Publications Overview

Every dollar invested in climate change action now avoids more than $17 in future damages—GPI Atlantic

The costs of future climate change are so astronomical that even modest investments cutting greenhouse gas emissions now will produce huge savings in avoided damages in future.

Climate change economists estimate that each tonne of greenhouse gases we emit will cause at least $38 in global climate change damages. When compared to costs of drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions now, GPI Atlantic found that every dollar invested now will save at least $17 in avoided future damage costs.

Nova Scotia has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% since 1990, mainly from electricity, through increased use of wind power, heat pumps, and efficiency measures. But Nova Scotians are also driving more, and emitting ever more greenhouse gases from cars and gas-guzzling SUVs. Every Nova Scotian still emits 18 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year – twice as much as West Europeans, 65% more than Quebecois, the fifth highest in Canada, and the fourth highest per dollar of GDP – 13% above the national average.

In Nova Scotia, climate change is predicted to increase extreme weather events, particularly hurricanes, floods, and droughts, and to flood low-lying regions round Halifax Harbour, Yarmouth and the Bay of Fundy due to sea-level rise, higher tides, and greater storm intensity, frequency and surges.

The Geological Survey of Canada projects a 75-centimetre sea level rise in Halifax Harbour this century. Nova Scotia’s southern and eastern shores will see more erosion and coastal instability, and Environment Canada warns of potential saltwater infiltration into Nova Scotia groundwater, threats to communication links, and falling lake and groundwater levels.

GPI Atlantic has a new Share the Earth youth project. Students may also join the GPI Climate Change Working Group to help produce briefs like this one. Please contact gwen@gpiatlantic.org to sign up and check the GPI Atlantic Facebook Page for details of upcoming workshops.

Sources for the information here:

GPI Atlantic reports
What NS is Doing

Additional Materials:

Authors: Karen Hayward, Linda Pannozzo and Ronald Colman

Authors: Anthony Charles, Chris Burbidge, Heather Boyd and Amanda Lavers

The over-fishing that depleted many of Nova Scotia’s formerly abundant commercial fish stocks, and led to the infamous cod collapse of the 1990s, has left the province’s fishing industry vulnerable to the current economic crisis – as is being seen today in the lobster fishery. This is one of the key findings of a new report by GPIAtlantic, the Nova Scotia based non-profit research group that is developing new measures of progress for the province. The report, Fisheries and the Marine Environment in Nova Scotia: Searching for Sustainability and Resilience, highlights key ecological, socioeconomic and institutional aspects that should be monitored by government agencies and considered by decision-makers. The report updates and extends a previous 2002 report, with a new analysis of where the province’s fisheries and marine ecosystems are heading, based on nine “headline indicators”. Among the highlights is a new indicator showing that we are “fishing down the marine food web”, relying more and more on species low in the food chain. On the human side, a key indicator of resilience and overall health in the fishery, the age profile of fishers, shows a worrying trend; the average age of fishers has been increasing considerably over time, indicating that young people are finding it hard to enter the industry. Other indicators in the report include the size and abundance of fish stocks, the state of marine “species at risk”, the extent of shellfish closures along our coasts, the fishery Gross Domestic Product, and fishery employment. The report draws on all these indicators to lay out areas in which action is needed to ensure sustainable prosperity along our coasts into the future.

Authors: Linda Pannozzo, Ronald Colman, Nathan Ayer, Tony Charles, Chris Burbidge, Seton Stiebert, Dave Sawyer, and Colin Dodds

This comprehensive report provides Nova Scotia with its first integrated set of progress measures that assess how the Province is doing —socially, economically, and environmentally. The Nova Scotia Genuine Progress was developed as a pilot project for Canada, and is therefore also now ready for replication in other provinces and nationally.

This 2008 Genuine Progress Index for Nova Scotia—which updates and completes 12 years of intensive research and development—presents the most recent available evidence on all 20 components of the Nova Scotia GPI-—from trends in health, crime, education, wealth, income, economic security, employment, and volunteer work to greenhouse gases, air pollution, fisheries, forests, transportation, energy, waste management, agriculture, and water quality.

