KISS

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KISSKeeping it Simply Sustainable The
importance of a working set of Sustainability
Indicators for the WA planning system

• Professor John Glasson, Oxford Brookes
  University, UK
• Curtin University, WA
• April 2009

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Also first Fairtrade UniversityLocal food
initiative
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But Perth and WA have so many excellent
sustainability featuresbut also sustainability
problems like other cities
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But how do we assess sustainability performance?

• And shouldnt this be a central feature of
• the WA planning system?

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PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION

• to report on recent research activities, for WA
  DPI, on developing a set of performance
  indicators for a sustainable WA Planning System (
  regional and local)
• to set in context of work in UK for European
  Investment Bank (EIB) on developing a set of
  Social Sustainability Indicators for urban areas
  (JESSICA Project)

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STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION

• Context key drivers
• Indicators of sustainability
• Some comparative practice-brief overview
• 4. Towards a comprehensive QBL approach
• Narrowing down to a land use planning focus
• 6. Implementation/next steps

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1. CONTEXT KEY DRIVERS

• International/national
• Climate change and sustainability
• IGPCC/ Stern/ Garnaut an inconvenient truth,
  but major benefits of strong early action
• Sustainability is a global movement
• . from TBL to QBL (quadruple bottom line)
• importance of a sustainability hierarchy
• importance of assessing performance in relation
  to sustainability issues-indicators and targets
  adaptive management especially for planning
  system

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• Importance of Hierarchy of From TBL
• Synergy Sustainability to QBL

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WA government drivers and responses

• Importance of Outcome Based Management in WA
  Public Sector-2004 guidelines
• highlight importance of performance against
  KPIs, to be
• determined in consultation with key
  stakeholders
• Specific Department /Agency drivers eg
• -DPC (2003) Better Planning Services
• -DPC (2003) State Sustainability Strategy
  
• -DPI (2005/6) Outcome/ Service Structure
• -EPA (2006/2007) State of Environment
  Report
• -Landcorp (2006) Sustainability Report
• Premiers (May 2007) policy document on Making
  Decisions for the Future Climate Change

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Some key reports
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2. INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABILITY

• Indicators need and nature
• An Indicator is something that helps you
  understand where you are, which way you are going
  and how far you are from where you want to be. A
  good indicator alerts you to a problem before it
  gets too bad, and helps you to recognise what
  needs to be done to fix the problem (Hart,
  2000)
• Constraints to date institutional and
  methodological
• traditional (e.g. GDP) or more sustainable
  (e.g. number of green jobs) simple (eg. Air
  quality) or more complex (e.g. Environmental
  Footprint Index of Economic Welfare)?
• need to compromise in choice of effective
  indicators

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• State Sustainability Strategy, DPC 2003
• With a few exceptions, many integrative
  sustainability indicators have yet to be tested
  with any scientific rigour and, as such, lack the
  robustness to be applicable at the State or
  regional level.
• Until such time that integrative
  sustainability indicators are more fully
  developed, a TBL reporting approach will provide
  a useful indication of WAs progress to
  sustainability.
• Accordingly, the WA Government is looking
  to develop headline sustainability indicators to
  demonstrate WAs progress across the TBL and to
  assist with informing the community.

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Some other characteristics of good Sustainability
Indicators

• be fit for purpose
• avoid indicator overload
• be clear, understandable, reliable and generally
  measurable (what gets measured gets managed)
• reveal direction of performance
• be cascadeable through the WA planning system,
  and aid benchmarking with national/international
  indicator sets
• have scope to adapt

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3 SOME COMPARATIVE PRACTICE

• Ideas from comparative practice
• Key structuring elements
• Scope (eg from narrow Environmental to wide QBL)
• Indicators and Targets
• Spatial basis

