Collaborative Community Sustainability Strategies, with special guest Amelia Clarke (Sustainability Dialogue)

The Natural Step Canada Exchange's May instalment of the Sustainability Dialogue Series features guest speaker Dr. Amelia Clarke from the University of Waterloo.

In the last two years in Canada over 100 municipalities have formulated or are formulating Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSPs). While there has been significant support for their formulation, there is little guidance available for their implementation.

This presentation offers original findings about options for implementing collaborative sustainability plans with multiple partners. This information is highly relevant for any local government undertaking an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP), a Local Agenda 21, or other collaborative sustainability strategy. It is also relevant for businesses interested in stakeholder relations and community engagement.

The presentation will detail the key results of Dr. Clarke's PhD research. The study examined the governance structures put in place for implementation and the findings showed four models being used in Canada: 

1. Implementing through Joint Projects;
2. Implementing through Partner Organizations;
3. Implementing through a Focal Organization; and
4. Informal Implementation.

The presentation will offer a focused look at four cases, each representing one of the models: Montreal’s Collective Sustainable Development Strategy, Hamilton’s Vision 2020, Vancouver’s citiesPLUS, and Whistler 2020. By considering how these initiatives were structured (i.e., which organizations were involved, what processes were put in place, what committee (or other) structure did they use, how was progress monitored, etc.), and by considering what was achieved, lessons are offered on what approaches are most effective for achieving desired results, and what motivates partners to engage. In addition, five criteria for evaluating an implementation governance structure will be explained.  

Speaker Biography

Dr. Amelia Clarke, University of Waterloo
Amelia Clarke has been working on environment and sustainability issues since 1989, and was recognized as one of 50 Canadian environmental leaders in the spring 2008 issue of magazine Green Living. She is now a faculty member in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) at the University of Waterloo and is Director of the Master of Environment and Business (MEB) executive-education program. She holds a PhD in Management from McGill University. Her research has been published in international journals and she has presented at over 100 events, both in Canada and abroad.

Dr. Clarke was also the President of Sierra Club of Canada from 2003 to 2006. She has served on numerous committees and boards, including: the Canadian Earth Summit Coalition Committee (ongoing); The Natural Step’s Emerging Leaders Advisory Committee (ongoing); the Atlantic Canada Sustainability Initiative’s Governance Committee (2007-2010); the Sierra Club Canada’s National Board (2000-2010); the Program Committee for the International Forum on Applied Sustainable Development (2007); the Canadian Advisory Committee to the World Peace Forum (2006); the federal government’s National Advisory Committee to the U.N. Habitat’s World Urban Forum III (2006); and the Canadian delegation during the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg) negotiations (2002). In 1996, she founded the Sierra Youth Coalition, and is proud of having launched their sustainable campus program which is now active on more than 70 university campuses.

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Amelia Clarke currently lives with her family in Kitchener, Ontario.

Our Sustainability Dialogues are exclusive to Premium Members of The Natural Step Exchange. For information about The Natural Step Exchange and how you or your organization can join, please check out our Membership Package or contact us today!