Burnaby Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS) Sub-Committee Member TERMS OF REFERENCE

Transcription

1 Burnaby Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS) Sub-Committee Member TERMS OF REFERENCE The Burnaby Environmental Sustainability Strategy (ESS) Steering Committee is being formed to set directions for environmental protection, stewardship, enhancement, and resilience in the city. Following on the successful completion of the Social Sustainability Strategy (SSS) and the award-winning Economic Development Strategy (EDS), the city is now starting the process to develop the ESS the third (and final) in the trilogy of economic, social and environmental sustainability strategies. These three inter-related strategies are intended to help define how the city can evolve and build on its strengths, to become a more vibrant, resilient and sustainable community, integrated with healthy ecosystems. Similar to the first two strategies, Mayor Corrigan is chairing the 23 member ESS Steering Committee a group of recognized leaders from the broader community assembled to reflect Burnaby s diversity and to help guide the overall ESS process. The Steering Committee is developing a strategy that will sharpen and refine the City s environmental focus and articulate a vision, goals and achievable actions that recognize current challenges and opportunities, while providing the flexibility to adapt to changing needs and priorities. Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 1

2 1.0 Process The ESS process is outlined in Figure 1 (attached) and proposes to engage the local community using a community dialogue approach to provide the broadest possible opportunity for community input into the development of this key policy document. 2.0 Process Objectives The ESS will need to be both innovative and pragmatic, in order to meet the following objectives for the ESS process: build on our current environmental achievements; account for the City of Burnaby s role and the role of others in environmental matters at all levels local, regional, provincial, national and global; support and integrate the social and economic objectives of our community (as defined by the EDS and the SSS); reflect the latest science and understanding of various environmental issues, opportunities and technologies; advance our standards for environmental protection and enhancement through flexible and adaptive actions and programs that allow for changes in priorities and trends; and increase our resilience to existing, emerging, and future environmental challenges. 3.0 Guiding Principles Under the guidance of the ESS Steering Committee, Guiding Principles were developed to help steer the ESS. These Guiding Principles were approved in principle by Council on 2013 May 13 and are intended to: be clear, concise, simple and action-oriented; apply to all actions; be separate from and broader than strategies, actions and other policy direction(s); help guide the project through to completion; and help communicate the City s values, and ensure a consistent approach in the development and implementation of the ESS. Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 2

3 Ecosystem Health 1. We recognize that we need healthy ecosystems for our survival, health and well being 1, and that species and ecosystems also have intrinsic value (in their own right) We aim to live off the interest to ensure continued ecosystem health and resilience. 3. We undertake and encourage ecosystem based management 3, protect the health of existing ecosystems, and actively enhance and restore degraded ecosystems. Integration of Systems 4. We recognize that economic vitality, environmental health, social equity and human health are all interrelated and mutually dependent. 5. We seek synergies rather than trade-offs, and strive for solutions with multiple benefits. Connections 6. We acknowledge that local actions can have far-reaching impacts. 7. We recognize that the well being of our community is linked with the (ecological, social and economic) well being of the region, the province, the nation and the world. Wise Use of Resources 8. We proactively manage our resources by seeking creative solutions and prioritizing actions that create holistic 4 and long term value for our community (ecological, social and economic). The Long View 9. We make decisions and act today with the long-term resilience of our community and ecosystems in mind, and prepare ourselves for changes to come. 10. We recognize our responsibility for the well being of future generations. 1 Benefits people obtain from ecosystems are known as ecosystem services. These include provisioning services such as food and water; regulating services such as flood and disease control; cultural services such as spiritual, recreational, and cultural benefits; and supporting services such as nutrient cycling that maintain the conditions for life on Earth. (Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) 2 Intrinsic value is generally defined as the inherent worth of something, independent of its value to anyone or anything else. For example, the United Nations World Charter for Nature (1982) notes: "Every form of life is unique, warranting respect regardless of its worth to man." 3 Ecosystem based management is an integrated approach to management that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans. The goal of ecosystem based management is to maintain an ecosystem in a healthy, productive and resilient condition so that it can provide habitat as well as the services humans want and need. Ecosystem based management differs from approaches that focus on a single species, sector, activity or concern; it considers the cumulative impacts of different sectors (Source: U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, 2005). 4 Holistic means relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 3

4 4.0 Role Leadership 11. We lead by example, learn from others, and foster leadership by community stakeholders. 12. We work to encourage and reward positive behaviour. Collaboration 13. We work together to achieve our shared goals, across City departments, business sectors, public interests, institutional programs, neighbouring municipalities and other levels of government. Engagement 14. We build trust by fostering internal and external relationships, partnerships, and networks. 15. We engage in and support education, building community awareness, responsibility and participation. 16. We employ and promote diverse methods of community engagement. Evaluation and Improvement 17. We commit to continual improvement through adaptive management 5 and building on the success of others. 18. We monitor and evaluate our performance toward our goals with targets and indicators 6, and adjust our approach accordingly. 19. We clearly communicate our performance to stakeholders and the public. The sub-committees are expected to help the city develop, refine and prioritize the key theme-based strategies that will be the essence of the Burnaby Environmental Sustainability Strategy through the use of a project governance structure shown in Figure 2 (attached). Community feedback on the strategies sought by the City with the assistance of the Steering Committee will contribute to the final document, as submitted to Council for their consideration. 5 Adaptive Management can be defined as a systematic process for continually improving policies and practice by learning from outcomes of operational programs, and normally consists of a cyclical process of Assessment, Design, Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adjustment (linking back again to Assessment and so on). 6 Targets and indicators are themselves flexible, and are periodically re evaluated, to adjust to new information. Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 4

