Tees Valley Ecological Footprint Study

Tuesday, 17 July 2007 02:00

New Working Paper published by SEI.

This report looks at the environmental impacts associated with the way people live in the Tees Valley; the energy people use in the home and the way they travel; and the food and lifestyle products they consume. In doing so it demonstrates how local decision makers can consider and take meaningful action on climate change and pressing environmental issues using Footprint Analysis.

Translating the effect of policy decisions on individual and collective behavior is difficult.

Quantifying the impact of resident’s behavior change on the environment can be more complicated still.

This report documents how this can be done at the local or regional scale using Footprint Analysis.

Local authorities can influence the choices people make in their every day lives through service provision and community leadership. With major regeneration projects for the Tees Valley planned, there are opportunities to improve the region but every road built and every house constructed locks people into a way of living for many years. Whether existing and new initiatives will encourage people to make greener choices will be an important measure of their success.

The findings presented here show:

- The Tees Valley Ecological Footprint is over twice the size of the world average at 5.12 global hectares per person. To support the lifestyle of an average person in the Tees Valley places a demand on the earth’s resources which is not sustainable in the long term.

- The Tees Valley Carbon Footprint is 10.85 tonnes per person. This needs to be reduced to near 4 tonnes if everyone in the Tees Valley is to ‘do their bit’ to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050 .

- Existing trends and local policies are unlikely to reduce the Carbon Footprint of the Tees Valley in line with proposed Government targets for carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions from housing may increase by 5.5% per person over the next 20 years. Carbon dioxide emissions from transport may increase by 8.7% per person over the next twenty years.

The trend projections are based on an initial analysis of housing, transport, population and energy policies and trends. Over two days in January 2007 staff from the Environment Agency, NERIP, the Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit and each of the Tees Valley Unitary Authorities tested out a range of alternative futures for housing and transport policies in the Tees Valley. The results demonstrate the ways Footprint Analysis could be used in the Tees Valley in the future.

Footprint Analysis may be used in local area agreements and community strategies developed by Local Strategic Partnerships. It has a role to play in informing local transport and housing planning. Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) may also use it or refer to it in their local delivery plans and annual public health reports. The potential to take action is huge; use this report as your starting point.

Click here to download report

Please contact Alistair Paul for further information.