Title: The New Zealand footprint project

Authors: Ella Susanne Lawton; Robert Vale; Brenda Vale; Maggie Lawton

Addresses: Centre for Sustainable Practice, Otago Polytechnic, P.O. Box 16, Cromwell, 9180, New Zealand ' School of Architecture and Design, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand ' School of Architecture and Design, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand ' Future by Design, 8 High Street, Devonport, Auckland 2604, New Zealand

Abstract: This new research project will highlight the degree to which and in what ways New Zealanders are living beyond their 'fair earth share' of global resources. The Ecological Footprint (EF) has been proven as an effective indicator providing the means to communicate complex environmental data in a simplified form to diverse groups (Collins et al., 2005) and for high level long-term community planning and strategy formation (Aall and Norland, 2005; Wilson and Grant, 2009). Methodology development and data gathering will use a new four-part approach to produce a New Zealand EF template which can calculate community footprints using locally collected data and which can create 'fair earth share' community scenarios. The outcome will be a set of footprinting tools to help guide future development decisions (Vale and Vale, 2009a). This paper will cover the project design, EF methodology, the community engagement process and the initial results of investigations.

Keywords: ecological footprint; New Zealand; urban form; lifestyle; fair earth share; community engagement; scenarios; strategic sustainable development; global resources; sustainability; community footprints.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2013.056563

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2013 Vol.16 No.3/4, pp.221 - 234

Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

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