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OECD--PSR indicators by environmental issues
(includes sink oriented issues, dealing with
environmental quality and resource-oriented
dealing with quantity of natural resources)
Issue Pressure Indicator State Indicator Response Indicator
Climate change index of greenhouse gas emissions CO2 emissions atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases global mean temperature energy efficiency energy intensity energy mix economic and fiscal instruments

Water resources intensity of use frequency, duration and extent of shortages water prices and user charges for sewage treatment

Source OECD (1996)
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UK/EU

• National headline indicator categories (UK
  Sustainable Development Commission, 2004)
• Economic growth Greenhouse gas emissions
• Investment Air quality
• Employment Road traffic
• River water quality
• Poverty Wildlife
• Education Land use
• Health Waste
• Housing
• Crime

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Examples of objectives, indicators and targets
for SE England (Integrated Regional Framework)
Objective Indicator Target
12 To address the causes of climate change through reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and ensure that the SE is prepared for its impacts a. Emissions of greenhouse gases from energy consumption, transport and land use and waste management. By 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from activities within the region by 60.
19 To increase energy efficiency, and the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources in the region. a. Energy use p.c.b. Installed capacity for energy production from renewable sources. By 2020, install 620MW of renewable energy (5.5 of generation capacity).
21 To sustain economic growth and competitiveness across the region a. GVA p.c. To narrow the gap in GVA p.c. between the best and worst performing parts of the region
Source SEERA (2004)
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Building in the Socio-Economic Dimension on a
Spatial Basis in the UKeg via Index of Multiple
Deprivation (IMD)
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Rotterdam (NL)recent(2008) example of the Social
Index
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Dimensions and Sub-Dimensions of Social Quality
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Presentation of findings (for each of 64 city
districts)
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An alternative display approach for specific areas
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AUSTRALIA

• National Measuring Australias Progress 2005
  (ABS 2005/6) key indicator sets
• health (life expectancy) - natural landscape
• education and training - human environ. (eg
  air
• (non-school qualifications) quality)
• work (unemployment rate) - oceans and
  estuaries - international environ.
  concerns (eg greenhouse gas
  emissions)
• national income
• financial hardship - family, community and
• national wealth social cohesion (eg
• housing voluntary work)
• productivity - crime - democracy,
  governance and citizenship

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NSW State Planning Strategy (2006)

• Includes attempts to provide clear and measurable
• indicators, for example

Priorities Target
Reduced rates of crime Reduce property crime by 15 by 2016
A reliable electricity supply with increased use of renewables Achieve 15 renewable energy consumption by 2020
Cleaner air and progress on greenhouse gas reductions Cut greenhouse emissions by 60 by 2050
Housing affordability Ensure a supply of land and a mix of housing that meets demand

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• WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• Constraints of competing perspectives eg
• from
• complex URS study (2004) for WA SSS (DPC)
• pragmatic narrow focus eg for housing (2005)
  (Landcorp)

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Extract from URS study on Draft headline
Indicators (URS 2004)
Dimensions of sustainability Headline indicator (outcome)
Environmental protection Social advancement Economic prosperity Biodiversity conservation in the States ecosystems Human, social and community well-being Economic health and competitiveness
Social value of environmental protection Economic value of environmental protection Economic value of social advancement Environmental value of social advancement Environmental value of economic prosperity Social value of economic prosperity Social benefits from the environment Resource use efficiency Economic benefits from social activities Environmental benefits from social activities Environmental benefits from social activities Social benefits from economic activity
Index of Sustainable Functionality Trends in natural, social, individual and economic systems
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Landcorp

• WA Land Authority, has been working with builders
  and local authorities to achieve affordable
  sustainable housing with the features of
• Water conservation
• Energy efficiency
• Resource and waste management
• Liveability
• Accessibility, and
• Affordability

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Extract from Landcorp current indicator/project
list
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Network City-some key drivers

• make fuller use of urban land (eg. 60
• of required dwellings in existing urban
  areas)
• nurture the environment
• encourage public over private
• transport
• align transport systems and
• land use to optimise
• accessibility and amenity
• strengthen local sense of place
• develop strategies which deliver
• local jobs
• provide for affordable housing

