Driver and Levers of ChangeA Local Government Perspective

George TarvitSustainable Scotland Network

Who, What and Why

42% by 2020 // 80% by 2050

Council estate and services (including schools) Area-wide emissions and how council can influence reductions and give community leadership, which will include and influence:• Community awareness and action will play critical role (CPPs and schools important)• Households will be key• Personal ‘footprints’ will personalise the agenda and engage individuals.

There needs to be a ‘nesting’ and connection between individual, household, community, area, local authority and community planning partnership measures, indicators and targets.

Scope of the local authority mitigation agenda

Estate and services

emissions

Area-wide emissions

Fife’s Carbon FootprintEntire footprint for all Fife activity

Fife Council Community FootprintMeasurable influence on emissionse.g. Staff Commuting, Household waste, Council House energy and Building Control

Fife Council FootprintInternal, controlled emissionse.g. Energy use, Fuel use

Footprint Scope – The Fife Approach

Graphic courtesy of Fife Council

Local Footprints Project

REAP : Scottish Local Authority Carbon Footprints

REAP : Scottish Local Authority Carbon Footprints

SSN Training on Communications and Behaviour Change

• SSN Quarterly in summer 2007

• SSN Quarterly in spring 2010

• Communications portal on SCCD website

• Communications and Behaviour Change Forum on the Communities of Practice website

Key Lessons / Factors of Success

• There is a public Awareness–Action disconnect• Positive messages and images work / statistics and

fear don’t• Local connections motivate / community identity is

important• Making connections is important – what are people

interested in / build from where they are at• Clarity of message > action > effect is vital• Feedback and dialogue needed to maintain

momentum

Courtesy of: Centre for Research on Environmental Decisions, Columbia University

Case Studies – Falkirk Council

Carbon Crusader Impact

Background, Key deliverables, Carbon saved, Campaign cost

Measuring Progress (Metered data, Out of hours audits, Questionnaires, Reservations,Intranet hits, Emails

Training

– What didn’t work?• Time & effort intensive• Tracking progress• Monthly actions

– What DID work?• Poster distribution• Unexpected staff skills• Awards• Staff buy in• Value for money• CO2 tonnage

– What would we change?• More actions• Go out with a bang

Action Target CO2T

% of total target

Tonnes saved

% achieved

Awareness & behavioural change programme

1,543 20% 961 62%

Emissions of fossil CO2 (kg/inh)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Total Transport Heating Electricity Goal 2010 Goal 2025

-35 %Case Study – Vaxjo, Sweden

Key Lessons from Vaxjo

• Political consensus

• Broad collaboration and networks

• Resources - financial support / ecobudget

• Long-term commitment (1980s investment in renewable district heating)

• Vision: Fossil Fuel Free Vaxjo

• Making visible: energy sources, energy monitoring, energy efficiency in housing

• Reciprocal relationship of municipality and population

• Transport is major challenge

Strategic Challenges

• Leadership – principles, practice, empowerment

• Legislation – what needs to be done, and how

• Culture Change – values / WWF Natural Change Project

• Programmes for Action – provide agency, keeping it simple

• Scrutiny / Accountability – accurate information

• Resources – to baseline, scale up, track through, feed back, and to invest

We need all of the above… in spades!

A complex interplay of stimuli

Cultural Values

Socio-economic factors

Infrastructures

Social Marketing

If you build it, they will come

It can be done….

The other roles of government

To address ‘the greatest market failure’

Regulation

Taxation

Investment