5 The sub-committee members will be asked to: build on the success of the existing Burnaby EDS and SSS; identify trends, opportunities, challenges and ways Burnaby can respond to become an even more vibrant, resilient and sustainable community; challenge the way the city and other levels of government currently do business; and contribute to the process in an open-minded and constructive manner. 5.0 Themes and Topics In response to the Phase 1 public consultation, Burnaby s ESS is now being structured around 10 themes, represented as petals of a flower, as shown in Figure 3 (below). The centre of the flower represents the integration point of the various themes offering both synergistic benefits between themes, and efficient use of resources in implementing policies and programs. For each theme, a range of goals, objectives and recommended actions will be developed, based on the work by the sub-committees consisting of Steering Committee members and additional stakeholders and experts. Figure 3: Proposed ESS Themes as Petals (left), and list of themes (right) Live land use, health and urban design Move transportation Green greenspace and habitat Build buildings and energy Flow water management Conserve resource and waste management Nourish food systems Breathe climate change and air quality Prosper holistic prosperity Manage governance, community partnership Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 5

6 6.0 Four Sub-Committees Four ESS sub-committees are being proposed to focus on one or more of the above themes (as listed below and shown in Figure 4 attached): 1. Ecosystems - Green and Flow 2. Urban Development - Build, Move, Live and Breathe 3. Health and Well-Being - Live and Prosper 4. Green Economy, Food Systems and Waste - Prosper, Nourish and Conserve Some themes are combined where they relate closely with others, or repeated in multiple sub-committees. The topics to be covered by each theme are also shown in Figure 4 attached. 7.0 Mandate The ESS process (as shown in Figure 1 attached) is nearing the half-way point and the next step (Step 10) is developing theme-based goals, objectives and actions, through the work of sub-committees. The intent is for the sub-committees to focus their expertise on specific topics in order to develop theme-based recommendations for the consideration of the ESS Steering Committee, and, subsequently, for consideration by Mayor and Council. Mayor Derek Corrigan has directed participants in the ESS to be bold - yet pragmatic - in their recommendations, in order to build on Burnaby s past successes, and guide future directions for sustainability. 8.0 Composition and Support Each sub-committee may include: members from the Steering Committee; and other technical experts and community stakeholders who have a direct knowledge or interest in the theme(s) being discussed. In addition, the following resources will be present to assist in supporting each sub-committee: a facilitator appointed by the City; and a resource person to take notes, assist in the discussion, and produce a draft summary report for the review of the sub-committee. City staff will make all meeting arrangements on behalf of the sub-committees (i.e., Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 6

7 confirming the list of members on each sub-committee, setting dates, circulating discussion material, and arranging meetings). 9.0 Selection Criteria As approved by Council, sub-committee members will be appointed by the Mayor. Sub-committee members will be selected preferentially based on their ability to meet the following selection criteria: strong connections to Burnaby (e.g. live in Burnaby, work and/or have an office located in Burnaby, attend school or instruct in Burnaby, or have particular expertise specifically relevant to Burnaby); currently or previously actively involved in the Burnaby community; expertise and/or interest relevant to the sub-committee; ability to view issues from a broad perspective; ability to be solution oriented; and availability. Not all of the criteria may be satisfied in every case (e.g., some technical experts may bring unique subject-area knowledge from a broader perspective, rather than a Burnaby-centric perspective, while some community stakeholders may have less subject-area knowledge, but have very strong connections to the community) Commitment Required We are requesting that each Sub-Committee member commit to a minimum of two core sub-committee meetings being proposed for September/October and November. Sub-committee members will also be encouraged to participate in three additional optional activities: Attend one introductory plenary style meeting in September to bring the various sub-committees together to provide context at the beginning. Host a networking event to solicit input from the community (peers, colleagues, neighbours, social groups, etc.) after the first sub-committee meeting, which may take the form of a simple kitchen table meeting with a few individuals, or a more formal discussion at a board or committee meeting. Attend one concluding plenary style meeting in January to bring the various sub-committees together to explore integration and synergies at the conclusion Timeline Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 7

8 The sub-committee meetings are proposed to be scheduled over a five month period from September 2013 to January This will allow some time for the sub-committee members to network with the community and allow staff to initiate Phase 2 public consultation ( Exploring Further ) in November Communication In an effort to reduce the environmental impact (paper consumption and transportation) of information sharing and to increase the flow of information sharing, the project team will pursue establishing an information hub for the sub-committees to use as a digital resource and reference centre City Resources The sub-committee members will have a significant opportunity to influence the development of key strategies contained within the ESS, which, in turn, will be presented to the broader community, ESS Steering Committee, and to Council their consideration. It is therefore important that all sub-committee members recognize that the city has not established any budget beyond the requirements of the ESS process itself at this time and that any capital or operating expenditures required to support future specific recommendations or actions identified within the ESS will be submitted for the consideration of Council for review in the context of other city priorities and financial planning (i.e., the formulation of the city s annual financial plan and the five year capital plan). p:\environmental sustainability strategy\council reports\no sept 9\ess sub-committee terms of reference.docx Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 8

9 Figure 1: ESS Process Diagram Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 9

10 Figure 2 Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 10

11 Figure 4 Burnaby ESS Sub-Committee Terms of Reference Page 11