What is sustainability?
Sustainability is a fairer way of working, which ensures that environmental, economic and social needs are met at the same time and that each is considered as important as the other. It is also about equity and the links between local activities and global effects.
It is defined as
"Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs"
(World Commission on Environment and Development 1987)
OR
"Treating the earth as if we intend to stay"
(Crispin Tickell)
Agenda 21 is the practical side of sustainable development strategy.
What is Agenda 21?
Agenda 21 was born at The Earth Summit, a global conference held in Rio, Brazil in 1992. It is a global action plan agreed by 170 nations, including the UK. It covers social, economic and environmental issues and ways in which quality and equality of life can be safeguarded and improved around the world for this generation and those to come.
The North Lincolnshire Jigsaw is the local version - a Local Agenda 21 Strategy.
The strategy is based on an agreed vision statement, a set of guiding principles and action through the Jigsaw Action Pack.
Anyone can take part in the LA21 partnership - please get in touch if you are interested.
How can we measure progress?
A local Agenda 21 partnership was formed in North Lincolnshire in March 2001. This partnership will look at the different types of projects and actions that people can get involved in, identify any gaps and develop any future work that may be needed. The group will also work on measuring and monitoring the success of projects and in developing a set of sustainability indicators for North Lincolnshire.
By setting a baseline of the environmental, social and economic well-being across North Lincolnshire, the indicators will allow any changes to be measured and monitored. An annual report will highlight any changes that are taking place and will be published as additions to the Jigsaw Action Pack.
There are 12 sustainability indicators which Jigsaw partnership have agreed to measure:
- Ease of access to key services: Surveyed responses on ease of getting to corner shops, medium to large supermarkets, post offices, doctors and local hospitals, green space, public transport facility, recycling facility, leisure facilities, using resident's usual form of transport.
- Reduction in crime and reduction in fear of crime - Crimes recorded by the police per 1,000 population according to: theft of or from motor vehicles, burglary in dwellings, violent crime; percentage of respondents feeling unsafe or worried about crime by gender, age, area and types of crime.
- Social participation - percentage of residents who are actively involved with at least one community or voluntary organisation.
- Public understanding and awareness of sustainability.
- Net change in the quality and/or quantity of locally important natural/semi-natural woodland
- Changes in population of selected characteristic species - The occurrence of one or more characteristic species (e.g. farmland birds).
- Number of companies buying local.
- Number of people voting.
- Household waste arising - Household waste collected per person (kilograms).
- Recycling of household waste - Recycled household waste (including composting) expressed as a percentage of total tonnage of household waste arising.
- Energy use (gas and electricity) per household.
- Emissions of greenhouse gasses - levels of emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gasses as set by the Kyoto protocol.
Making a commitment
The Strategy was adopted by North Lincolnshire Council on 5 June 2001.
Everyone in North Lincolnshire, from individuals to community groups, charities, schools, voluntary organisations, businesses of all sizes, Parish and Town Councils are asked to consider endorsing the vision and principles contained in the Strategy.
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