland Strategy

Strategic Framework – Shared Priorities for UK Action

Sustainable Consumption and Production

-impacts of materials across whole lifecycle

-a resource efficient economy

Climate Change and Energy

-Mitigation: “profound change in the way we generate and use energy”

-Adaptation: “we must prepare for the climate change that cannot now be avoided”

Natural Resource Protection and Enhancement

- “A better understanding of environmental limits, environmental enhancement and recovery”

- “A more integrated policy framework”

Sustainable Communities

-Give communities more power in the decisions that affect them

-Partnership working to get things done

Choosing Our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy launched December 2005

Choosing Our Future – Some key priorities

•“Our vision is of a vibrant, low carbon economy with Scotland a leader in green enterprise”

•Links the environment to providing the conditions for health and well-being (emphasis on role of greenspace)

•Emphasis on ‘well-connected places’ (connect with each other / access to services)

•Stresses the importance of the Environmental Information Regulations and regenerating most deprived communities (Environmental Justice)

•Defines the role of public sector in sustainable procurement

www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2005/12/1493902/39032

Climate Change

The warmed surface of the earth emits infrared (heat) energy. Some some of this energy is absorbed by greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. When this energy is released it further warms the earth’s surface and lower atmosphere.

Solar (ultraviolet) radiation passes through the atmosphere and some is reflected by the earth and the atmosphere (e.g from clouds, icecaps). However most of the radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s surface and warms it.

Sun

Earth

The Greenhouse Effect

• Without the greenhouse effect Earth would be 30 degrees C colder

• As greenhouse gasses exceed their natural levels changes in climate could affect our quality of life

• Key greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and a number of synthetic compounds such as halocarbons

• Carbon dioxide levels are at their highest level for 650,000 years (378ppm) and predicted to rise to over 650 ppm by 2100. Amazon dieback is predicted at 550 ppm.

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Climate Change Scenarios

Increase in global temperature 2080s

Low = halving in CO2 by 2100

High = quadrupling atmospheric CO2

CO2 lifespan = 100 years in atmosphere

What will happen to Scotland?• Even with low emissions average temperatures

across the UK are expected to rise by 2 Celsius by 2080

• Winter rainfall is expected to increase by between 10 and 35 percent, and ‘rain intensity’ will increase too, leading to flooding

• ‘Storminess’ is expected to increase

• Summer rainfall may decrease

• Snowfall in the Scottish Highlands may decrease by up to 60 percent

• Weather related insurance premiums are rising by 2 to 4 percent per year already

What can we do?Mitigate the problem by reducing emissions of

Greenhouse Gases

The UK is committed by the Kyoto Protocol to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent between 2008

and 2012 (depending on the gas)

Adapt to the effects of the climate change we have already caused

The climate change of the next three decades is already determined. We need to reduce risks.

How will Climate Change Affect my Service?

Local Authority Service

Potential impacts of climate change

Mitigation response

Adaptation response

Health and Social Services

Higher risk of skin cancer due to hotter summers

-Reduce paper waste

-Reduce mileage of staff by promoting use of car sharing

-Consider ways to increase awareness of danger to exposure.

-Work with planning to provide more shade in recreational areas

Environmental Health

Higher temperatures increase cases of food poisoning

-produce guidance on energy efficient refrigeration for small businesses

-Increase public awareness of food hygiene.

Greenspace Management

Increase in season of growth of grass verges due to warmer winters

-Consider alternative fuels for vehicles and mowing equipment

-Revise maintenance schedules and ensure resources are available to meet change

Source: UKCIP

Website

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www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/green/index.asp