Linking SCP Policy to Local Action

1
Linking SCP Policy to Local Action

• How does local action link to, learn from and
  inform policy work?
• Chris Church
• Co-Chair ANPED
• Director, CEA

2
Sustainable Consumption and Production why is
this an issue?

• The need to focus on Sustainable Consumption and
  Production has been with us for nearly 20 years.
• The Agenda 21 document from the 1992 UN Earth
  Summit stresses that this is an issue for all
  unsustainable consumption and production is the
  major cause of continuing global environmental
  deterioration, especially in richer high
  consuming nations

3
So what do we mean by this term?

• Sustainable Production and Consumption (SPAC) is
  the use of goods and services that respond to
  basic needs and bring a better quality of life,
  while minimizing the use of natural resources,
  toxic materials and emissions of waste and
  pollutants over the life cycle, so as not to
  jeopardize the needs of future generations.Sympos
  ium Sustainable Consumption. Oslo, Norway 19-20
  January 1994.

4
Or..

• "Sustainable production and consumption involves
  business, government, communities and households
  contributing to environmental quality through the
  efficient production and use of natural
  resources, the minimization of wastes, and the
  optimization of products and services." Edwin G.
  Falkman, WBCSD
• OR"Use Less"
• OR
• "Treating the world as if you intended to stay

5
SPAC and SCP?

• At the start of this work it was common to refers
  to Sustainable Production and Consumption (SPAC)
  putting the emphasis on the need to change
  production and producers
• UNEP and the EU have more recently focused on
  Sustainable Consumption and Production, SCP,
  There is more of a focus on market-oriented work
  and the role of consumers
• Some feel that this shift has not been a good
  idea.
• What do you think?

6
Strong and Weak sustainable consumption

• Two approaches to Sustainable Consumption1
  Choosing products and services that either are
  less resource consuming, or less burdening for
  the environment, or less destructive for those
  people actually producing them (fair trade
  aspects). Weak Sustainable Consumption.2. Reduc
  e levels of consumption. Problematic biut this
  will be necessary to avoid serious problems for
  the Earth and its inhabitants. Strong
  Sustainable Consumption.Sylvia Lorek

7
The Policy Framework globally.

• The main international political process on SPAC
  the Marrakech process. The Marrakech Process
  refers to the activities and procedures involved
  in giving  effect to the "10 year framework of
  programmes on sustainable consumption and
  production", that was begun at the International
  Expert Meeting on Sustainable Consumption and
  Production held in Marrakech, Morocco in June
  2003. The meeting report held The Marrakech
  Process on sustainable consumption and
  production, in which a number of priorities were
  identified, is a basic step towards the
  development of a 10-year framework of programmes,
  which needs to be further encouraged and promoted
  in order to ensure effective support to national
  and regional initiatives to accelerate the shift
  towards sustainable consumption and production to
  promote social and economic development within
  the carrying capacity of the ecosystems.The
  Marrakech Process currently consists of
  international and regional "expert" meetings on
  sustainable consumption and production being held
  throughout the world. The aim of these meetings
  appears to be to create regional strategies and
  provide expertise that countries can draw upon
  when formulating national plans on sustainable
  consumption and production.

8
The national framework

• The mandate to create a 10 year framework of
  programmes was given at the World Summit on
  Sustainable Development (WSSD). Paragraph 15 of
  the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation holds
  that the States must"Encourage and promote the
  development of a 10-year framework of programmes
  in support of regional and national initiatives
  to accelerate the shift towards sustainable
  consumption and production to accelerate social
  and economic development within the carrying
  capacity of ecosystems by addressing, and where
  appropriate, delinking economic growth and
  environmental degradation through improving
  efficiency and sustainability in use of resources
  and production processes and reducing resource
  degradation, pollution and waste." (Chapter III
  of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation)
  Sustainable production and consumption is one of
  the crosscutting issues of the agenda of the
  Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) .
  Furthermore, the CSD will consider the 10-Year
  framework of programmes on sustainable production
  and consumption as one of the themes in the
  2010/2011 cycle of its multiyear programme of
  work. http//www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sdissues/consu
  mption/Marrakech/conprod10Y.htm

