A New Measure of Progress

Authors: Linda Pannozzo and Ronald Colman

The report assesses whether progress towards sustainability has been made since the release of the 2001 GPI Forest Accounts for Nova Scotia in the following key areas: 1) forest age class distribution and restoration of older forests; 2) forest-dependent flora and fauna species at risk; 3) protected areas as percentage of total provincial land mass; 4) harvest methods; 5) value added per cubic metre of wood harvested; and 6) jobs created per unit of biomass harvested. The report is accompanied by a list of recommendations that flow from the evidence indicating how forest sustainability can be improved.
The GPI forest update is part of a major effort currently under way to update results from nearly 12 years of developmental work to create a Genuine Progress Index for Nova Scotia. That completed GPI will summarize key headline indicators in 20 social, economic, and environmental areas, and is intended to provide the province with a practical tool to measure its progress towards genuinely sustainable prosperity.

Authors: Aviva Savelson, MA, Ronald Colman, PhD, and William Martin

This 121-page report (which includes a 10-page executive summary) provides estimates of the economic costs of private vehicle use in HRM, including detailed breakdowns of the direct and indirect costs of driving in HRM. It also shows how many kilometres a year HRM residents drive, how much fuel they consume, and how many tonnes of greenhouse gases and air pollutants they emit. It compares the emissions of SUVs and minivans in HRM with those of cars, and provides a host of other statistics designed to help the Municipality measure its progress towards a more sustainable transportation system.

The detailed GPI indicators, measures, and cost estimates contained in this report are designed for use in implementing HRM's new Municipal Planning Strategy, which intends to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation system that reduces driving and congestion, encourages walking and bicycling, and supports much greater use of mass transit.

Authors: Linda Pannozzo, Karen Hayward and Ronald Colman

Assisted by: Vanessa Hayward

"Education Indicators for the Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index: How Educated Are Nova Scotians?" explores what is meant by an educated populace, how that can be measured, and whether Canadians have the knowledge required to create a healthy, wise, and sustainable society. Ideally, evidence of positive learning outcomes should be seen in desirable societal outcomes such as good health, equity, environmental stewardship, cultural diversity, and social wellbeing.

Specifically, this new GPIAtlantic report includes important information and trends in basic literacy, civic literacy, and ecological literacy, access to education (including student debt and tuition), the independence of university research, and financing of public education. The report also examines the inadequacy of conventional education indicators like graduation and drop-out rates, and the need for new indicators of educational attainment that assess how educated and knowledgeable the populace actually is. A comprehensive list of potential education indicators has been developed to provide examples of the types of indicators that can be used to create a broader and more meaningful assessment of knowledge and learning outcomes in the populace than is presently possible, along with descriptions of some of the best measurement tools currently available in these areas.

Two documentaries detailing the involvement of the GPI Youth group in the Rethinking Development, as well as the events of the conference itself, are now availble by mail. Simply send a request to info@gpiatlantic.org.

These two informative and entertaining documentaries are also available for viewing here.

Authors: Ronald Colman, PhD and Janet Rhymes, MA

The full economic and social costs of tobacco use in Nova Scotia were reported by GPI Atlantic in The Cost of Tobacco in Nova Scotia (2000). This current report uses the latest and most widely accepted research and analytical techniques to update and enhance our knowledge of the
real costs of tobacco use to Nova Scotians. This update is necessary in light of recent research findings, and because new results have become available to provide evidence of the impacts of comprehensive tobacco control strategies in other jurisdictions. Most importantly, tobacco use in
the province has declined significantly since 2000, largely as a result of comprehensive tobacco reduction strategies implemented by the Province of Nova Scotia, so the trends outlined in the 2000 report (based on the most recent 1999 data available at that time) also required updating.

Authors: Janet Eaton, PhD; and Peter Eaton, PhD
with assistance from Clare Levin

The four Atlantic Provinces, while distinct from each other, together have many unique features which make the Atlantic Canadian region particularly suitable for piloting a proven method of advancing sustainable development. The Natural Step framework offers a unique and practical approach to sustainability, helping communities and businesses become more environmentally and socially responsible one step at a time. The primer examines the particular challenges and strengths of Atlantic Canada, and proposes that the region pilot the adoption of The Natural Step (TNS) framework as a systemic and overarching model to guide communities, governments, businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations in becoming more sustainable.

Released in conjunction with the launch of the Atlantic Canada Sustainability Initiative