The Natural Step for a sustainable New Zealand. Where is TNS from? Origin in Sweden as educational programme for schools, households and business - started.

The Natural Stepfor a sustainable New Zealand

Where is TNS from?

• Origin in Sweden as educational programme for schools, households and business - started by cancer scientist Karl-Henrik Robert. (Story told in his book due 2002 from New Society publishers, USA)

• Taken up in UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, NZ and other countries during 1990s, where TNS valued as sustainability education within business, often alongside tools such as Environmental Management Systems (e.g. ISO 14001), or ‘Triple Bottom Line’ company annual reporting.

WHAT IS TNS ?THE NATURAL STEP

COMPASS &GuidingPHILOSOPHY

SUSTAINABILITY:EnvironmentalSocialEconomic

“Yes, and ..

Profit, +doing good

Consensus & partnerships

Based on sound science & & systems thinking

International

SUSTAINABILITY

Economy

Society

Ecology

Now

The problem of system capacity

Time

Ecosystem Capacity falling

Human Demand rising

Agricultural land needed

E.g. world supply of fertile arable land

NaturalResource

Margin for actionis reducing

In the Funnel (as options reduce)

Capacity

Demand

Decreasing: resource availability

Increasing: populationglobal demand

market competitivenessregulation by government

waste assimilative capacityrestorative capacity

Business PlanningOptions

sustainable business

System Overview

Details = leaves

Fundamental Principles= trunk and branches

© 2000 The Natural Step. All rights reserved.

Basic Science

• matter & energy cannot be created or destroyed (nothing disappears)

• matter & energy tend to spread spontaneously (everything spreads)

• material quality is in the concentration & structure of matter

• material quality on earth is net-produced only by sun-driven processes

Natural Cycles

© 2000 The Natural Step. All rights reserved.

Nature’s economy is cyclical

• Waste from one organism is resource for another

– Oxygen is waste from plants’ capture of carbon– Carbon dioxide is waste from animals’ respiration– Plants and animals become food for other animals and

for bacteria and fungi, which recycle minerals, etc.

• No accumulation of waste in nature, only cycles

Inefficiency of resource use

  Resource Product

Source: Robert Ayres, Industrial Metabolism

94% 94% waste before product sold

4.8% waste

within 6 weeks 

1.2%

System Condition 1

In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing……

…concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust;

This means substituting certain minerals that are scarce in nature with others that are more abundant, using all mined materials efficiently, and systematically reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

System Condition 2

In sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing ….

…..concentrations of substances produced by society;

System Condition 3

In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing….

…degradation by physical means;

This means drawing resources only from well-managed eco-systems, systematically pursuing the most productive and efficient use both of those resources and land, and exercising caution in all kinds of modification of nature.

System Condition 4

In the sustainable society….

...human needs are met world wide.

This means that in a sustainable society, basic human needs must be met with the most resource-efficient methods possible, including a just resource distribution.

Apply to Business Strategy The company asks:

1. How can we reduce our dependence on mining and fossil fuels?

2. How can we reduce our dependence on releasing persistent, unnatural substances?

3. How can we reduce our dependence on land and nature-consuming activities?

4. How can we do more with less, so resources can be spread equitably? How to achieve fairness?

We use ‘backcasting’ not forecasting

start at Step 1Describe the

desired future (vision)

then Step 2Develop a programme for change to take you to that desired future, in steps

Overseas users of TNS

• Paul Hawken, author of ‘Natural Capitalism’ and ‘Ecology of Commerce’ (he advised Pres.Clinton).

• Interface (floor-coverings), Home Depot (US retailer), Electrolux (appliances), McDonalds Sweden; Carillion and Tarmac (UK construction co’s), Environmental Protection Agencies (Aus and UK), Toyota cars Aus., National Panasonic (Japan), City and Resort of Whistler (Canada), City of Seattle, and dozens more.

The Natural Step in NZ

• Team of accredited, consultants/advisors, others in training.

• NZ companies already using TNS Framework©

include 9 ‘Pathfinder’ larger firms, Christchurch City Council and 6 small businesses (CCC assisted)

• National Coordinators based at Lincoln: Rhys Taylor, Maria Fairburn. Ph.03 325 6711 [email protected]

• http://www.tns.org.nz Website will include case studies later in 2002

The Natural Stepfor a sustainable Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

History

• ‘ERTI’

• The Natural Resources Center

• Environmental Courses

• Initial Environmental Review

• Environmental Policy

Our Process of adopting TNS

Why did we do it?– Good business sense– The ‘right time’?

» Internal and external (Pathfinder Programme)

– Organisational Champions

How did we do it?Project approach

» From idea » to strategic plan » to business plan» to implementation

Current Status

Initial TNS Training

TNS Consultant involvement

Cross-Functional Project Group

Active Communication

Environmental Policy based on 4SC’s

Objectives for 2002 in Business Plan

Plan to proceed with implementation

Extract from our revised Environmental Policy

System Condition 1: Reduce our use of materials that come from mining and fossil fuels, especially materials that are naturally scarce in the Earth's crust.

System Condition 2: Reduce our use of synthetic substances that are toxic and/or don't biodegrade.

System Condition 3: Promote environmental restoration and reduce use of materials from nature that are harvested unsustainably or used in ways that reduce natural productivity and biodiversity.

System Condition 4: Increase environmental awareness and use resources efficiently and fairly so that all basic human needs can be met.

The Future

• ‘Bringing our own house in order’– Continuing the culture change– Checking more of our operations against the 4SC’s– Reporting on our financial, environmental and social performance– Gaining ISO 14001

• Adopting an Environmental Conscience– Leading the Way– Educating for Sustainability

• Communication– http://topic/TNS/TNS.cfm