9
Delivering change

• Whether NGOs initiate changes in production
  processes, resource consumption or household
  consumption, they need effective actions
  appropriate concepts and tools. The following
  are essential instruments to achieve sustainable
  consumption and productionEcological fiscal
  reformClean and eco-effective production
  Corporate responsibility and accountability
  Education for sustainable consumption and
  production Information and public participation
  for sustainable consumption and production

10
Coherence within diversity

• Working towards sustainable production requires
  not only promoting innovation and efficiency but
  also holding producers as well as polluters
  accountable for their actions.
• Activity towards sustainable resource consumption
  requires lobbying for fiscal reform and policy
  recommendations for eco-effective production. In
  both cases consumers should be informed but
  changes have to come from governments and
  business.
• Influencing household consumption requires
  information and education, as well as
  alternatives, promotion of behavioural changes,
  and institutional changes for right incentives.
• These approaches and possibilities to pursue
  sustainable production and consumption patterns
  call for of NGO activities.

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In summary - Four key messages

• Unsustainable production and consumption is the
  major cause of environmental and social
  degradation
• SCP is one of the three overarching objectives of
  Sustainable Development (It is part of the
  definition of sustainable development).
• SCP is not about reducing peoples standard of
  living, but improving everyones quality of life
• SCP provides a framework of solutions for todays
  major global problems

12
Before we start

• The challenge from Copenhagen
• ( the International Scientific Congress on
  Climate Change Global Risks, Challenges
  Decisions
• A few key phrases
• Recent observations confirm that the worst-case
  IPCC scenario trajectories (or even worse) are
  being realised.
• Societies are highly vulnerable to even modest
  levels of climate change, with poor nations and
  communities particularly at risk.
• We already have tools and approaches to deal
  effectively with the climate change challenge.
• A wide range of benefits will flow from a
  concerted effort to alter our energy economy now.
• There is no excuse for inaction.

13
Promoting sustainable living through the housing
sector.

• The key issues
• Homes as buildings
• Homes as places where things happen
• The places where these homes are
• The key audiences
• People who live in homes
• People who own / manage groups of homes
• People who design / build
• It will be important to lead by example
  transformation is needed across the housing sector

14
The UK position

• 26 million homes which emitted 41.7 million
  tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2) in 2004, about
  28 of our CO2e emissions
• The challenge is an 80 cut by 2050 (although
  this may not be enough)
• How do we decarbonise housing?

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1. Homes as buildings

• Two thirds of the homes likely to exist in 2050
  already do
• New buildings are usually much more efficient
  than old.
• The greatest savings will come from retro-fitting
• Some agencies support increased replacement
  (demolition) of the oldest homes at a rate
  similar to that seen in the 1970s

16
The role of Regulation

• Improved legal standards are having an impact.
• A new home is likely to be 40 more energy
  efficient than one built just ten years ago, and
  six times more efficient most 100 year old
  housing
• 27 per cent of buildings constructed before 1919
  achieve SAP rating of under 41 (out of 100)
• Most homes built since 1990 achieve higher than
  70
• But its not enough!

17
The UK also has

• A voluntary Code for Sustainable (new) Homes.
• Warm Front to tackle fuel poverty ( and
  save half a million tonnes of carbon each year
  until 2010.) Inadequate funding for each home
  means that full benefits not being delivered.
• The Decent Homes programme tackling poorest
  homes (better bathrooms etc.) but also energy
  savings
• How far do new regulations trigger technological
  spin-offs that can be used to retrofit existing
  homes?

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Other ways forward

• Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). A 2.8
  Bn programme (funded by energy suppliers) to see
  2.9 million cavity walls filled, 2.7 million
  lofts insulated, 110 million energy-efficient
  light bulbs provided 90,000 homes switched to
  more efficient fuel systems
• Energy performance certificates
• A code for existing homes? minimum standards,
  leading to compulsory upgrading

19
Whose homes?

• Private rented 12 per cent of housing stock in
  England
• Social rented housing 18
• 70 privately owned housing.
• 13000 private landlords (only 1,500 social
  providers).
• Most landlords own only 1 or 2 properties what
  incentives to invest?

