WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Menu of Local Outcome Indicators
Environmental Indicators Framework
This Environmental Indicators Framework supports environmental outcome indicators in the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators.
Page 2 outlines how the Framework can be used. Page 3 onward introduces the indicators, including greyed-out entries for work in progress.
The Framework has been developed in partnership by organisations whose logos are represented on this page. A number of LINK’s members have contributed to this framework and support it as work in progress
This framework supports environmental indicators in the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators. As well as using the indicators to describe progress towards outcomes (and the activities required to support that progress), the framework can be used to describe the state of the environment and hence contribute to the Area Profile.
The framework shows:
· Environmental outcome indicators from the menu (in bold) and proposed (plain text)
· How the environment can contribute to social and economic outcomes (illustrative examples)
· Some ideas for relevant input/activity/output measures – to help identify activities required to progress towards the outcome. This provides a line of sight between activities ‘below the waterline’ and outcomes ‘above the waterline’ (in the SOA)
· Further sources, such as policy and guidance
The outcome indicators in the Menu are supported and made available via Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics. As with other outcome indicators in the menu, the environmental outcome indicators presented here are not prescriptive. There may be others better suited to your local priorities, for example you might swap in an alternative indicator for biodiversity or soil. But ideally the framework should remain intact overall, with an indicator for each topic. The topics are based on those for Strategic Environmental Assessment and the framework provides a way to describe the state of the environment in the local authority area.
Outcomes are expressions of complex systems. This framework does not attempt to describe the more detailed methods available to show how various activities can contribute to outcomes. These methods include:
· Logic modelling and contribution analysis[1] (commonly used in the health sector)
· Benefits mapping (commonly used in Programme Management – see OGC resources)
· Systems diagramming (used in a variety of settings – see OU Open Learn for introductory material)
For full guidance on the use of the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators see the Good Practice Note.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on how you have used this Framework and how it might be improved. Please do this via the Scottish Local Outcome Indicators Knowledge Hub group.
Material assets / 6.51. Satisfaction with street cleaning / Clean and well kept local environments can contribute to sustainable places (NO 10) show people value and enjoy the built and natural environment (NO 12). This measure can also compliment waste indicators to illustrate aspects of the local environmental impact of our consumption and production (NO 14) and can be used to measure satisfaction with the delivery of public services (NO 15). At a deeper level, the degree of littering, dog fouling, graffiti and other anti-social behaviours can also be used as a measure of the respect that people have for their neighbours and their place and are indicative of supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others (NO 11) / · Local Environmental Audit and Management System (Includes Cleanliness grade, Litter Bins (Count of Bins and Count of Overflowing Bins), Types of litter, Sources of litter, Adverse Environmental Quality Indicators, such as dog fouling, graffiti or weed growth, Any other comments that may be useful for the site
· LEAMS are based on bi-monthly sampling areas. They can include greenspace
· CIMS (Cleanliness Index Monitoring System) aim to reflect the cleanliness levels as stated in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (Scotland) 2006. The CIMS survey method takes a minimum random sample of 10% of streets cleansed by the local authority or agency, compared to a 2% sample size of a typical LEAMS survey. This gives a statistically valid set of results on completion of each survey.
· number of local communities participating in the Beautiful Scotland campaigns / · LEAMS system
· CIMS
· Scottish Environment Web
·
Material assets / 6.55. Percentage of children walking and cycling to school
6.56. Percentage of journey to work made by public or active transport / Leading more active lives is healthier (NO 6). Increasing the facilities for active travel and public transport is one aspect of making more sustainable places (NO 10). Integrating street with green networks can help to improve the quality of the built and natural environment (NO 12). Active travel and using public transport can help to reduce CO2 emissions (NO 14). All of these outcomes can also make Scotland a more attractive place for business with a more productive workforce (NO 1) / · Eco-Schools Scotland
· Active schools
· Workplace travel plans
· km of designated cycle paths
· core path plans and networks / · Active Schools
· Sustrans' School Travel Programme in Scotland
· Eco-Schools Scotland
· Sustrans - Active commuting and travel plans - help and advice (includes resources for Scotland)
· Core Path Plans
· Scottish Environment Web
Population and human health / 6.59 The proportion of adults making one or more visits to the outdoors per week / Increasing the numbers of visits to the outdoors contributes to physical and mental health (NO 6). As more people visit the outdoors, this behaviour is likely to become ‘normalised’ so encouraging others to make visits to the outdoors (a positive feedback), in turn increasing the number of people who value and enjoy the built and natural environment (NO 12) and build supportive communities (NO10 and 11) / · Kilometres of path network
· Connectivity of path network (e.g. access to core path network within 300m or a 5 min walk of residence)
· Amount of time spent in the outdoors/duration per visit
· New housing developments incorporating an access management plan
· Any usage data
· Local access forum activity and involvement of community representatives
· number of local communities participating in the Beautiful Scotland campaigns / · SNH Scottish Recreation Survey
· Paths for All – core path plans and path networks
· Scottish Environment Web
Climatic factors (mitigation) / 6.61. CO2 per capita / The transition to a low carbon economy (NO 14) is a central to Scotland’s economic aspirations (NO 1) and presents a range of employment opportunities (NO 2). It is an important driver in developing the skills to meet future challenges (NO 3) and nurturing responsible citizens (NO 4). Low carbon places involve wider use of active travel (NO 6), are well-designed and sustainable (NO 10) and nurture a strong community spirit (NO 11). Well-managed woodlands and carbon-rich soils can help to reduce emissions (NO 12 and 14).
