Community Capital A Sustainable Approach to Community Development Mark Roseland SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development – “Remaking the Economy” Forum March 7, 2009

SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development Mission: to enable the sustainable development of communities in BC, Canada, and around the world Research, education, and community mobilization Academic, professional, and outreach programs

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Local Sustainability Examples Oslo, Norway - transit pass for downtown drivers Vancouver - climate action plan Minneapolis - restrictions on packaging California - water retrofit requirements San Luis Obispo - stream daylighting Zutphen, Holland - “disassembly” line

Peak Oil

A Model Sustainable Community

Sustainability Framework, Victoria, BC

Some Big Questions Can the paradigms (thinking), systems, and the institutions that created these problems also be expected to solve them? Can we remake our economy to provide the good things we need from economic development (jobs, income, wealth, security) without destroying our communities and the life-support systems upon which we depend? Where can we look for models and examples that help demonstrate a sustainable economy?

The Development Significance of Sustainable Development SD represents a “historic compromise” between the ideology of capitalism and its environmental critique SD is coming of age

Sustainable Development does NOT simply mean Environmental protection Economic growth (presumably to pay for, among other things, environmental protection)

Three Core Elements of Sustainable Development Environmental considerations must be entrenched in economic decisions and policy-making. An inescapable commitment to social equity. “Development” does not simply equal “growth.”

Sustainable Development means … doing development differently

Four Key Ideas Sustainable development becomes tangible when understood in terms of natural capital and natural income Natural capital and social equity demand that the world’s wealthier people (e.g. most North Americans) find ways of living more lightly on the planet

Reducing materials and energy consumption can enhance quality of life and the public domain, e.g., multiply social capital Critical resources for multiplying social capital are not (only) money, but trust, imagination, courage, commitment, relationships, and time

What is Sustainable Community Development? SCD is sustainable development applied at the local level. SCD means thinking globally and acting locally: it’s “glocal.” SCD aims to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives in community development.

SCD considers economic factors and other community elements such as housing, education, the natural environment, health, accessibility and the arts emerging as a compelling alternative; a participatory, holistic and inclusive process

SCD leads to positive, concrete changes in communities by creating employment, reducing poverty, restoring the health of the natural environment, stabilizing local economies, and increasing community control

Community Capital Strengthening community capital for sustainable community development means focusing attention on six forms of capital…

Community Capital A Framework for Sustainable Community Development

Natural Capital Minimizing the consumption of essential natural capital, e.g.:  living within ecological limits, resource conservation and enhancement, cleaner production, less waste

Physical Capital Improving physical capital, e.g.:  community assets such as facilities, water, transportation, housing, infrastructure, telecommunications

Economic Capital Strengthening economic capital, e.g.:  Making more with less, maximizing use of existing resources, circulating the money, making something new, trading fairly, community financial institutions

Human Capital Increasing Human Capital, e.g.:  health, education, nutrition, literacy, and family and community cohesion

Social Capital Multiplying Social Capital, e.g.:  local governance, strong organizations, capacity-building, participatory planning, access to information, collaboration and partnerships

Cultural Capital Enhancing Cultural Capital, e.g.:  traditions and values, heritage and place, the arts, diversity, and social history

A Framework for Sustainable Community Development Sustainable development requires mobilizing citizens and their governments to strengthen all forms of community capital. Community mobilization is necessary to coordinate, balance and catalyse community capital.

Community Capital A Framework for Sustainable Community Development Sustainable community development seeks to mobilize community to strengthen all these forms of community capital.

Back to those Big Questions Can the paradigms (thinking), systems, and the institutions that created these problems also be expected to solve them? Can we remake our economy to provide the good things we need from economic development (jobs, income, wealth, security) without destroying our communities and the life-support systems upon which we depend? Where can we look for models and examples that help demonstrate a sustainable economy?