20
Meanwhile in Germany

• 17.3 million residential buildings (cf 26 million
  in the UK, although higher population).
• 35 are owner-occupied (70 in the UK)
• A more developed microtechnology market (higher
  levels of skills in its workforce, lower prices
  for many products )
• Solar panels are about half the price offered in
  the UK,
• 2006 German Government 20-year programme to bring
  all pre-1984 dwellings up to current new-build
  standards by 2025. Will cost an estimated 1 Bn
  euros.
• More microgeneration due partly to feed-in
  tariffs (the sums paid above market value of the
  electricity produced)

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2. Homes as places where things happen

• Action is needed to reduce emissions that result
  from heating, lighting, water use and the way we
  manage our homes. Changes will come from
• Behaviour change (landlords etc. limited
  influence)
• Quick / low-cost improvements draught proofing,
  insulation
• Newer technologies - micro-generation, CHP

22
Microgeneration

• Much of this is tokenistic and not economic at
  present (esp. in urban areas)
• Solar water heaters offer good payback
• Benefits will come from collective action
• Need for new funding regime (cf Germany) this
  is now promised
• There are currently c. 100000 microgeneration
  installations in the UK, (cf 82000 in 2004) 80
  are Solar Thermal

23
Into the future

• The potential is great - estimated potential in
  2050 ( of electricity demand)
• Photovoltaics 3.8
• Small-scale wind 6.0
• Small scale CHP 6.4
• Fuel cells 25
• (and solar thermal)

24
Behaviour Change and basic improvements

• Linked to many factors, notably trust, engagement
  with issues, costs, etc.
• Many programmes to support behaviour change,
  mostly from green organisations
• Much uptake is still from positive green sector
  of society
• Large social landlords can play a key role
• N.B. In 1970, the average UK house was heated to
  12C, by 2003 this had risen to 18C.

25
Full impact assessment

• Buildings impact the environment during
  construction, use and demolition.
• New low-carbon technologies needed
• Much more reuse of post-demolition materials
• A role for the third sector in stimulating this
  work

26
The places where these homes are

• Decarbonising poses challenges for the places
  where we build our homes
• Higher density settlements save carbon but are
  not in line with many peoples aspirations
• Links to public transport and other facilities
  will be critical to cut transport emission
• Any assessment of sustainable homes needs to
  consider
• Land Use
• Transport
• Local infrastructure
• Water supply

27
So whats a sustainable home?

• Is this a sustainable home?
• The Leicester Ecohome

28
So whats really sustainable?

• Is this?

29
So whats really sustainable?

• An earth-sheltered home

30
So whats really sustainable?

• Are these?
• These are refurbished low-energy tower blocks

31
The challenge of densification

• High density homes
• Lower land take
• Support high quality public transport
• Energy efficiency
• Not just micro generation
• Collective living

32
Delivering change The role of NGOs and civil
society

• Advocacy for higher standards
• Encouraging behaviour change
• Developing pilot projects on renewables and
  efficiency
• Delivering energy services
• A developing body of good practice
• Community-managed Energy Service Companies (ESCO)
  providing a range of energy solutions energy
  savings projects, energy infrastructure, and
  energy supply.

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In Albert Square

• The ASSA Home Energy project looking to tackle
  big old 19th Century homes (Albert Sq. is in
  Stockwell, South London)
• Aim to develop a Low Emissions Energy Network
  (LEEN) to serve all members of the community
• 1. educate residents and landlords about the
  economic and environmental benefits
• 2. make it easy and affordable to implement
• 3. provide an on-going support network to
  sustain the savings
• A full suite of energy services including
  microgeneration a community Energy Supply
  Company

34
Making change happen Who needs to act?

• The people who live in those 26 million homes
• Landlords and homeowners,
• Local and central government,
• Builders, engineers, installation experts and
  planning departments
• Civil society needs to link work on improved
  standards to other aspects of work on climate
  change and consumption

35
What needs to happen

• Increased standards in every nation
• All new buildings are built to zero-emission and
  high environmental standards
• A programme for existing homes
• Large developments should generate renewable
  power on-site
• Programmes to end fuel poverty and encourage
  energy efficiency through retrofit
• Expansion of combined heat and power (CHP)
• Change is needed from now (not in five years
  time)