Transcript Community Sustainability

MEASURING PROGRESS:
Beyond GDP to New Measures of Wellbeing
and Progress
A presentation for the Nova Scotia Planning
Directors Association
May 17, Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax
What kind of world are we
leaving our children...?
... In experience and
language of ordinary people
More possessions, longer lives, BUT
• Higher stress rates, obesity, childhood asthma,
environmental illness
• Insecurity - safety, livelihood
• Decline of volunteerism
• Greater inequality; child poverty
• Natural resource depletion, species loss
• Global warming
“The more the economy grows, the
better off we are” - Sending the
wrong message?
The Big Myth of Economic Growth
 Resource depletion as economic gain =
a poorer world for our children
 More consumption, energy use,
greenhouse gas emissions, make
economy grow, but are we better off
 Crime, sickness, pollution, make
economy grow —just because money is
being spent.
Current measures of progress
send the wrong messages
 GDP can grow even as poverty and
inequality increase
 More work hours make economy grow;
free time has no value – affects health
(stress)
 GDP ignores work that contributes directly
to community health (volunteers, work in
home)
Why We Need New
Indicators - Policy Reasons:
 “Economic growth = better off” sends
misleading signals to policy-makers
and local communities
 Vital social, environmental assets
ignored
 Preventive initiatives to conserve and
use resources sustainably, to reduce
poverty, sickness and greenhouse
gas emissions, are blunted and
inadequately funded
Indicators are Powerful
What we measure:
 reflects what we value as a
society;
 determines what makes it onto
the policy agenda;
 influences behaviour
A good set of indicators
can help communities:
 foster common vision and purpose – the
world we leave our children;
 identify strengths and weaknesses;
 change public behaviour;
 hold leaders accountable at election
time
 initiate actions to promote wellbeing
GPI Atlantic was founded to
address that need
• Non-profit, fully independent research
and education organization founded in
1997
• Located Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Web site: www.gpiatlantic.org
• New Canadian Index of Wellbeing
• Working with Bhutan, New Zealand
Measuring Wellbeing: In the GPI . .
 Health, free time, unpaid work (voluntary and
household), and education have value
 Sickness, crime, disasters, pollution are costs
 Natural resources (e.g. forests) are capital assets
 Reductions in greenhouse gas, crime, poverty,
ecological footprint are progress
 Growing equity signals progress
Natural
environment
Society
Economy
Values, elements of wellbeing
• Health
• Security
• Knowledge
• Community
• Freedom
• Ecological integrity
• Equity
Towards Full Cost Accounting
Basic Principles and challenges:
• Expanded definition of capital: Natural,
human, social, cultural, produced capital, but
no common metric for measurement
• External -> internal benefits and costs
• Price non-market benefits and costs
• Fixed -> variable costs
Strengths: Enhances market efficiency,
reduces needs for govt. regulation, provides
more accurate, comprehensive information
The Genuine Progress Index Components
Time Use
• Economic Value of Unpaid Childcare and
Housework
• Economic Value of Civic and Voluntary
Work
• Value of Leisure Time
• Working Time and Employment
Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index: Components
Natural Capital
• Soils and Agriculture
• Forests
• Marine Environment/Fisheries
• Water Resources / Water Quality
• Energy
• Air Quality
Human Impact on the
Environment
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Sustainable Transportation
• Ecological Footprint Analysis
• Solid Waste
Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index: Components
Living Standards
• Income Distribution
• Debt and Assets
• Economic Security
Social Capital
• Population Health
• Educational Attainment
• Costs of Crime
GPI Transportation Accounts
• true cost of road transportation in Nova
Scotia is > $6.4 billion annually
• average Nova Scotian spends about
$3,036 a year directly and $4,562
indirectly
• 20 key indicators of sustainable
transportation: 13 pointing in wrong
direction
• Sprawl vs. smart growth
A few transportation trends . . .
Transport Patterns
Motorized
mobility
Per capita annual vehicle kilometres

