Abstract
WP-1999-02
Toward Community Environmental Sustainability Indicators for Oakland
May 1999 / 89 pp.- Julia K. Larkin
The Oakland Indicator Project (OIP) is embarking on a process to develop community sustainability indicators for Oakland, California. This report is a resource document to help facilitate the process of developing environmental indicators as part of the larger package of indicators. Larkin identifies key lessons learned from recent and historical indicator efforts that can help Oakland determine the most appropriate framework and criteria for developing effective community sustainability indicators. Oakland's Strategic Plan provides a framework that can be readily adapted for use by the indicator project. The framework is divided into four major issue areas covering economic, environmental, social and community building issues. Effective sustainability indicators will highlight the linkages among the environmental, economic and social aspects of the community.
To select indicators that educate and promote action, the community should select a package of indicators that address current environmental priorities. A concise set of well-chosen indicators is more user-friendly than dozens of indicators addressing the environment alone. Larkin proposes the indicators be assessed in terms of data quality as to whether they are accessible and affordable, comparable (standardized), consistent and reliable, credible, measurable, relevant and valid. Once the list of proposed indicators has been narrowed, based on how it meets the above criteria, the indicators should be assessed in terms of how useful they are to the community. Larkin proposes the following criteria for assessing usefulness. Do they balance local and nonlocal concerns? Do they compel, interest and excite? Do they focus on resources and assets? Do they lead by focusing on causes and not symptoms? Do they make linkages and relationships? Do they relate to the whole community? Are they understandable?
Major challenges include defining the scope of the project, facilitating diverse community participation, and managing costs. In addition, data collection challenges include availability, consistency, and interpretation of the data as well as its comparability with other communities. There is no "right" way to develop community sustainability indicators. The process itself facilitates community empowerment, and is often even more important than any policy outcomes achieved.
Recommendations with respect to indicator selection, improving the selection process, increasing usefulness, and managing costs are given to aid Oakland in developing community sustainability indicators along with next steps once the indicators have been chosen and defined.
