gary foley, usepa co-chair, institutions & development implementaion board (idb) sept 19, 2014 a...
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Systems Approach for EPA’sSustainability Strategy
Gary Foley , USEPACo-Chair, Institutions & Development Implementaion Board (IDB)
Sept 19, 2014
A POSSIBLE IDIB CONTRIBUTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
Presntation OverviewOverview EPA’s Approach to Sustainability
Discuss EPA’s Triple Value (3V) approach:
A platform for capacity building with stakeholders & decision makers while addressing challenging sustainability issues (e.g., Narragansett Bay pilot)
An integrative framework for big picture “systems thinking”, considering not only environment but also economy and society with broad focus on energy, water, materials, infrastructure, etc.
Sustainability and Capacity Building in the FY 2014-2018 EPA Strategic PlanStrategic Goals
1. Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality
2. Protecting America’s Waters3. Cleaning Up
Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development
4. Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution
5. Enforcing Environmental Laws
Cross-Cutting Strategies
Working Toward a Sustainable Future
Working to Make a Visible Difference in Communities
Launching a New Era of State, Tribal, Local and International Partnerships
Embracing EPA as a High-Performing Organization
How are all these aspirations connected?
And how do they relate to existing statutes?
Sustainability and Capacity Building in the FY 2014-2018 EPA Strategic PlanStrategic Goals
1. Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality
2. Protecting America’s Waters3. Cleaning Up
Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development
4. Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution
5. Enforcing Environmental Laws
Cross-Cutting Strategies
Working Toward a Sustainable Future
Working to Make a Visible Difference in Communities
Launching a New Era of State, Tribal, Local and International Partnerships
Embracing EPA as a High-Performing Organization
How are all these aspirations connected?
And how do they relate to existing statutes?
REQUIRES CAPACITY BUILDING
Synergy of Cross-Agency Strategies
5
Working for a sustainable future
Making a difference in communities
Launching a new era of partnerships
Enhancing EPA performance
Sustainable Products& Purchasing
Sustainable MaterialsManagement
GreenInfrastructure
EnergyEfficiency
Focus Areas
Synergy of Cross-Agency Strategies
6
Working for a sustainable future
Making a difference in communities
Launching a new era of partnerships
Enhancing EPA performance
Sustainable Products& Purchasing
Sustainable MaterialsManagement
GreenInfrastructure
EnergyEfficiency
Focus Areas
RE
QU
IRE
S C
APA
CIT
Y
BU
ILD
ING
Discovering SynergiesHow can a regulatory agency build on
existing statutory requirements to support the achievement of sustainability objectives? (e.g., climate action)
How can a regulatory agency meet existing statutory requirements in a ”smarter” way (more results with fewer resources) by leveraging sustainability initiatives (innovative approaches, voluntary actions, etc.)?
7
Regulatory performanc
e
Sustainability
performance
Discovering SynergiesA Simple Air Quality Example
Increased carpooling and public transit use
Reduced air pollution and
GHG emissions
Reduced cost of
pollution control
Reduced regulatory
burden
Investment in air
quality education
Reduced medical
costs and improved quality of
life
Addressing LegislativeMandatesWith fewer
EPA resourcesfor traditionalapproaches
IncreasedResources
For voluntary& innovativeapproaches
Discovering SynergiesA Simple Green Infrastructure Example
Increased green
space and riparian zones
Improved stormwater attenuation
Reduced cost of water
treatment
Reduced regulatory
burden
Investment in green
infrastructure
Improved climate
resilience
Improved quality of
life
Addressing LegislativeMandatesWith fewer
EPA resourcesfor traditionalapproaches
IncreasedResources
For voluntary& innovativeapproaches
Discovering SynergiesTriple Value (3V) Framework
Environment(Natural Capital)
waste and emissions may degrade the
environment
industrial demand for ecological goods and
services places stress on
natural capital
community use of ecological goods
and services places stress on natural capital
some waste is recovered
and recycled
emissions may harm humans
Society (Human & Social Capital)
Industry (Economic & Built Capital)
economic valueis created for
society
labor is utilized in industry
Discovering SynergiesTriple Value (3V) Framework
Environment(Natural Capital)
waste and emissions may degrade the
environment
industrial demand for ecological goods and
services places stress on
natural capital
community use of ecological goods
and services places stress on natural capital
some waste is recovered
and recycled
emissions may harm humans
Society (Human & Social Capital)
Industry (Economic & Built Capital)
economic valueis created for
society
labor is utilized in industry
TRADITIONAL FOCUS OF GOV’T & NGOs
TRADITIONAL TARGETS OF GOV’T & NGOs
Strategic & Beneficial Use of the 3V Framework (see following graphic)
Provide unifying conceptual framework to look at the issues of a stakeholder group from a big picture point-of-view
Do stakeholder capacity building to understand available interventions and desired outcomes (sets of indicators that show what can be achieved)
Understand the use high-level composite performance indicators to capture progress in sustainable resource use and resulting benefits (water, energy and waste intensity)
Assess the availability of data/science to produce causal linkages between interventions and indicators.
