Integrative approaches towards Zero Emissions regional planning: synergies of concepts

This paper presents four strategic approaches for sustainable regional development: The Natural Step Framework, Zero Emissions, Eco-Industrial Parks, and The Rocky Mountains Institute's Economic Renewal program. An analysis against the requirements of regional planning shows a great synergy potential among these concepts. A joint approach would be advisable, not only on the content side, as the presented concepts differently fulfil the requirements of regional planning, but also on the organisational side, in terms of coordinating efforts and allocating personnel, time and financial resources. However, all four concepts seem to lack two aspects: First, a project must meet the needs of the residents and fit their regional and personal identities in order to get them involved, and second, most development projects need clear monitoring structures. In order to close these gaps, we propose to integrate a tool that helps to understand people's livelihood systems, as well as monitoring tools such as Ecological Footprint accounts, Factor X models or Material Impact calculations.