Cities and Communities: Cultural Indicators at the Local Level November 27, 2006

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Cities and CommunitiesCultural Indicators at
the Local LevelNovember 27, 2006

• Placing culture in the context of sustainability
  indicators

Carissa Wieler Canadian Sustainability Indicators
Network (CSIN), International Institute for
Sustainable Development (IISD)
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What is Sustainable Development?

• Intra- and inter-generational linkages
• Inter-dependence
• Multi-stakeholder perspectives
• Multi-scale effects
• Inherent capacities
• Adaptive learning and management

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• Ultimately, the pursuit of sustainability is a
  local undertaking not only because each community
  is ecologically and culturally unique but also
  because its citizens have specific place-based
  needs and requirements.
• Rhoades, Robert E. (Ed.). (2006). Development
  with identity Community, culture and
  sustainability in the Andes. Oxfordshire, UK
  CABI Publishing.

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• In many ways, community and culture represent
  the fabric of sustainable development.
• Manitobas 2005 Sustainability Report p.54
• http//www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/sustainabilityre
  port/

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Frameworks of Sustainable Development

• 3 Pillars
• Capital based
• Issue-based
• Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response
• Vulnerability and Adaptation
• Ecosystem and Human well-being

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Capital Framework

• physical capital - buildings, structures,
  machinery and equipment, urban land
• natural capital renewable and non-renewable
  natural resources
• human capital return on investment in education
• social capital norms and social relations,
  social cohesion

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Cultural Capital

• Physical capital
• Artworks, buildings, sits, objects with cultural
  significance
• Intellectual capital
• Ideas, practices, beliefs, artworks that exist in
  public domain

Throsby, D. (1995) Culture, Economics and
Sustainability. Journal of Cultural Economics.
19199-205/
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Interdependence of Culture (4th Pillar)

• with environmental, social, economic dimensions
  of sustainable development

Cardinal, Nathan Adin, Emilie (2005, November).
An urban Aboriginal life The 2005 indicators
report on the quality of life of Aboriginal
people in the Greater Vancouver region.
Vancouver, BC Centre for Native Policy and
Research.
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Culture for Future Generations

• Society is the custodian of cultural capital
  that it inherited and will pass it on to future
  generations.

Throsby, D. (1995) Culture, Economics and
Sustainability. Journal of Cultural Economics.
19199-205 p. 203.
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Culture for All (equity)

• Distribution of cultural resources
• Access to cultural participation
• Provision of cultural services for disadvantaged
  groups

Throsby, D. (1995) Culture, Economics and
Sustainability. Journal of Cultural Economics.
19199-205/
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Indicators of Culture

• Manitobas 2005 Sustainability Report
• Community and Culture
• Community Engagement
• Heritage Conservation
• Primary language spoken at home

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Sustainability Indicators for Culture
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Principles for Assessing Sustainable Development

• Bellagio Principles
• Guiding Vision and Goals
• Holistic Perspective
• Adequate Scope
• Practical Focus
• Openness

• Effective Communication
• Broad Participation
• Ongoing Assessment
• Institutional Capacity

http//www.iisd.org/measure/principles/bp.asp
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Criteria for Sustainability Indicators

• Credibility Relevance Legitimacy
• Developed within an accepted conceptual framework
• Clearly defined and easy to understand
• Reasonable data requirements
• Acceptable cost
• Sensitive to change
• Limited in number

Chenje, Pintér and Swanson (Eds) . 2007. Global
Environmental Outlook (GEO) Resource Book ( in
press) UNEP.
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Process Elements for Indicator Development
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Canadian Sustainability Indicators Network (CSIN)

• Canada-wide network that aims to accelerate
  progress toward sustainable development by
  furthering sustainability indicator best
  practices in Canada.
• Secretariat hosted at IISD, with support from
  various public and private agencies.

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Who participates in CSIN?

• over 250 indicator specialists, practitioners and
  inquirers
• municipal, provincial, federal
• academia, NGO, consultants
• environment, health, agriculture, forestry,
  sustainability

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What does CSIN offer?

• exchange information, resources, expertise
• monthly conference calls
• newsletters
• listserv
• gatherings

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Thank you!

• Carissa Wieler
• cwieler_at_iisd.ca
• [phone]