Beneficial Impacts of EPA Initiatives
Environment(Natural Capital)
Society (Human & Social Capital)
Industry (Economic & Built Capital)
WasteTreatment
PollutionPrevention
RenewableResources
GreenBuildings
Ecosystem Restoration
EnvironmentalJustice Brownfields
Revitalization
Green Chemistry
SustainableAg & Forestry
Remediation
Recycling
Risk Assessment
Water Conservation
Sustainable Products& Purchasing
Sustainable MaterialsManagement
GreenInfrastructure
Energy Efficiency Energy Efficiency
2015Focus
ROE indicator
s
Waste intensity
Water intensity
Energy intensity
Economy Society
Environment
Employment &
investment
Water quality & ecosystem
health
Storm intensity &
sea level rise
Industry
BusinessContinuit
y
Operating efficiency
Forest & land
preservation
Built environment
Impervious
surfaces
People
Human health
Quality of life
Water
Infrastructure
affordability
Stormwater
attenuation
Citizen prosperit
y
Property
values
Economic developme
nt
Energy, water, & waste volume
Amplifies
Diminishes
Indicators
Legend
G.I. Benefits
Environmental pollution
Flood resilien
ce
Cultural & recreation
al amenities
Green Infrastructure: Triple Value Creation an example
The Systems Approach in Action:Nutrient Management Policies
for Narragansett Bay Watershed
EPA New England (Region 1) and
Office of Research & Development
Triple valuesimulation
Sustainability Realization Process
System Characterizati
on
Sustainability
Assessment
Sustainability
Enhancement
System Adaptation
Scope, context, stakeholders,
goals, problems, stressors, barriers, solution options,
thenGo/NoGo Decision
Indicators, baseline
assessment, option
evaluation, risks & benefits, trade-offs,
knowledge gaps
Decision making,
consideration of system resilience
Monitoring,
response to
problems
Stakeholder Involvement
Conceptualframework
Intervention Outcomes
Lessons for Gov’ts policy &
research
2 to 4 months 6 to 9 months
“The Triple Value Model: A Systems Approach to Sustainable Solutions,” Clean Technology & Environmental Policy, 2014.
Application of Systems Thinkingat a Watershed Scale
Challenges of Nutrient PollutionConcentrations of Nitrogen (N) and
Phosphorus (P) in many U.S. waterways have increased greatly due to human sources, e.g., municipal wastewater treatment, agricultural & stormwater runoff, airborne emissions
These excess nutrients result in algal blooms and degraded aquatic ecosystems, adversely impacting drinking water, fishing, recreation, and tourism
N and P are difficult to control or remove because the sources are broadly dispersed, the environmental pathways and mechanisms are complex, and the removal technologies are costly and energy-intensive
Triple Value (3V) Framework
Environment(Natural Capital)
waste and emissions may degrade the
environment
industrial demand for ecological goods and
services places stress on
natural capital
community use of ecological goods
and services places stress on natural capital
some waste is recovered
and recycled
emissions may harm humans
Society (Human & Social Capital)
Industry (Economic & Built Capital)
economic valueis created for
society
labor is utilized in industry
NEXT STEP
FROM THE GENERIC FRAMEWORKTO A
PROBLEM-SPECIFIC FRAMEWORKFOR
SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES20
Solution Options for Sustainable Water Resources
water & nutrient
reuse
water demand reduction
Environment
SocietyEconomyAgricultu
re
Energy
Manufacturing
Transport
Infrastructure
industrial & commercial
water use reduction
BusinessesHouseholds
Public Utilities
coastal & wetland restoration & resilience
Forests SoilsEcosystem
s
Living Species
Watersheds
Groundwater
Global Climate
runoff reduction
exposureand risk
reduction
water conservation & rain harvesting
wastewater treatment
ecosystem impact reduction
green infrastructure &low-impact development
pollutionprevention
innovative technologies
stormwatermanagement
best management practices
discharge limits
NEXT STEP
REFINING THE PROBLEM-SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK
INTO ANUTRIENT MANAGEMENT DIAGRAM SHOWING LINKAGES BETWEEN
INTERVENTIONS & INDICATORS22
