Aberdeen City Council’s Priorities Environment Management Policy (2001) –Climate Change - carbon emissions –Resource Use –Sustainable Procurement –Waste Management –Biodiversity –Strategic Environmental Assessment –Environmental Awareness & Education

Climate Change Climate Change Action Plan and Carbon Management Plan Target CO2 emission target –10% by 2008 –15% by % reduction in CO2 emission Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group Renewables Connection

Sustainable Procurement Joint Sustainable Purchasing Policy –Timber –Copiers –Food –Fairtrade The Canny Buyer -

Waste Management Waste Strategy - Area Waste Plan Issues of landfill vs energy from waste Landfill fines from EU will begin - £150 tonne Target - 40% recycling by 2011 Current recycling rate 20% - domestic Strategic Waste Fund (£25m - 20 yrs)

Biodiversity Legislation –Nature Conservation Act 2004 –Access Legislation - Core Paths –Local Biodiversity Action Plans Parks and Greenspaces management –Aberdeen City Countryside Rangers Partnerships –Volunteers and Aberdeen Countryside Project –East Grampian Coastal Partnership

Awareness Raising Leaflets - climate change, health, trails, biodiversity, fairtrade, etc Environmental Forum EcoCity –Highland Games –Award Scheme –Spring Clean Ups - Your City - Your Environment

Strategic Environment Assessment Statutory Requirement for all new policies and programmes in Scotland Similar to Environment Impact Assessment Assesses 8 Environment indicators AirBiodiversity Water Soil Cultural heritage Material Assets Landscape & Cultural Heritage Process requires SNH, Historic Scotland SEPA consultation and approval

Ecological Footprint North East project was a three year pilot to develop global footprint as a tool for policy making Scotland Global Footprint Project Objectives Measure the North East’s Footprint Develop a footprint software tool Develop strategies and projects to reduce footprint

What is Ecological Footprint? Calculates the area of land and sea needed to: –Support how much resources we use. –Absorb how much waste we produce. Measured in global hectares per person (gha/person).

Ecological Footprint vs Carbon Footprint Carbon footprint measure direct carbon emissions –CO 2 tonnes/per person

North East Scotland’s Footprint

Currently all Earth resources can provide 1.9 gha/person North East Scotland global footprint is: –Aberdeen City 5.80 gha/person –Findhorn, Moray2.60 gha/person –Scotland 5.37 gha/person What does this mean?

What contributes to our Footprint? Energy Use (23%) –Energy Use –Gas, Oil, Electricity Transport (14 %) –Cost of Fuel –Private Car Use –Transport Services Food and Drink (20 %) –Consumption –Food miles

How Aberdeen City will use Ecological Footprint Environmental Baseline Measure of Sustainable Development –Links with Best Value Policy decision tool –Increased knowledge and choices Environment awareness tool –Links individual consumer behaviour to the environment

Useful References Carson, Rachel, Silent Spring, Penguin (1962) WCED, Our Common Future, Oxford, (1987) The Real World Coalition - From here to Sustainability, Earthscan (2001),