Alaya Boisvert Sarah Cheevers Erin Romanchuk Karen Stroebel

1. Alaya Boisvert Sarah Cheevers Erin Romanchuk Karen Stroebel Measuring Success:Indicators for Strategic Approaches to Sustainable Community Planning September 30, 2008 CSIN Learning Event

2. Agenda • Why Indicators ? • Introduction to the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development • Indicators research design & results • How our research relates to you and your work • Questions & Discussion

3. Why Indicators? We measure what we care about and we care about what we measure. D. Meadows

4. The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) 1. A decision making framework rooted in scientific consensus. 2. A process to help organizations and communities to plan towards sustainability.

5. Backcasting

6. Backcasting Sustainability Principles time

7. Our current situation: a metaphor life supporting resources declining consumption of life supporting resources increasing

8. The Debate on Details

9. SystemsPerspective Human beings in Society in the Biosphere on the Earth

10. … uses a Systems Perspective by observing Natural Cycles … observes natural cycles

11. … uses a Systems Perspective by observing Natural Cycles … observes natural cycles

12. … uses a Systems Perspective by observing Natural Cycles Open System with respect to energy … observes natural cycles Closed System with respect to matter 1) Nothing disappears “Photosynthesis pays the bills” 2) Everything disperses

13. … uses a Systems Perspective by observing Natural Cycles Open System with respect to energy Slow geological cycles - materials from the Earth’s crust … observes natural cycles Closed System with respect to matter 1) Nothing disappears “Photosynthesis pays the bills” 2) Everything disperses Sustainability is about the ability of these cycles to run forever.

14. … observes natural cycles

15. … and how we influence Natural Cycles

16. … and how we influence Natural Cycles

17. … and how we influence Natural Cycles 1 Relatively large flows of materials from the Earth’s crust

18. 1 Relatively large flows of materials from the Earth’s crust … and how we influence Natural Cycles 2 Introduce persistent compounds foreign to nature

19. 1 Relatively large flows of materials from the Earth’s crust … and how we influence Natural Cycles 3 Physically inhibit ability of nature to run cycles 2 Introduce persistent compounds foreign to nature

20. 3 Physically inhibit ability of nature to run cycles 1 Relatively large flows of materials from the Earth’s crust … and how we influence Natural Cycles 4 Barriers to people meeting their basic needs worldwide 2 Introduce persistent compounds foreign to nature

21. Sustainability Principles In a Sustainable Society, we will reduce and eliminate our contribution to the systematic: 4) …undermining of people’s capacity to meet their needs. 4

22. Sustainability Principles In a Sustainable Society, we will reduce and eliminate our contribution to the systematic: 4) …undermining of people’s capacity to meet their needs. 3) …increase in physical degradation of nature. 3 4

23. Sustainability Principles In a Sustainable Society, we will reduce and eliminate our contribution to the systematic: 4) …undermining people’s capacity to meet their needs. 3) …increase in physical degradation of nature. 2) …increase of synthetic substances created by society 3 4 2

24. Sustainability Principles In a Sustainable Society, we will reduce and eliminate our contribution to the systematic: 4) …undermining of people’s capacity to meet their needs. 3) …increase in physical degradation of nature. 2) …increase of synthetic substances created by society 1) …increase of substances from the earth’s crust 3 4 1 2

25. Backcasting A method in which the future desired state is envisioned and steps are then defined toattain that state.

26. Sustainability Principles “ABCD” Right direction? Flexible Platform? Return on investment?