Transcript Mayors` EcoChallenge – Overview, Results

Mayors’ EcoChallenge 2009
Nadine Ives
To engage municipal leaders in actions and behaviour
change that will reduce their personal carbon footprints
Leadership by example
Changing community norms
• New Brunswick Lung Association
• Cities of New Brunswick Association
• Department of Environment
• Efficiency New Brunswick
Participants
• Minister of Environment
• Mayors of Bathurst, Campbellton,
Fredericton, Moncton & Saint John
• Several assistants
Program
• Action guide (wide choice of actions), desk sign,
background information
• Set up to be a ‘buddy system’ program
• Website (public and closed version)
• Pre-challenge survey
• Weekly on-line survey tracking actions (from which GHG
emissions reductions were calculated) – for 8 weeks
• Weekly reminders and tips
• Post-challenge survey
Outcome
• Busy people!!!
• Difficulty ‘extracting’ information from
participants – too much reporting needed
• However, a very impressive list of actions from
participants as a group, great outreach
(different story for each participant)
• Post-challenge surveys & interviews very
exciting and useful
• Success – >16 tonne reduction in GHGe’s
Mayors’ EcoChallenge #2
• City councillors & Mayors of smaller municipalities
• 6 week program
• using the new Department of Environment carbon
calculator
• no weekly reporting
• more one-on-one support & communication
• launch date: October 15
A New Brunswick Compendium of Public
Education Programs and Resources
on Climate Change 2009
• To provide quick access to details of public education programs and
resources developed by various stakeholders in the field of climate
change
• To profile resources for public education and show how communities
in NB are reducing GHG emissions, increasing energy efficiency
and promoting a range of actions to mitigate climate change
Objectives
• Compile a bilingual compendium of programs outlining the
challenges faced and methods used by organizations
• Identify the practices used by diverse organizations to engage
people and produce sustainable results (share experiences,
methods, outcomes)
• Publish this as a resource guide and make it available online
• Facilitate communication among organizations with similar goals to
increase program effectiveness and efficiency
Methods
• Dec. 2008 – Jan. 2009, surveyed organizations
• Municipalities, NGOs, community organizations,
industry, other stakeholders
• Phone interviews & online questionnaire – openended and descriptive
• 44 organizations responded, with information on one
or more programs
Key findings
• Diverse group of programs – e.g. Falls Brook Centre’s
Climate Change Bus, anti-idling programs, Fredericton’s
Green Shops, NB Teachers’ Association in-house actions
to minimize paper use
• Most widely used method was advertising (newspapers,
radio, printed media/materials)
• Also common were meetings, presentations, activities for
schools, workshops, etc.
Challenges / Barriers
• Lack of funds (~50% of organizations)
• Lack of adequate human resources and the
associated inability to meet the demands of the
program
• Marketing the programs – lack of interest and
participation (e.g. ‘Share you Ride’ programs)
Effectiveness
• Most programs were perceived to be
effective …..
But
• Many programs did not specifically measure
or monitor effectiveness in order to evaluate
results and sustained behaviour change
(some did)
Recommendations
• Be clear in your objectives
• Measurement / evaluation – need objective quantitative
evaluation, included in project design
• Outreach methods – participatory engagement
• Funding – discuss with potential funders, maintain record of
program management (including evaluation), meet with
community partners, get letters of support, etc. before
submitting application
• Human resources – make sure you have them
• Marketing – how to discuss climate change issues
Thanks to
ETF for financial support
Ms. Prativa Pradhan, UNB
All the survey participants
*We certainly welcome all organizations to participate
in future editions of the Compendium*