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WA State of Environment Report (2006/07)

• Human Settlements theme includes
• Settlement patterns
• Transport
• Water use in settlements
• Energy use in settlements
• Waste generation and disposal
• Stresses importance of measuring, monitoring and
• reporting on environmental impacts of WAs
  settlements
• Includes objectives and indicators (mixture of
• Pressure, State and Response)

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4. TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE QBL APPROACH
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possible way forward

• Key Dimensions (QBL) Structured into
  various
• indicator types

Economic prosperity
Supporting indicators
Social advancement
Headline/Core indicators
Environmental sustainability
Sustainable governance
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headline/core indicator set

• Economic prosperity
  Environmental sustainability
• ? economic growth
  climate change and energy use
• ? employment and unemployment air
  quality
• ? economic diversification
  water use
• ? disparities/poverty
  waste management
• ? innovation
  public transport
• 
  land use and abuse
• 
  sustainable building
• Social advancement
• ? crime and safety
  Sustainable governance
• ? health
• ? education and skills
  democratic participation
• ? housing
  community participation
• ? accessibility to services
  international responsibilities
• ? well being

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examples for economic prosperity (to achieve a
sustainable economy
Objective Indicator Target
2 To sustain economic growth and competitiveness GRP or GVA per cap To sustain levels of growth to narrow regional spatial differences in WA by 50 by 2020
5 To reduce income disparities ? ?
Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators (eg) local jobs Growth in green jobs Increase in Aboriginal employment Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators (eg) local jobs Growth in green jobs Increase in Aboriginal employment Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators (eg) local jobs Growth in green jobs Increase in Aboriginal employment Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators (eg) local jobs Growth in green jobs Increase in Aboriginal employment
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examples for social advancement (achieve a
strong, healthy and just society)
Objective Indicator Target
7 To reduce crime and improve safety Trends in crime rates (eg burglaries per 1000 popn pa) To reduce in line with national targets
8 To improve health and well being ? ?
Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators. Eg. Fear of crime Social Capital Index Access to internet Racial harmony Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators. Eg. Fear of crime Social Capital Index Access to internet Racial harmony Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators. Eg. Fear of crime Social Capital Index Access to internet Racial harmony Supplementary, more sustainable, indicators. Eg. Fear of crime Social Capital Index Access to internet Racial harmony
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examples of environmental sustainability (living
within environmental limits)
Objective Indicator Target
12 To address causes of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions Emission of greenhouse gases from energy consumption, transport etc. energy from renewable sources 12 reduction in stationary energy use by 2006-07 (on 2001-02 base) ?
16 To minimise use of open land for development ? ?
Supplementary more sustainable, indicators (eg) ecological footprint traffic safety slow food of 4 WDs Supplementary more sustainable, indicators (eg) ecological footprint traffic safety slow food of 4 WDs Supplementary more sustainable, indicators (eg) ecological footprint traffic safety slow food of 4 WDs Supplementary more sustainable, indicators (eg) ecological footprint traffic safety slow food of 4 WDs
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examples of sustainable governance (promoting
good governance)
Objective Indicator Target
21 To increase local democratic participation ? ?
22 To increase local community participation volunteering at least 50 hours pa 50 by 2010
Supplementary list eg. Social justice fair go equity index accountability Supplementary list eg. Social justice fair go equity index accountability Supplementary list eg. Social justice fair go equity index accountability Supplementary list eg. Social justice fair go equity index accountability
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5. NARROWING DOWN TO A LAND USE PLANNING
APPROACH

• Categories/themes-Environment
• Driven by WA SoE Human Settlements categories
• Settlements/Transport/Water/Energy/Waste
• Biodiversity/Housing/limited other
  Socio-Economic
• Overarching Climate Change objective and target
• world wide scientific opinion suggests global
  emissions cuts
• of at least 50-60 needed by 2050 (on 2000
  base)
• . WA government target is 60 cut from current
  71 m tonnes
• pa (2007) to 26 m tonnes (2050) and 20
  cut by 2020?
• Sources of specific targets as grounded as
  possible
• Focus on regional and local levels urban-rural
  issues
• Tested in Stakeholder workshops and presentations
  to WAPC

