Barriers and Drivers to Sustainability

This jut out has been aid by the NSW G overnmen t through with(predicate) its milieual Trust. How to crucify common restraints and beget the nigh of advert number one woods to sustainability About this expire This hunt draws upon enquiry completed in 2009 fo r the Urban perplexability Support hamper (USSA) by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), Univer sity of Technology, Sydney, into the breastworks and D rivers to Sustainability in Local governance.This guide has been positive to assist council sus tainability practitioners to identify refer drivers and common barriers a lottimes experienced when running(a) towa rds sustainability. Why transgress a guide? The guide furnishs value to the research by providing p ractical suits of strategies councils mystify rehearsed to reduce barriers and make the most of key drivers to sustainability. The examples provided collapse come directly from sustainability practitioners who have sh ard their initiatives with LGSA.The barriers and drivers atomic number 18 listed broadly in the revision of signifi flowerpotce indentified in the research. Complementary barriers and drivers argon grouped toge ther to demonstrate the inter-relationships between barriers and drivers.to a greater extent information If you have additional examples to add to this guid e or if you require ein truth help in taking any(prenominal) of the following actions please contact the Sustainability police squad on (02) 9242 4000 or email emailprotected electronic copies of the research report and this g uide argon available from the LGSA website www.lgsa.org.au look under ESD.graphical user interface de developed July 2009 Updated July 2012 Sustainability Learning Guide Barriers and number one woods to SustainabilityThis project has been aid by the NSW Governmen t through its environmental Trust. publicly identified Barriers and Drivers to Sustain ability Barrier = Driver = common land Barrier or Driver What t he interviews spread abroad us How behind I get the best this barrier? or How enkindle I make the most from this driver? drop of Organisational Support A omit of lead or the failure of leaders to recreate others in the disposal. Despite a sizeable reputation, the sustainability agenda often relies on individuals and occurs lone(prenominal) in pockets across councils. wont examples of what other councils have done. Case studies bum be used as a backup case for sustainability. External experts or facilitators place be used to supporter deepen consciousness of sustainability upcountryly.When communicating to elderberry bush perplexity on sustainability issues do it in a meaningful and memorable way. Try victimisation statistics and graphs. Get your sustainability initiatives recognize externally by submitting awards applications. General manager and senior concern assist The take of personalized commitment, friendship and leadership provided by senior coun sel, in particular the General Manager of the council. eff module achievements in the subject area of sustainability. The intranet and rung wisesletters are accomplishable tools. Reward module achievements in the area of sustainability e.g. Staff Awards schedule Ask your GM to endorse your give way by inviting them to speak at pertinent meetings and tuition sessions. Mayor and councillor leadership Strong leadership from the elected council. exactly having one or two saucy councillors who are open to, and positive about, sustainability potbelly be a key driver. take on councillor support by inviting them to wing and champion council sustainability initiatives. wont your mayor as a speaker for council events. come on councillors to break down representatives on sustainability committees.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. communal Barrier or Driver What the interviews prescribe us How apprize I get the best this b arrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? bedcover between Theory & Practice A mismatch between what is espoused and what is practiced. Policies not universe carried through to implementation. Integrate sustainability into councils precaution plans, hire out descriptions and innovation training. Build momentum by doing the little things right. It is better to excel in a few targeted areas rather than have average performance across a unspecific range of areas.Sympathetic organisational body structure The level of openness of lag to miscellanea can effect how sympathetic they are to the sustainability agenda. A council motivated to come up with new and improved ways of doing things. A history of strong leadership and a policy of recruiting people with these values and skills can contribute to a sympathetic organisational nuance. get through the most of a positive organisational culture by involving lag from across the organisation in sustainability planning and ac tions. Create opportunities for staff to ex trade ideas about sustainability. Start an intimate sustainability committee or host eat time sustainability discussions.Lack of staff force and high staff turn over Staff with responsibilities for engaging their organisation or alliance in sustainability, feel the pressures of their wide ranging responsibilities and the types of skills required of them. There is a neediness for increasing skills of staff more in the main. steep staff turnover and loss of incorporated knowledge. Improve staff capacity to spirt on sustainability issues by developing an internal sustainability committee made up of staff from different divisions.Support professional training opportunities around sustainability. Consider implementing a mentoring syllabus to give staff additional support. consecrate sustainability staff Having a sustainability position or a sustainability team was identified as a major(ip) enabler. However no matter of a persons j ob title or position within council, staff who are highly motivated and posses skills in motivate others are extremely important.Recognise utilize staff by offering incentives much(prenominal) as staff bonuses and awards. Encourage sustainability staff to speak at conferences.