System Condition 2 Efficient use Inefficient use Dissipative use Persistent and Unnatural Abundant and breakdown easily Tight Technical Cycles Inefficient use Efficient use We cannot emit more waste products than nature can process. Two parts to the problem: a) We are producing substances that are alien to nature b) We are producing substances familiar to nature at a rate faster than it can cope with, leading to accumulation Society produces over 70,000 synthetic chemical compounds commercially, many of them persistent as they cannot easily be metabolized by the biosphere. Examples include DDT, PCBs, CFCs, endocrine disrupters leaching from plastics (gender benders!)

System Condition 3 Inefficient use of resources and land Resources from poorly managed ecosystems Resources from well-managed ecosystems use Efficient use of resources and land We must not systematically undermine the ability of nature to “pay the bills”, as photosynthesis is the only large scale net producer of order on Earth. We must also maintain its productive capacity. Currently we are experiencing worldwide deforestation, soil erosion, increased salinity of soils, infertility of soils, depletion of fisheries, and loss of biodiversity.

System Condition 4 - Unsafe working and living environments In order to be able to achieve the first three system conditions, society must also be sustainable. We must meet human needs worldwide. Inefficiency works like a gas pedal on the other three system conditions Sufficient resources for livelihood Economic barriers Political oppression and violations of human rights Political freedom and respect for human rights

FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEEDS Protection Affection Subsistence Understanding FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEEDS Freedom Participation Identity Idleness Creation

What is Whistler2020? Vision and strategic plan Comprehensive Long-term 2005 - 2020 - 2060 Community-wide Highest level policy Whistler2020: Addresses both the WHAT (vision, priorities) and the HOW (strategies Comprehensive: addressing ALL aspects of community success and sustainability Long-term: taking a 15-year time horizon in the context of achieving sustainability by 2060. One step in the journey. Community-wide: developed and implemented by the entire resort community NOT just a municipal plan Systems and science-based: ONLY plan in north America that uses the science-based TNS framework at all levels of planning and decision making Highest level policy: rewriting OCP

How is it integrated? Our approach (Backcasting from principles) Brief e-learning excerpt (live) Into funnel metaphor Into a backcasting from funnel Introduce the constraints (TNS system conditions) Strengths of this approach Demonstrate the manner by which this central theory is applied Capital budget assessments CEGs, Sustainable purchasing approach etc… SHARED LANGUAGE - IMPORTANCE

Benefits of Principles Shared language, understanding and ownership Useful at all scales and levels, for planning and decision making Proactive and upstream, address root causes, pressures Integration across all elements of community life, business processes Non-prescriptive, measures what’s needed, encouraging creativity and unique visions and solutions www.whistler2020.ca Benefits of backcasting more obvious, but from principles and in particular these principles the benefits are