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Theme Settlement Patterns
Objectives Manage urban growth to limit sprawl through increasing efficiency of land uses in urban areas, improving integration of different land uses and transport, and increasing housing densities. Improve accessibility to workplace, services and facilities Indicators area of land used for urban development Hectares of land per cap. in authority area of population living within 10 mins of a major public transp. route (Metro Perth) av/pa.net residential densities of new housing developments of households at set distances from key services Targets 60 of new residential development to be on previously developed land add increase in net residential density of? or increase in proportion of medium high density lots by? add Contextual information Network City and international standard Also National Charter of Integrated Land Use and Transport Planning, 2003 Or proportion of zoned land in Metro Perth that is within 1 km of a major public transport route Average net residential density in Perth Metro is approx 15 per ha. Proportion of medium density lots has increased over time
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Theme Transport
Objectives Improve environmental and cost efficiency impacts and increase travel choice of transport in WA by increasing relative use of public transport and other forms of alternative transport reducing total per unit vehicle kms travelled and reducing use of transport energy and total vehicle emissions Indicators modal split of passenger kms travelled pa (or modal split of trips undertaken pa ??) kms of cycle networks no. of STPs for establishments of over 500 people per day ?? Eg. of public vehicle fleet which is carbon neutral Targets double proportion of total journeys using public transport ,and walking and cycling by 2020 double by 2020 to add 100 by 2015? Contextual information Perth Metro current modal split approx 6 public transport , 11 walking and 2 cycling S. Australia Plan includes same target for 2003-2018 period STPs Sustainable Travel Plans
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Theme Water
Objective To provide a water system to sustain the population, economy and environment of WA, by reduction of pc water use improvement in water use efficiency increase in proportion of wastewater reclaimed for re-use and, maintenance of water quality (eg protect groundwater) Indicator trend in pc domestic water consumption or kilolitres of water used per dwelling pa of waste water reused Target reduce from 155 kilolitres (now) to 120 (2012), and to 75(2020) ? 20 improvement in water efficiencyby when? 20 waste water re-use by 2012 Contextual information was 188 in 2003 has increased from 2.6 in 2000 to 13.6 in 2006 (2012 target is in State Water Plan )
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Theme Energy
Objectives To reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, through increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy reliance on fossil fuels and increasing use of renewable energy Indicators residential energy use pc total GHG generated in total/ by sector Or GHG per ha energy derived from renewable sources no of lots with solar access take-up of schemes (eg no. of schools using solar energy) Targets a clean energy target of 50 by 2010 and 60 by 2020 increase renewable energy generation to 6 by 2010, 15 by 2020 and 20 by 2025 (SW system) ?? 350 by 2010 Contextual information Premiers 2007 Climate Change Action Statement
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Theme Waste
Objectives Facilitating zero waste by 2020 by minimising waste creation (eg from building and construction) allocating land for recycling facilities and co-locating land uses to support efficient waste management Indicators waste disposal rates to landfill, by waste stream (eg of household waste to landfill pa) amount of waste material reused and recycled domestic waste production pc pa Targets zero waste by 2020 considerable scope for major increase in kg pc recycling (eg by 200 by 2015?) Contextual information Between 1999 and 2004 Perth Metro has increased per household recycling from 250kg pa to 400kg pa similarly non-Metro has increased from 100-250 kg. But these amounts are very low compared with other Australia (eg only 25 of ACT and 50 of NSW). See emerging strategy from WA Waste Management Board.
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Theme Biodiversity
Objectives to conserve comprehensive, adequate and representative species and eco-systems Indicators ha of native vegetation cleared pa for various purposes of natural bushland held in POS with high quality bio-diversity (?) no. of threatened species and ecological communities of population living within 400 m of POS gt 5000 sqm Targets needed (EPA) needed (EPA) needed (EPA) ?? Contextual information Nationally the rate of land cleared pa decreased by about 38 between 1993 and 2003, In WA average number of hectares cleared pa between 1998 and 2001 was 500 (in Perth Metro) 20 000 (mining) and 5 000 (agriculture) Partly covered by target on 60 use of brownfield land, under Settlement Structure?
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Theme Housing
Objectives To ensure that all families have an affordable dwelling To provide a sufficiently diversified and flexible housing stock to meet evolving housing needs To improve resource efficiency of new housing developments Indicators ratio of average dwelling prices to average earnings of affordable homes in new developments mix of dwelling type per authority area proportion of new developments meeting new WA 5-star standard Targets To reduce ratio by 25 by 2015 ? To provide 30 affordable homes for new developments by 2010 ?? 100 of new dwellings (and 50 of retrofits? ) to be to 5 star standard by 2010 Contextual information Currently of the order of 101 for Metro Perth As adopted in pressured local authority areas in the UK As set out in Premiers 2007 Action Plan statement (including water efficient systems, provision for grey water recycling etc)
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Theme Other Socio-economic (but was concern that
not direct role of WA land use planning system )
Objectives To reduce crime and improve safety To improve health and well being and reduce health inequalities To minimise environmental health issues associated with location of development To ensure high and stable levels of employment, and to reduce unemployment To reduce income disparities Indicators trends in crime rates (eg. violent crimes, burglaries etc. per 1000 population pa.) life expectancy at birth death rates from particular causes ?? rate of long term unemployment income disparities between top and bottom 20 Targets reduce in line with national targets to reduce property crime by 15 by 2015 (too low?) increase expectancy (esp. for certain SEGs) to reduce in line with national targets to reduce in line with national targets reduce by 20 by 2020 ? Contextual information See NSW State Plan 2006 See ABS Measuring Australias Progress for some national guidance on these indicators Or of working age population in employment
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6.IMPLEMENTATION/ NEXT STEPS

