The WWF Local Authority Footprint project was awarded £99,000 over three years, 2003-06, with further grant of £31,000 for the addition in 2003-04 of an Ecological Footprint education project and software package. The project, which was part funded through the Sustainable Action Grant, was a partnership between WWF Scotland, North Lanarkshire, and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils jointly, to measure the footprint of each local authority area and identify the best policies and practices to reduce local and global environmental impact.
The ecological footprint answers the simple question: "How much nature are we using compared with what is available?" The ecological footprint is an aggregated indicator of natural resource consumption (energy and materials). It expresses the land area that is required for food, to provide resources, produce energy, assimilate waste and reabsorb CO2 - in other words, what we use to support our lifestyle - and expresses this as the area of land (the footprint) per person.
The project - titled Scotland's Global Footprint project by WWF - explored examples of sustainable living and working and different policy options for each area. What will achieve the greatest footprint reduction - an increase in recycling rates, or improved energy efficiency? The education resources and software will allow schoolchildren to measure the footprint of their school. This complements the Eco Schools Programme - the schools materials and software, alongside teacher training provided by Eco Schools, will be made available to all schools in Scotland.
The Stockholm Environment Institute, York, provided technical support for the project. The software tool, Resource and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP), was adapted for Scottish local authorities by the Institute, and will allow them to measure the ecological footprint of their areas and use the analysis to inform decisions on issues such as planning, purchasing, transport, waste, energy, food.
The project held a series of events and presentations to share lessons and experience with the footprint. The local authority partners completed the data analysis, measured the footprint of the area and held a series of workshops to developed scenarios ("what if?") for policy-making. The scenarios will be used to inform polices and measure performance on best value and community planning. The footprint will also be used to inform Strategic Environmental Assessments.
Project action in the period October 2005 to early 2006 included the following.
- At the Sustainable Scotland Network conference in November 2005, there was a "pre-launch" of local authority area results, workshop presentations, and expression of interest in footprint by council representatives.
- An interactive footprint shopper exhibit engaged audiences at the SSN conference, three political party conferences, an Eco-Congregation workshop and Aberdeen City Environment Day.
- A Schools Global Footprint insert was distributed to Eco Schools throughout Scotland.
- Footprint results for local authority areas were promoted to local authority chief executives, to Shetland Islands Council and on the project website.
- Updated information was presented to members and officers in Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Councils, where there were intentions to link footprint reduction targets to Community and Strategic Plans.
- In North Lanarkshire footprint was included in a state of the environment report commissioned as a baseline for a local plan strategic environmental assessment.
- There was a mid-term evaluation of the project which resulted in a revised set of objectives and a better focus for end of project results.
- The steering group decided to develop a strategy to ensure achievements are sustained with a future continuation of footprint work.
The project produced the following resources to raise awareness: lifestyle tips on the website, a fold-out footprint quiz, and the Footprint Shopping Experience exhibit. The quiz proved very popular, particularly with the Eco-Congregation Programme.
In January 2006 ecological footprint results for all local authority areas in the UK were to be made available from the Stockholm Environment Institute via the Ecological Budget UK website ( www.ecologicalbudget.org.uk), with local authorities able to download the free results and supporting materials, and register interest in taking forward the REAP software. In spring 2006 the three local authorities involved in the project were to publish their footprint reduction plans. A special event was planned for interested local authorities in spring 2006, followed by a scenarios workshop in autumn 2006.
To find out further information on the project, go to www.scotlandsfootprint.org.
Contact
Elizabeth Leighton, Senior Policy Officer, WWF Scotland, Little Dunkeld, Dunkeld, Perthshire PH8 0AD
Tel: 01350 728200
Email: scotenquiries@wwfscotland.org.uk
www.wwf.org.uk/scotland