Becoming a Green Capital CityBecoming a Green Capital City

Helping Madison Meet the Challenges Helping Madison Meet the Challenges of Becoming a More Sustainable City:of Becoming a More Sustainable City:

Lessons from The Natural Step Sustainability Lessons from The Natural Step Sustainability Framework and the Swedish Eco-MunicipalitiesFramework and the Swedish Eco-Municipalities

Presented to the Madison Sustainable Design and Energy CommitteeNovember 7, 2005By Lisa MacKinnon

Stockholm, Sweden

Madison, Wisconsin

What is an “Eco-Municipality”?What is an “Eco-Municipality”?

An eco-municipality aspires to An eco-municipality aspires to develop an ecologically, develop an ecologically, economically and socially economically and socially healthy community for the healthy community for the long-term.long-term.

What is “Eco”?What is “Eco”?

““Economic progress and Economic progress and ecological balance are to be ecological balance are to be united into a common united into a common developmental strategy. We developmental strategy. We believe that this is the best way believe that this is the best way to draw benefit from what the to draw benefit from what the local authorities have to offer and local authorities have to offer and attain sustainable development.”attain sustainable development.”

The National Association of Swedish Eco-Municipalities (SEkom) (quoting The National Association of Swedish Eco-Municipalities (SEkom) (quoting Ekotopen Foundation plan of action, Övertorneå, 1986)Ekotopen Foundation plan of action, Övertorneå, 1986)

The Challenge:The Challenge:Speaking A Common LanguageSpeaking A Common Language

• • Engaging staff at all levelsEngaging staff at all levels

• • Aligning individuals and city Aligning individuals and city departments with a variety of departments with a variety of interests, functional responsibilities interests, functional responsibilities and resource pressures.and resource pressures.

Becoming an “Eco-Municipality” Becoming an “Eco-Municipality” Initial StepsInitial Steps

• • Adopt a sustainability framework Adopt a sustainability framework

The Natural Step / APA Sustainability The Natural Step / APA Sustainability ObjectivesObjectives

• • Commit to a process for implementing this Commit to a process for implementing this frameworkframework

• • Actual implementation of sustainable Actual implementation of sustainable development and municipal operations is development and municipal operations is unique for each communityunique for each community

Swedish Eco-MunicipalitiesSwedish Eco-Municipalities

•• Almost 70 municipalities (1/4) Almost 70 municipalities (1/4)

in Sweden are official Eco-in Sweden are official Eco-MunicipalitiesMunicipalities

•• Range in size from 300 to over Range in size from 300 to over 700,000700,000

•• Use a common set of sustainability Use a common set of sustainability objectives—objectives—The Natural StepThe Natural Step—as —as their guiding policy their guiding policy

•• Different approaches, different Different approaches, different scales, sustainable resultsscales, sustainable results

Swedish Eco-Municipalities and Swedish Eco-Municipalities and Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy

UmeåUmeå DavDavåå power plant power plant 99.5% efficiency99.5% efficiencyFueled entirely by city’s solid wasteFueled entirely by city’s solid waste

ÖvertorneåÖvertorneå 100% free of fossil fuels for municipal 100% free of fossil fuels for municipal operations. operations.

EskilstunaEskilstuna Combined heat and power (CHP) biomass plantCombined heat and power (CHP) biomass plant90% efficiency rate 90% efficiency rate 95% of city’s winter heating and summer 95% of city’s winter heating and summer

cooling cooling 25% of electricity req’ts25% of electricity req’ts38% reduction in fossil fuels for heating38% reduction in fossil fuels for heatingAll in 4 years!All in 4 years!

FalkenbergFalkenberg “Solar array” on over acre of land“Solar array” on over acre of land30% of electricity for homes, business and 30% of electricity for homes, business and institutions from renewablesinstitutions from renewables

SalaSala

1991: Sala decides to become an 1991: Sala decides to become an eco-municipalityeco-municipality

Highlights of the changes made in SalaHighlights of the changes made in Sala 1991, opened recycling 1991, opened recycling

center for 20 types of center for 20 types of materials.materials.

1992, district heating system 1992, district heating system switched its energy source switched its energy source from coal and oil to from coal and oil to renewables.renewables.

1999, new combined heat and 1999, new combined heat and power plant went on line.power plant went on line.

Ten municipal cars run on Ten municipal cars run on ethanol or biogas.ethanol or biogas.

Hired consultants to develop Hired consultants to develop plan to eliminate heavy metals plan to eliminate heavy metals in soil.in soil.

Hammarby Sjöstadt,Stockholm

How did they begin?

Municipal and Public Training in the Natural Step Framework

Umeå-50 department supervisors trained- One working day be set aside to train all city departments

Sala- 2000 county employees trained-10% of the population

Falkenberg - 60% of all municipal employees trained in the Natural Step approach to sustainable development

Benefits of The Natural Step Benefits of The Natural Step Sustainability FrameworkSustainability Framework

• • Provides a shared understanding and language Provides a shared understanding and language

• • Involves all departments and levels of staffInvolves all departments and levels of staff

• • Provides process to identify, organize and Provides process to identify, organize and prioritize actions and investments for sustainable prioritize actions and investments for sustainable municipal operationsmunicipal operations

•• Can be used with the City’s existing plans and Can be used with the City’s existing plans and systemssystems

More Benefits of The Natural Step More Benefits of The Natural Step Sustainability FrameworkSustainability Framework

• • Connects long-term sustainability objectives with Connects long-term sustainability objectives with day-to-day actions and decisions day-to-day actions and decisions

• • Opportunity for the city to provide leadership on Opportunity for the city to provide leadership on sustainable development and operations for sustainable development and operations for individuals, businesses and the community as a individuals, businesses and the community as a wholewhole

• • Opportunity for the City to be a proven and Opportunity for the City to be a proven and successful contributor to a more sustainable successful contributor to a more sustainable communitycommunity

The Natural Step Framework ~ Taking Steps TowardA Sustainable Future

Questions?Lisa MacKinnonPolicy Director

608/259-1000lmac@1kfriends.orgwww.1kfriends.org