The report also updates all key GPI economic valuations—including the cost of crime to Nova Scotia, the economic value of voluntary work, and the benefits and costs (in dollar terms) of the Province achieving its greenhouse gas and pollution reduction targets.

By contrast, conventional GDP-based progress measures misleadingly count natural resource depletion, and crime, pollution, and greenhouse gas emission costs as economic gains, and they ignore the value of voluntary and other unpaid work.

In the past 12 years, GPI Atlantic—whose mandate is to develop new and better measures of progress, wellbeing, and sustainable development—has released nearly 100 separate reports on a wide range of different progress measures. This is the first report that integrates all these measures, and therefore for the first time makes it possible to answer the big question: How is Nova Scotia really doing? And are we really making progress towards sustainable prosperity?

This report provides the technical background information that would be required to produce a report assessing the health costs associated with poverty for Canada. As such, it reviews methodologies used in previous studies to assess: the broad social and economic costs of poverty in Canada (Calgary), the United States, and Europe; methodologies used in socioeconomic health disparity studies with an emphasis on studies from New Zealand and The Netherlands, as well as general cost of illness studies; basic information on Canadian and international poverty measures; and evidence for the association of poverty with various health indicators. In addition, it briefly reviews several groups that are especially vulnerable to the health impacts of poverty, and other social issues that influence the relationship between poverty and health.

The emphasis of this report is on the information and data that would be required to assess the external health costs of poverty, rather than the private costs incurred by those living in poverty. These external health costs, which all have major policy implications in terms of government decisions to invest in poverty reduction programs, include costs to the health care system that result from the association between poorer health outcomes and low income. There are, however, other costs, which result from the effects of poverty on society in general. These include costs related to the criminal justice system, social assistance programs, educational systems, and to employment and productivity. In addition, other social issues that result in social exclusion, such as homelessness, food insecurity, and environmental problems also register as costs. Due to time and resource limitations, these social costs are explored only briefly in this report.

The review is intended as a useful starting point for further work in this area—in particular the eventual development of a full-fledged study assessing the health and other social costs of poverty for Canada and the provinces that will hopefully make a significant contribution to advancing work in the field of social and economic determinants of health. In the short term, it is hoped that even this modest first step of summarizing key results from the existing evidence can raise the profile of this important issue and facilitate the practical application of this information to decisions made in the policy arena and in this field of research.

The purpose of this report is to provide the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and specifically, the Population Health Promotion Expert Group (PHPEG) and the Healthy Living Issue Group (HLIG) of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network (PHN) with information, analysis and suggestions for a common set of health disparities indicators, and a feasible approach to their implementation in the Canadian context. The objective is to identify indicators that could lead to an agreed upon set of measures that could be used by Federal- Provincial/Territorial (F-P/T) jurisdictions to assess progress in the reduction of health disparities. Specifically, the mandate of the report is to include:

• A comprehensive review of existing Canadian and international data sources to identify indicators of health disparities for which data are available,
• A gap analysis to determine indicators which are desirable and for which data are not being collected, and
• Recommendations for a common set of indicators of health disparities and a feasible approach for their implementation in the Canadian context.

This 338-page report—the last (and possibly most important) of six volumes in the GPI Soils and Agriculture Accounts developed over more than a decade—examines the contribution of agriculture to rural community viability in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island from an economic, social, environmental, and community perspective.

The study looks at trends in wages paid by farms, ratios of wages to farm expenses and receipts, jobs in agriculture, age of farmers and potential for farm renewal, food imports vs purchase of local food, percentage of consumer food dollar going back to farmers, and the wide range of economic, social, and environmental contributions made by farms to rural communities in the two provinces. It suggests new indicators required to track progress towards a healthy farm and food sector in the Maritimes.

