Sunderland leading the way as Eco-Budget report sets blueprint for ‘One Planet Economy’ in the North East
Sunderland is at the forefront of developing eco-friendly strategies to protect the environment in the North East, according to a new WWF report looking at the true environmental impacts of UK consumption and production.
The new report, Ecological Budget North East - Counting Consumption , funded by Biffaward as part of their Programme on Sustainable Resource Use , is the first complete set of comprehensive, reliable and current physical resource flow accounts to date. It is a significant step in understanding how the way the economy is managed and the decisions we make every day, directly affects the environment around us.
Within the new report the spotlight falls on Sunderland as an example of a local authority taking the lead in sustainable community development. With a Footprint – an aggregate indicator of environmental impact - of 5.24gha/cap, Sunderland’s earth share comes up below the North East average, which at 5.31gha/cap is in itself the third lowest in the UK.
Roughly translated this is equivalent to six Stadiums of Light style football fields. The results show that if everyone on earth consumed the earths resouces at the same level as the average Sunderland or North East resident we would need just under 3 planets, whilst if everyone on earth consumed the same as the average South East resident then we would need nearly 3.5 planets.
Much of the high level CO2 emissions across the UK are centred on consumption, with Sunderland again performing well against the UK average and that of the North East. Sunderland’s emissions from consumption are seven per cent lower than the North East average and 14 per cent lower than the UK average.
CO2 emissions from transport are 20 per cent lower in Sunderland than the North East, which accounts for more than half the difference between Sunderland and the North East average. Consumption emissions from home and energy are 7 per cent lower than the North East average, while carbon emissions from food – from manufacturing and distribution of food products – are 12 per cent lower than the North East and just above the national average.
The level of resource use overall is clearly unsustainable however and a key question is how can the North East grow and develop in a sustainable way that doesn’t mean they increase their ecological footprints , global impacts and consumption. As a big producer the North East – particularly in terms of generating electricity - can play a vital role in influencing the total emissions produced in the UK.
Paul Mosley , WWF England Footprint Project Manager, said: “Regional decision makers in the North East, Yorkshire and North West must now make the idea of a ‘One Planet Economy’ a reality and ensure that key strategies such as the Northern Way and regional economic strategies take the findings from the report on board.
‘The North has a real opportunity to turn things around and become a world class leader in sustainable development, creating new business and industry opportunities linked to a one planet low carbon economy – we don’t have to follow the unsustainable path lead by the South!”.
Sunderland City Council is itself taking steps to make the One Planet economy vision a reality. Its Sustainable Development strategy is being incorporated into the Community Strategy and the Ecological Footprint is used as an environmental indicator.
Housing and Community renewal also figures high within the Council’s sustainable strategies, with a commitment to increasing community involvement in housing developments – the Lambton Cokeworks housing developments and Hetton sustainable transport projects being good examples of good sustainability practice. Transport in particular is a key example of the Council’s commitment to the Sustainability vision with broad objectives championed in slowing the decline of the take-up of public transport and encouraging cycling and walking ahead of car use.
The Eco-Budget report demonstrates how a ‘One Planet Economy’ will require a 75 per cent reduction in resource flows and the Ecological Footprint – known as a Factor Four reduction. Whilst this is an incredibly challenging target, it is essential for long-term sustainability. This means a year-on-year reduction of 3 per cent in resource flows and the Ecological Footprint, set against an economic growth rate averaging 2.25 per cent per year. This implies ‘decoupling’ economic and material growth at a rate of 5.25 per cent per year reduction - over twice the rate seen in recent years.
The next industrial revolution must be characterised by low carbon, low consumption, resource efficient economies and this evidence base should be part of it. The North East should rise to this new challenge!
Download the report:
Ecological Budget North East report (1.4 MB)
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