Transport mode
split
Portion of passenger travel by automobile

Environmental Indicators
Energy
efficiency
Per capita transportation energy consumption

Air pollution
Per capita transportation air pollution emissions
(based on index)

GHG emissions
Transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions

Land
consumption
Total amount of land paved for transportation
facilities

A few transportation trends . . .
Social Indicators
Commute
mode split
Percentage of commuters who walk, bicycle, or
use public transit

Commuter
distance
Average commuting distance

Transit
accessibility
Percentage of population who live within 500 m
of transit station

Transportation Transport injuries and fatalities by mode
accidents

Economic Indicators
Government
expenditures
Portion of government expenditures for transit

Household
expenditures
Percentage of household transportation
spending devoted to public transit

What does this mean for
planning?
• Need to plan with these indicators in mind
• Land use planning is key
• Initiatives like transportation demand
management, parking management and
pricing, HOV lanes, improvement of active
transportation options, etc. become more
appealing and viable
Goal: Changing Behaviour E.g. %
Waste Diversion in Nova Scotia
60
% Diversion
50
40
30
20
10
0
1989 1990 1991
1992 1993 1994
1995
1996 1997
1998
1999 2000
Can it be done?...1900s/1980s...
Community GPI
• Strongest interest in GPI has been from local
communities looking for ways to accurately assess
their well-being
• Community GPI surveys were completed in Kings
County and Glace Bay in 2000
• Data is now available for research and use
• Ongoing work by non-profit societies in each
community
• Future project: to bring community GPI to other
communities
The Atlantic Canada
Sustainability Initiative
The Atlantic Canada Sustainability Initiative (ACSI) is
intended to build capacity and commitment among a
diverse group of Atlantic organizations who will advance
sustainable development within our own organizations
and the Atlantic Region as a whole using the Natural
Step Framework as a guide.
ReThinking Development: Local Pathways to
Global Wellbeing
The Second International Conference on Gross National
Happiness
St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS
June 20 – 24, 2005
http://www.gpiatlantic.org/conference/conference.shtml
ReThinking Development: Local Pathways to
Global Wellbeing
• Over 450 delegates, including non-government,
business, labour, academic, and youth leaders, from
33 countries
• Examined successful initiatives world-wide that
integrate sustainable and equitable economic
development with environmental conservation, social
and cultural cohesion, and good governance
• Presenters included leading experts such as Marilyn
Waring, Ray Anderson, Allan Savory, Ela Bhatt, John
Ralston Saul, and many, many more!
Building Sustainable Development:
Transforming Atlantic Canada into a model of
socially and environmentally responsible
development
Oak Island, NS
November 18-19, 2005
http://www.gpiatlantic.org/conference/followup.htm
Building Sustainable Development
• 84 participants from government, business, nongovernmental organizations, academic community,
youth leaders and interested individuals
• Focus on action in Atlantic Canada
• Large group discussion and brainstorm
• Small groups concentrating on individual issues
ACSI - Objectives
• build capacity and competence within their organization to become better
leaders in sustainable development
• implement a plan of action that advances sustainability within their
organization through concrete actions
• serve as role models by sharing their own organization’s successes and
lessons with respect to sustainability
• build an effective network that collaborates and supports progress
towards sustainability
• build regional momentum towards sustainability by engaging citizens,
organizations and governments within the Atlantic Region
• identify and act on opportunities collaboratively to help move the region
towards sustainability
ACSI – Sustainability Partners
Antigonish Sustainable Development Project (Town and
County)
Atlantic Institute for Sustainability
Bathurst Sustainable Development
Bell Aliant
Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax Shambhala Centre
iNova Credit Union
Jacques Whitford Ltd.
Just Us Coffee Roasters
P’lovers, the Environmental Store
City of Saint John
Saint Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association
Town of Stratford
Town of Wolfville
University of Prince Edward Island
Thank You!
Comments? Questions?
Clare Levin, Managing Director, Genuine
Progress Index (GPI) Atlantic,
[email protected], 902-489-2524
www.gpiatlantic.org