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust.Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews proclaim us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? Competing priorities A lower priority for environmental or social equity issues was often a reflection of prevailing club attitudes, or lobbying by particular come to groups. Host sustainability workshops to raise conjunction awareness and stool community support. Use community expectations and concerns to highlight the importance of sustainability issues.Media coverage of world(prenominal) and local issues Increased media coverage of sustainability issues can increase the level of un derstanding and support for issues such as climate change and other environmental issues. Use an evoke angle and eye catching pictures. radio link local sustainability programs and events to menses and dominant issues in the media. lively and engaged community Active communities can have a major influence on the policies and priorities of the elected council. For example the influence of letters advocating action on particular issues. Involve community champions in workshops e.g. to give a short creation on a topic of their interest. touristy social media tools such as Facebook and YouTube can be used to harness community support. piteous systems for managing information For many councils, info management and IT systems present real challenges. The problems of composite plant and incompatible systems, or lack of automation, can add to the time involved in planning, coordination and reporting. Use internal financial management systems to track sustainable procurement. Investig ate the use of external companies to monitor your water and goose egg aspiration.Effective management systems Internal management systems that brake down silos and ensure slow access to information can help achieve sustainability outcomes. If you are using goodly systems for sustainability outcomes promote their use both internally and externally.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust. Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver?Lack of internal and external financial backing A lack of resources can limit the implementation of actions in sustainability plans. The current economic climate is lay a strain on council budgets, with implications for staffing. get up up a revolving energy fund. The funds that is saved from reduced energy consumption is reinvested in sustainability programs. Use a set aside database to track upcoming grants and avoid lose opportunities.Partner with other councils or organisations to develop regional grant applications. Apply for an environment/sustainability levy. Identify and implement low woo initiatives. External funding External funding allows greater access to resources that support sustainability internally. Use the opportunity of external funding to compound sustainability into councils operations.Regularly communicate your project outcomes to senior management to increase ownership. Ensure your sustainability initiatives are as self sustaining as possible when the funding ceases. Difficulty dealing with governing agencies While relationships are often very good at a personal level with officers in other disposal agencies, the lack of co- ordination between federal official and domain plans and agencies, and between state agencies, abstruse work at the local level unnecessarily and often hindered progress. Partner with state and federal agencies in grant applications. net profit w ith brass agencies. Organise round tables with government agencies to progress difficult issues. Partnerships and external mission support Positive partnerships with other agencies such as local Catchment Management ascendency (CMA) and/or Regional Organisation of Councils (ROC). Use your partnerships to increase resources, provide joint training opportunities and facilitate information.This project has been assisted by the NSW Governmen t through its Environmental Trust.Common Barrier or Driver What the interviews tell us How can I overcome this barrier? or How can I make the most from this driver? accessory Legislation The principles of Ecologically Sustainable outgrowth outlined in the Local regime Act 1993 and related requirements can be used as an important driver. ready the community, council staff and councillors about legislation e.g. LGSAs soul Sustainability for Councillors Course Link councils sustainability projects to relevant legislation.Inadequate Legislation While legislation was recognised as a driver, it was also a common view that it is behind current practice and that the debates and issues in the Local Government sector now are at a very different storey from when the Local Government Act 1993 was drafted. actively participate in consultation phases of key legislation. Aim to go above and beyond the requirements.Research and development challenges Environment and sustainability positions generally required new knowledge and new ways of doing things, but time for reflection, reading material and keeping up with developments is a challenge. be involved in obtaining reliable data, and determination appropriate and affordable external assistance can also be a challenge.Partner with universities to gain access to sustainability research and expertise. Subscribe to sustainability networks which allow for transfer of knowledge and approaches e.g. www.sustainablenet.org.au The language of sustainability While practitioners in this area understand sustainability is convenient short present for a set of well understood principles, the term often proved debatable when used in a broader audience. This is often adds to confusion about the term sustainability.Encourage council and the community to define what sustainability means to them. turn out a shared sustainability vision and understandings. Sustainability newsletters, sustainability induction and sustainability surveys can be used to build awareness of key principles.