Adapting to the impacts of climate change involves better governance of land use and land use change (NO 12) and well-designed sustainable places (NO 10). Adaptation can help to reduce the degree of disorder that we are exposed to (NO 9), and to reduce the costs of impacts when they do occur. / Mitigation
· Climate change – carbon footprints (scenario development to help inform action required to reduce CO2 per capita)
· km of designated cycle paths
· percentage of children cycling or walking to school (see indicator 50)
· percentage of journeys to work made by public or active transports (see indicator 51)
· Data on renewables generation, energy efficiency of homes, local authority CO2 emissions and renewable energy generation from its estate and operations
· Climate Challenge Fund projects data?
· Data gathered from energy ratings for public buildings
· Energy intensity of new buildings (aktiv/passiv haus; progress to zero carbon)
· New housing and commercial developments incorporating public transport provision from the start
· Woodland cover
· Woodland expansion (type and location, including urban)
· Community renewable projects
· Total installed renewables capacity across Local Authority Area
Adaptation
· Degree of preparedness for climate change ranked on a scale of 0 to 5 based on developing and maintaining an adaptation action plan. Ideally the ranking should be independently verified.
· landscape connectivity (measures habitat connectivity/ fragmentation, and the functioning of protected areas within habitat networks – can include green networks)
· Green network in spatial plans and planning policy
· Extent of natural floodplains
· Managed coastal retreat in plans / · Scottish Government Climate Change Act and associated policies
· Public Bodies Duty – guidance
· SSN Local Footprints
· Scottish Local Authorities Climate Change Declaration
· Scottish Government Climate Change Adaptation Framework and associated sector action plans
· Local Climate Impacts Profiles
· UK Climate Change Risk Assessment
· Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership
· SCCIP Adapting to Climate Change (for the public sector) and associated toolkit
· Scottish Environment Web
Soil / 6.62. Percentage of derelict land / Vacant and derelict requires rehabilitation to bring it back into beneficial use. Bringing the land back into use can help to create a better environment for business (NO 1) and contribute to better places (NO 10) and show how people value and enjoy the natural and built environment (NO12). / · Contaminated land
See also other indicators for soil / · Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS), Scottish Government
· Scottish Environment Web
Material assets / 6.63. Kilograms of household waste collected per capita
6.64. Tonnage of biodegradable household waste landfilled
6.65. Proportion of household waste recycled / The amount of waste produced is a good measure of sustainable (the less waste, the more sustainable), and shows how much we value the built and natural environment (NO 12). Improving these measures can signal Scotland as an attractive place for doing business (NO 1). Improving waste management is one aspect of making more sustainable places (NO 10). / · SEPA – waste
· Zero Waste Scotland
· WRAP
· Scottish Environment Web
Indicators below this line are proposed – work in progress
Biodiversity (flora and fauna) / Work in progress. Proposed indicator:
the proportion of national priority habitats in each LBAP area under positive management / The health and sustainability of ecosystem components underpins their ability to deliver a range of outcomes. Protecting and enhancing the habitats of local importance to people through positive management can help people to value and enjoy their local environments (NO 12). A high quality environment makes a direct contribution to everyone’s quality of life and can enhance mental health and wellbeing (NO 6). Using volunteers to carry out this work can help build stronger communities (NO 11) and build individuals’ skills (NO3). The physical activity involved can contribute to health outcomes (NO 6) and high quality local environments can encourage more visits to the outdoors (NO 6 and 2). These areas and species can also be used as a local curriculum resource for schools (NO 4). / · An alternative outcome indicator here is “Proportion of land that is positively managed for national priority species or habitats as a key objective.”
· Biodiversity action for some species may support this outcome indicator
· Landscape connectivity (measures habitat connectivity/ fragmentation, and the functioning of protected areas within habitat networks – can include green networks)
· Biodiversity – LBAP officers; funding to LBAP partnerships
· Volunteering - involvement in biodiversity conservation (e.g. number of volunteer days spent in LBAP actions and other environmental projects)
· membership of biodiversity NGOs
· knowledge of priority species and habitats in the planning system
· Incorporation of biodiversity within spatial plans and planning policy
· Area of farmland under relevant agri-environment schemes (SGRPID).
· Area of woodland managed or grant aided for biodiversity objectives (FCS)
· Measure of High Nature Value Farmland and Forestry (available after 2011)
· Area under natural heritage designations & condition (SNH)
· Area of LNRs, community woodlands and greenspaces managed for biodiversity.
· Area of land under appropriate Habitat Management Plans (e.g. for wind farms) (LAs)
· Agricultural workers engaged in agri-environment schemes
· A wide and active LBAP partnership involving public, voluntary and business sectors.
· Support for the partnership to ensure that work is co-coordinated and contributes to national priorities and reporting.
· Biodiversity priorities in Green Network plans.
· Land under conservation management / · BARS (Biological Action Reporting System)
· Scottish Environment Web
· Scottish Biodiversity Strategy
· LBAPs
· SGRPID
· FCS
· SNH (land under conservation management)
· LAs
· SNH/SAC and FCS for High Nature Value Farmland and Forestry
Soil / Work in progress
· Issues to consider:
Ideally the indicator would be e.g. ‘soils in good condition’ or ‘good ecological status’ (i.e. equivalent to water bodies under the Water Framework Directive).
But we have no formally agreed methodology or requirement to monitor soils or collect data to support this.
Healthy soil …
• grows good quality food and timber
• filters and stores water, helping provide clean drinking water and preventing flooding
• stores carbon, helping to mitigate climate change
• provides valued habitats
• preserves archaeological heritage
• provides raw materials
• provides a platform for building / Scotland’s prime agricultural soils provide high quality cereals, fruit and vegetable crops. Other soils support extensive livestock farming as well as important deer populations. These in turn support our food and drink industry. Soils also support commercially important forests. (NO1).
Most of Scotland’s drinking water has passed through or run off of Scotland’s soils into lochs and reservoirs. (NO6, NO11).