The report also examines the economic and social implications for rural communities in the two provinces if farms falter and if farming ceases to be viable. And it looks at the growth of farmers’ markets and other new forms of farmer-consumer relations developing outside the normal retail sector. The report is so comprehensive and far-reaching in its scope that it has the potential to become a blueprint for the future of agriculture in the region.

This report assesses trends in Nova Scotians’ free time and work hours. It also looks at which Nova Scotians are most time stressed, and at who has more free time and who has less. And for the first time, it puts a dollar value on Nova Scotians’ free time, based on the value that free time has as a buffer against stress and as a condition of physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The report also looks at how Nova Scotians spend their free time — how much time do they spend watching television, socializing, reading, playing sports, going to movies, and eating out at restaurants. And what are the trends in these activities? Are Nova Scotians watching more TV and reading more than they used to, or less?

The GPI study also breaks down free time hours and leisure time activities by sex, age, work status, marital status, age of children, and time of week to find out which groups are doing which activities and for how long. And it examines major changes over the last two decades in male-female work and free time patterns.

Free time is one of 20 core components of the Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index because it is one of the most basic conditions of wellbeing and quality of life. According to Dr. Andrew Harvey, Department of Economics, and Director of Time Use Research at Saint Mary’s University, who is the report lead author, “free time is the only time we have to do what we want, not what we have to do—to pursue our interests and enjoy our lives.”

This report examines trends in household wealth since the 1980s—in Canada as a whole and in the Atlantic region. In particular it looks at trends in wealth distribution, including Atlantic Canada’s share of national wealth and in the portion of wealth owned by the top, middle and lower wealth groups.

The report examines financial security and trends in total household debt, and assesses how many Atlantic Canadians are so seriously in debt that they could not pay off their debts even if they sold everything they owned, including their homes. It undertakes a detailed examination of household borrowing patterns and of the different kinds of debt, including mortgages, student loans, vehicle loans, lines of credit, credit card debt, and payday loans, and looks at their implications for financial security. The report also includes additional sections on trends in bankruptcies and government debt.

Financial security is a key measure of progress and wellbeing in the Genuine Progress Index (GPI) because adequate wealth enables households to weather the unexpected financial crises that can result from job loss, sickness, or loss of an income-earning partner. They can also provide a reserve for house or car repairs that are suddenly required, or for other unanticipated financial outlays that would strain normal income.

Conversely, financial insecurity can seriously compromise wellbeing and cause a range of other problems including stress, anxiety, illness, and (in extreme cases) even crime and suicide. As well, sharp wealth and income inequalities can threaten social stability and cohesion, and undermine productivity and health. For these reasons, financial security is one of the 20 core components of the Nova Scotia GPI.

• Are farmers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island earning enough to stay in business?
• If not, how will the loss of farms affect jobs and income in rural communities?
• Do the prices farmers get for farm products cover their costs of production?
• And how do those prices compare to the cost of food in grocery stores?
• What, in short, is the future of farming in the Maritimes? — Is farming still a viable institution in the region, and can it survive?

• Net farm income
• Expense to income ratio
• Farm debt
• Total debt to net farm income ratio
• Solvency ratio (total liabilities or debt divided by total assets or capital value of farms)
• Return on investment

Sharp increases in global fuel and food prices, much higher transportation costs, and warnings of major commodity price fluctuations have increased insecurity about our food supply and forced many jurisdictions to look at reducing dependence on imported food supplies. Does Nova Scotia have sufficient fertile, good quality farm land to feed itself? That’s one of the provocative questions examined in this report on the province’s land capacity, which is the third section of Part 2 (Resource Capacity and Land Use) of the GPI Soils and Agriculture Accounts.

Part 1 of the GPI Soils and Agriculture Accounts is the Economic Viability of Farming, and Part 3 (to be released in August, 2008) is on Human and Social Capital in Agriculture. The previous two sections of Part 2 (Resource Capacity and Land Use) are: Soil Quality and Productivity and The Value of Agricultural Biodiversity. Summaries of those reports can be accessed here.