• Refine approach test a working indicators and
  targets set against planning needs (ie check fit
  for purpose)
• Present to WAPC as way forward ( early 2009)
• Pilot/trial at regional and local scales, and in
  urban and rural contexts
• Develop simple guidance package scope for use of
  IT
• Implement set of simple sustainability indicators
  and targets
• Annual and quinquennial monitoring of
  performance
• Adapt and refine (eg widen scope, develop
  understandable composite indicators, such as
  Environmental Footprinting).

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• Themes
• The indicators have been separated into five
  distinct themes that the DPI has some influence
  over
• 1. Settlements the efficiency of land use in
  regards to housing density and travel distance
  from services.
• 2. Transport the different types of
  transportation used in the metropolitan and Peel
  areas.
• 3. Water levels of consumption of potable
  water, the recycling and reuse of wastewater, and
  groundwater levels from extraction aquifers.
• 4. Climate Change and Energy (Stationary) the
  greenhouse gas emissions from traditional mains
  energy use, and the planned increase in renewable
  energy generation capacity.
• 5. Biological Conservation how much land is
  protected as a conservation area for various
  vegetation complexes.

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Indicator S1 of dwellings within catchment(400m
from bus route or 800m from bus / train station)
of a public transport node with a peak AM service
frequency of less than 15 minutes.
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Indicator S3 of new residential development on
previously developed land
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Indicator W2 Percentage of recovery and re-use of
wastewater (2012 target20)
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Some Final ThoughtsKISS?

• Importance of sustainability indicators in our
  drive to a more sustainable future
• Particularly important for the planning system
• Advantages of a QBL approach
• But importance of making some progress
• So, initial narrow-focus DPI steps welcomed
  hopefully to be implemented soon?
• But need to build on these steps

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• Thankyou for your kind attention