Integrative approaches towards Zero Emissions regional planning: synergies of concepts [An article from: Journal of Cleaner Production]

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Cleaner Production, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
This paper presents four strategic approaches for sustainable regional development: The Natural Step Framework, Zero Emissions, Eco-Industrial Parks, and The Rocky Mountains Institute's Economic Renewal program. An analysis against the requirements of regional planning shows a great synergy potential among these concepts. A joint approach would be advisable, not only on the content side, as the presented concepts differently fulfil the requirements of regional planning, but also on the organisational side, in terms of coordinating efforts and allocating personnel, time and financial resources. However, all four concepts seem to lack two aspects: First, a project must meet the needs of the residents and fit their regional and personal identities in order to get them involved, and second, most development projects need clear monitoring structures. In order to close these gaps, we propose to integrate a tool that helps to understand people's livelihood systems, as well as monitoring tools such as Ecological Footprint accounts, Factor X models or Material Impact calculations.