This new study also examines long and short-term trends in the province’s farm land and estimates the total real estate and productive values of that farm land in dollar terms. It also assesses the quality of Nova Scotia’s farm land, including its susceptibility to water erosion and compaction. The new report is particularly timely in view of public debates in the Annapolis Valley about whether prime farm land should be conserved for growing food. Compensating farmers for loss of development rights is an issue that is addressed in the report.

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.

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

Authors: Aviva Savelson, MA; Ronald Colman, PhD; Todd Litman, MES; Sally Walker, PhD; and Ryan Parmenter, MEDes
with assistance from William Martin, Clare Levin, Gillian Austin, Ben Gallagher, Jenny Gimian, Jaspal Marwah, and Antoni Wysocki

• Introduction
• Appendix 1. Notes on Appendices, Top Issues Raised by Glace Bay Respondents & Respondent Hypotheses
• Appendix 2. Care Giving & Health
• Appendix 3. Time Use & Health
• Appendix 4. Discouraged Workers' Health & Well-Being Draft
• Appendix 5. Peace & Security in Glace Bay & Kings County
• Appendix 6. Tobacco Use & Health in Glace Bay & Kings County
• Appendix 7. Report on Teenage & Youth Smoking Habits in King's County
• Appendix 8. Core Values as Potential Mediator Between Health & Employment: A Comparison of Glace Bay & Kings County
• Appendix 9. GPI Glace Bay Web Site & Sample Reporting
• Appendix 10. Community Involvement in Developing Community GPI History & Questionnaire Development
• Appendix 11. GPI Kings Society Formation, Directors, Activities & Public Meetings
• Appendix 12. Glace Bay Genuine Progress Index Research Society Formation, Directors, Activities & Public Meetings

• Contents
• Part 1: Developing a Community Genuine Progress Index
• Part 2a: The Community GPI Survey
• Part 2b: Employment/Underemployment Questionnaire
• Part 2c: Health and Community Questionnaire
• Part 2d: Peace and Security Questionnaire
• Part 2e: Ecological Footprint Questionnaire
• Part 2f: Household Food Consumption Diary
• Part 2g: Time Use Survey
• Part 3: Preliminary Farmer Survey and Statistical Review
• Part 3a: Farm Viability and Economic Capacity in Nova Scotia
• Part 4: Kings County Community GPI Development Project
• Part 5: GPI Atlantic Report to the NCPC Business Action Program

The implications of infrastructure deficit assessments for highway expenditure accounting, standard methods of assessment and sample estimates, general and specific policy implications, and examples of road-pricing designed to reduce road wear costs.

Abstract: This analysis, prepared for the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation, makes the case for a full-cost accounting analysis of highway investments. Currently, highway capital and maintenance costs are "expensed" in a single year rather than regarded as long-term investments that should pay for themselves over their lifetime by providing services in excess of the investment costs.

This report examines issues like accounting for "generated traffic" from new highway construction, and "deferred investment" or "infrastructure deficits" incurred when needed maintenance is deferred and the capital asset depreciates in value. It concludes with an examination of European models (Sweden and the U.K.) in which user charges are assessed in proportion to road damage caused by different types of vehicles, so that highways pay for themselves rather than incur taxpayer subsidies.

The model proposed in this report is similar to that currently used for landfills. As landfills have a predictable life span based on usage, investments in composting and recycling are cost-effective ways of extending the life span of landfills and slowing their rate of depreciation. If highways were made to "pay for themselves" in this way, there would be greater incentives for car-pooling and van-pooling that would reduce usage and road damage and thus extend the life of the investment.

1. the provision of better information through benefit-cost analysis,
2. the identification of investment strategies that carry minimal social and environmental costs and that can assist in long-term sustainable planning,
3. the provision of early warning systems of potential resource depletion that allow timely remedial action,
4. greater clarity of purpose, vision and direction through benchmarking and comparability,
5. the potential for regional economic benefit from adoption of the new index.