| eg magazine
the latest information on climate change and sustainability |
| eg newsletter |
28 September 2009 |
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Anne Finnane
Editor
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| SMART SPP: sustainable procurement |
Running from September 2008 until August 2011, SMART SPP: innovation through sustainable procurement is a three year project designed to promote the introduction of new, innovative low carbon emission technologies and integrated solutions onto the European market. This will be done through encouraging early market engagement between public authority procurers and suppliers and developers of new innovative products and services in the pre-procurement phase of public tendering. SMART SPP is an initiative of the Procura+ Campaign, that is run by ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and designed to help support public authorities across Europe in implementing Sustainable Procurement and help promote their achievements. The second edition of the newsletter, dated September 2009, is now available online.
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| Transport and the environment |
The Transport Research Knowledge Centre (TRKC) has recently published a policy brochure which focuses on transport and its effects on the environment. Its aim is to inform transport policy makers and to assist them in designing transport policies that take better account of the environmental impacts of transport. The environment is broadly defined to include effects of transport on land, air, water and resources. The research issues on environment and transport are grouped into three areas: identifying and measuring the impacts on the environment (pollution levels, noise emissions etc.), technological solutions to environmental problems from transport, and behavioural solutions to environmental problems from transport. Where relevant, solutions cover both mitigation and adaptation.
View PDF
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| Urban planning tools - climate change mitigation |
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Design Centre for Sustainability at the University of British Columbia have been engaged in surveying existing tools that support land use policy and decision making in the context of climate change mitigation and urban planning at local and regional levels. To date, two international workshops have been held in Vancouver, an area at the forefront of mitigation policy for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The meetings brought together many of North America's leaders in tool development, policy implementation, and urban development regulation. Drawing on these meetings, the Lincoln Institute has recently published a paper which reviews the relationship between urban planning and GHG emissions as a key component of climate change. This report provides characteristics of GHG decision support tools, and evaluates the strengths and limitations of a cross section of existing tools using those characteristics. Four case studies illustrate how selected tools are already being used in the urban planning and development process in the United States and Canada. Free registration allows access to this document.
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| Sustainability appraisal guidance |
The Planning Advisory Service has launched guidance on sustainability appraisal, amending earlier government guidance on the sustainability appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents. This guidance provides: an overview of what the European Directive and national legislation mean for the sustainability appraisal; advice on how the sustainability appraisal process should inform the preparation of a development plan document from the outset; explains how the sustainability process relates to the publication and submission of a development plan document; an overview of how the sustainability process relates to the examination stages that follow submission of a development plan document; and presents some challenging questions about your approach and practice with regards to sustainability appraisals.
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| Making low carbon behaviour mainstream |
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The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a report which considers how behaviour that produces fewer emissions can be stimulated among some members of the public. The report argues that a new approach by government, business and campaigners is needed if mainstream consumers and not just the environmentally inclined are to adopt lower-carbon lifestyles. It shows that mainstream consumers would be far more likely to change their behaviourand use less energy on the basis that it would save them money, give them greater control over their energy bills and greater independence from energy companies, rather than on the basis that it would prevent climate change. The IPPD has also published related guidance which provides ten principles for making climate change communications more effective. They have been written following research by IPPR with an influential segment of the group of people who are not changing their habits. This report, Consumer power: A communications guide for mainstreaming lower-carbon behaviour, can be viewed online
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| Public attitudes towards the environment |
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Defra has published the results of a survey, commissioned jointly with the Energy Saving Trust, which provides a representative picture of what people in England think, and how they behave, across a range of issues relevant to the environment, including: knowledge of and attitudes towards the environment; energy and water use in the home; purchasing behaviours; recycling, composting and reusing waste; food and food waste; travel behaviours and attitudes; carbon offsetting; biodiversity and green space; volunteering behaviours; and wellbeing. The results from earlier surveys in 1986, 1989, 1993, 1996-7, 2001 and 2007 are also available.
Visit website
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| Behaviour for wellbeing, environment and life |
BeWEL (Behaviour for Well-being, Environment and Life) is a network of 17 core researchers, led from Aberdeen University and established, through the UIBEN (Understanding Individual Behaviour Exploratory Network) initiative, to explore potential motivators of, and barriers to, individual 'pro-environment' behavioural change ('sustainable behaviours'). In the face of important global and regional environmental problems, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and growing pressure on water and other natural resources, there is an urgent need to better understand factors that may influence the tendency of an individual to undertake desirable, pro-environment, changes in behaviour, such as; increased recycling, reduced waste, electricity and water use, and changes in purchasing behaviours. The focus of BeWEL is on exploring hitherto under-researched potential links between tendency to undertake pro-environment behaviours and the ways in which people interact with nature; how exposure to forms of sensory contact with nature (such as visual images and sounds from nature) affects brain function, other physiological responses and feelings of personal well-being; and age related changes in brain function and how emotional responses operate. Visit website |
| Skills for a changing world |
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In this new book: A Handbook for Sustainable Literacy - skills for a changing world,
leading sustainability educators are joined by literary critics, permaculturalists, ecologists, artists, journalists, engineers, mathematicians and philosophers in a deep reflection on the skills people need to survive and thrive in the challenging conditions of the 21st century. Responding to the threats of climate change, peak oil, resource depletion, economic uncertainty and energy insecurity demands the utmost in creativity, ingenuity and new ways of thinking in order to reinvent both self and society. The book covers a wide range of skills and attributes from technology appraisal to ecological intelligence, and includes active learning exercises to help develop those skills. Published by Green Books in paper and on-line media versions.
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| EPSON call for proposals and applied research |
Researchers, experts and stakeholders in the public and private sector from 31 European countries are invited to become involved in up to 31 new projects on new analyses under the ESPON 2013 Programme. Public authorities are in particular invited to express their interest and ideas on future targeted analyses based on ESPON results tailored to meet their needs. ESPON was set up to support policy development and to build a European scientific community in the field of territorial development. The main aim is to increase the general body of knowledge about territorial structures, trends and policy impacts in an enlarged European Union. The Call for Proposals for Applied Research comprises eleven themes, including: Attractiveness of European regions and cities for residents and visitors; European patterns of land use; Territorial cooperation in transnational areas and across internal/external borders; and Transport accessibility at regional/local scale and patterns in Europe. The deadline for submitting proposals and express interest related to these calls is 11 November 2009.
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| European funding workshops |
"European Funding and the Climate Change Agenda"
Global to Local workshops in London, Manchester, Cambridge, Bristol, Leeds & Edinburgh.
These one-day workshops will provide the opportunity to do some focussed preparation for the next set of opportunities for European funding which will be coming up throughout 2010. Find out how your authority or organisation could benefit.
The workshops are for Public sector organisations and representatives from local strategic partnerships. It will be of particular interest to officers dealing with: Climate Change, Environmental issues, Energy management, Transport, SMEs and Civil Protection
We welcome delegates from all EU countries.
Actions to counter and mitigate climate change are at the heart of the European Union's priorities. The European Commission makes money available to support local and regional initiatives that have a significant European dimension.
View PDF document with more information about the workshops
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