Ecological Footprint results for Local Authorities
Ecological Footprint accounts for each local authority area throughout England, Scotland, and Wales have now been developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute as part of the Ecological Budget UK, a project funded by BIFFAWARD and run by WWF-UK. The results are freely available for every local authority area in the UK via the Ecological Budget UK website. The site also offers background information on ecological footprinting and a downloadable ‘how to’ guide for local authorities.
Background
Local authorities have a responsibility to improve the quality of life of their residents – living well within the means of the world’s resources. The ability of local authorities to address this issue of sustainability has been strengthened in recent years by a range of new powers and responsibilities, such as Community Planning and the Power of Well-Being, which increasingly integrate sustainability into local services.
However, knowing how a local authority can best contribute to sustainable development is not always easy. Our impact on the environment is called a footprint and the more resources we use and waste, the larger our footprint. A smaller footprint can make life better for everyone everywhere. The UK’s footprint is too big. If everyone in the world consumed at the rate we do, we would need three planets to survive. Local government policies and practices can help reduce that impact. Ecological Footprinting is a tool that can help.
The Ecological Footprint is a means of quantifying the environmental impact of a region or community, and identifying how over-consumption can be reduced towards a sustainable level. By measuring consumption, footprint analysis brings sustainable development home to the individual and collective decisions we take.
To find out more about ecological footprinting and how it can be used in your local authority area, visit www.ecologicalbudget.org.uk.
Related Links:
Ecological Footprint
Ecological Footprint - a 'how to' guide for local authorities (1.3 MB)