Parliament of Youth on Sustainability
Information Session
ACT Ecological Footprint
as an indicator of sustainability
Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability
and the Environment, ACT
http://www.envcomm.act.gov.au
Dr Aileen Power
Senior Manager, OCSE
aileen.power@act.gov.au
Ph: 6207 7127
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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Background
• ACT ecological footprint (EF) report produced
about every four years since 1998
• Included with ACT State of Environment Reports
• amount of land and water required to support our
use of resources and dispose of our wastes
• relative consumption of global resources and
extent of human impact on the earth
• link between lifestyles and environmental impacts
• expressed in ‘global hectares’
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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Some comparisons
Average per person ecological footprint measures:
– 2007 World EF - 2.7 gha - (1.5 Earths)
– 2007 Australian EF - 6.8 gha*
– 2008-09 ACT EF - 9.2 gha
ACT footprint
– increased 8% in 5 years since 2004 Report
– nearly 25% in 10 year period since 1998 Report
– 13% above the Australian average
– nearly 3.5 times the global average
– Canberrans used 14 times the land area of the
ACT to support our lifestyles
*Global Footprint Network
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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ACT Per capita ecological footprint
1999, 2004 and 2009
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
4
ACT Ecological footprint 1999, 2004,2009
consumption by category
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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ACT per-capita Ecological Footprint 2008-09
Top 25 commodities
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
6
ACT Ecological Footprint update
coming early 2016
• new ACT Ecological Footprint Report based on 2011-12 data
• companion document to 2015 ACT State of Environment Report
• slight reduction in size of our footprint from 9.2 gha to 8.9 gha
• reduction of about 3% since the 2008-09 report
• overall consumption levels continue to rise in the ACT
• our ecological footprint remains about 9% higher than the
Australian average
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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Taking action to reduce our footprint
Individual, behavioural level, where possible:
•
Repair, reuse or borrow and re-purpose items
•
Consider consumption choices including food
•
Buy quality, efficient goods that will last
•
Invest in experiences rather than goods
•
choose renewable energy
•
Increase the energy efficiency of your home and appliances
Government policy, business and community-wide change:
•
Transforming our economies to lower our overall resource use
•
Improving the efficiency and sources of our energy
•
Pursuing further regional opportunities to extend the production of
renewable energy
•
Supporting business initiatives towards an expanded ‘green economy’
•
Protecting and enhancing our natural environment
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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References
Dey, C. 2011. The 2008-09 Ecological Footprint of the population
of the ACT. Integrated Sustainability Analysis, University of
Sydney, Sydney http://www.envcomm.act.gov.au/ecologoicalfootprints
Global Footprint Network
http://cdn1.footprintnetwork.org/Living_Planet_Report_2014_summary.pdf
Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission, ACT
Licensed utilities compliance and performance report 2007–08
http://www.icrc.act.gov.au/wpcontent/uploads/2013/03/Compliance_and_Performance_Report_2
007-08_Web.pdf
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009. Household Income and
Income Distribution, Australia 2008-07 (ABS 6523.0)
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/32F9145C
3C78ABD3CA257617001939E1/$File/65230_2007-08.pdf
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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Other OCSE resources
Canberra’s Ecological Footprint: what does it mean?
Dr Joy Murray and Dr Chris Dey
http://www.environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_fil
e/0007/590929/Canberras_Ecological_Footprint_.pdf
Fact Sheets (including one on the 2008-09 Ecological footprint)
http://www.envcomm.act.gov.au/what-can-i-do-and-whats-in-it-forme/fact_sheets
Buying choices for a more sustainable Canberra
Dr Sarah Ryan, 2012
http://www.envcomm.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/590930/BUYING_CHOI
CES_Sept12.pdf
Exploring individual values and attitudes for a more sustainable
Canberra: the example of food
Prof. David Pearson, 2011
http://www.environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/59092
7/Exploring-individual-values-and-attitudes-for-a-Sustainable-Canberra.pdf
The office is independent of, but funded by the
ACT Government
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