LegendSustainabilityIndicators
Amplifies
Diminishes
Property Values
Economy Society
Environment
Social Development
Well-Being
Examples of Indicators for Nutrient Management
Resource flows• Energy & water
demand• Renewable energy
use• GHG emissions• Wastewater volume• Wastewater pollution• Food waste volume• Fertilizer application
Climate Change
Access to Nature
• Finfish, salmon, etc.• Shellfish beds
InterventionsTreatment Biodigestion Behavior change Water quality trading
CSO tunnels Biofiltration Design for resilience Flood control
LID and GI Aquaculture Habitat protection Land use zoning
Best practices Phytoremediation Hydrologic engin. Local sourcing
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
A
F
G
Nutrient and Pathogen Inflows
H
J
K
L
M
K
N
O
P
Q
Q
Agriculture, Fishing,
Logging, Tourism• Nutrient conversion ratio • Available farmland• Agricultural chemical
input• Land development• Tourism activity and
revenue• Salmon & shellfish
harvest• Agricultural production• Lumber production
Food supply• Locally-
produced• Seafood quality
Resource Flows
Economic Development
Food Supply
E
Agriculture, Fishing,
Logging, TourismD
Fish Abundance
• Pollutant concentrations in water• Stream temperature,
acidification• Water quality impairment, TMDL• Fish & shellfish habitat
conditions • Benthic index—biotic integrity• Biodiversity in waterways• Hydrographic changes
• Nitrogen & phosphorus loadings• Chemical & microbial
contaminants• Natural attenuation in
waterways
• Snowpack• Precipitation • Sea level rise• Storm
intensity
Storms & Floods
• Floodplain area• Natural protection• Flood damage risk• Stormwater runoff• Land cover
changes
Storms & Floods
O
• Cultural spaces
• Tribal fish catch
• Recreation
• Quality of life• Flood insurance
cost• Household income
• Population growth• Job creation & job quality
• Industry growth (GDP)• Built environment &
infrastructure
Human HealthB
P
C
N
Coastal Ecosystem Health M
L
J
Adapted from the Tulalip Tribe/Region 103V Model for Snohomish
Basin
NEXT STEP
REFINING THE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT DIAGRAM INTO THE
NARRAGANSETT BAY MODELWITH CAUSAL LINKAGES
24
3V Simulation for Narragansett Bay
Stormwaterrunoff
Fishing & Tourism
Surface water
conditions
Fish kill likelihood
Dissolved oxygen
Watershed GDP
Aquatic ecosystem impairment
Wastewater treatment
Municipal tax revenue
Nutrient loadings
Disposableincome
Atmospheric deposition
Agricultural fertilizer use
Near-shore
turbidity
Property values
Resident beach visits
Septic tanks &
cesspools
Algae blooms
Climate change
Pathogen loadings
Rain
Economy
Society
Energy demand
Finfish & shellfish
abundance
Recreational fishing
Environment
Legend
SustainabilityIndicator
Causal link PotentialIntervention
Emissions & VMT
reductions
BMPs
Aquaculture
ISDS improvement
s
Waterway engineering
Improved treatmen
t
CSO tunnels
LID and GI
NEXT STEP
ADDING THE DASHBOARD TO THE
NARRAGANSETT BAY MODEL
26
Interactive Dashboard Interface for User Definition of “What-if” Scenarios
27
NEXT STEP
USING THE DASHBOARD TO FORECAST
INTERVENTIONS vs BASE CASEAND
VIEW CHANGES IN THE INDICATORS28
$
Benefits : Property Value Rise after 50% N Reduction
ConclusionsThe 3V model can provide a unifying
framework Capacity Building for Decision Makers &
StakeholdersDevelop cross-cutting sustainability indicatorsDevelop a “big picture”, screening-level system
dynamics model focused on the problems identified by the stakeholders and the interventions that could be used
Use of the model projections over 20 to 40 years by stakeholders to understand their issues in the “big picture” context and better discover the synergies and also possible “unintended consequences”
Systems Thinking“Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes rather than parts, for seeing patterns of change rather than static snapshots, and for understanding the subtle interconnectedness that gives living systems their unique character.”
Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline:
The Art and Practice ofthe Learning Organization
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