Ecological Footprint in Calgary

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Ecological Footprint in Calgary

• Transportation decisions travel behaviour

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Overview

• Ecological Footprint - what is it?
• Calgarys Ecological Footprint a call to action
• Short long term objectives to address
  transportation issues
• Partnerships, the key to success

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Ecological Footprint

• Footprint is a measure of peoples demand on
  nature. It compares the amount of resources we
  consume with natures ability to provide
  resources and absorb waste. It is not a measure
  of the physical size of the municipality.

It is about a balance of supply and demand.
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Ecological Footprint - Methodology

• International standard for calculation and
  guidelines for communication
• Utilizes international and national statistical
  information
• Assumptions and allocations are explicit and
  entail a conservative bias.
• Includes life cycle consumption (creation use -
  disposal)
• Puts consumption in a land area context

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Ecological Footprint - Limitations

• Not a precise measure of ecological
  sustainability.
• Footprint underestimates the impact of human
  activities on the biosphere
• Limitations at the sub national level due to
  availability of statistical information
• Best to augment footprint with local indicators

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Ecological Footprint - Overshoot
2008 Earth Overshoot Day September 23
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Ecological Footprint of Nations
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Index of Well Being
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Calgarys Footprint A call to action
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
Ecological Footprint Report 2005. Calgary has the
largest Ecological Footprint per capita of any
Canadian city at 9.96 gha
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Calgarys Footprint A call to action
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Calgarys Footprint Mobility Facts

• Motor fuel consumption has increased by 14 from
  2000-07
• 1,038 vehicles per 1,000 licensed drivers.
• 4,716 kilometers of road 15 increase 2000-07
• 57 of the population spend more than 60 minutes
  on round trip commutes

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Calgarys Footprint - Mobility Facts

• Model split (AM) Downtown
• Auto drivers 1996 50 2006 36
• Auto passengers 1996 11 2006 8
• Transit - 1996 33 2006 45
• Walk - 1996 5 2006 8
• Bike - 1996 1 2006 2

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• 18,000 Calgarians engaged
• Developed community vision for Calgary
• Long range targets
• Reduce Calgarys per capita Ecological Footprint
• Mobility targets

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• Transit oriented development
• Smart Planning Principles Compact and walkable
  communities with higher population densities.
• Energy conservation
• Support green building
• Transportation Demand Management Strategy and
  Master Plan

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Transit oriented development
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Ecological Footprint Project informing- slow
things first
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Informing - MINI-FOOTPRINT Ride the Wind --
Calgarys Wind Powered C Train

• The communitys total Ecological Footprint is
  reduced by 6,329 global hectares per year by
  using wind produced energy.
• This land area is similar to preserving a
  forested area 6.5 times the size of Nose Hill
  Park every year.
• Wind power for the C Train results in the
  reduction of 23,382 tons of CO2 emissions per
  year.

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Ecological Footprint Project Community
Connections

• Major community wide events
• Footprint for cities conference 2007
• Footprint community launch 2008
• Porchlight Project 2008
• Engagement with groups Community Business
• Interactive website
• Calculate your personal footprint
• Database of community activities and actions

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Personal Footprint Calculator
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Personal Footprint Calculator
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Personal Action
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Partnerships

• Calgary Board of Education University of
  Calgary
• Natural Resources Canada, ENMAX, ATCO Gas
  Sustainable Calgary
• Calgary Public Library
• Pembina Institute
• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
• Built Green
• FCM, ICLEI, Global Footprint Network, Statistics
  Canada

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Conclusion

• Ecological footprint speaks to much more than
  greenhouse gas reduction.
• Scientifically based with an international
  standard.
• Provides both options to people and priorities
  for planning actions to reduce the footprint.

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Thank You!

• Calgary Ecological Footprint Project
• Web www.calgary.ca\footprint
• Email footprint_at_calgary.ca
• Patrick Inglis, Environmental Specialist
• Phone [phone]
• Global Footprint Network
• www.footprintnetwork.org
• Earth Day Canada ecoAction
• http//calculator.ecoactionteams.ca/welcome.aspx
• ImagineCalgary
• www.imaginecalgary.ca