Royal Geographical Society with Ip Sustainable Development Case Studies Country: London Borough of Camden, UK Aim: To achieve an efficient, equitable and safe transport system which improves the quality of life of people living within the local authority by reducing traffic on the roads and supports air quality targets. Promoting healthy life styles - ‘Green transport plans’ are developed jointly with the private sector and schools that ensure local transport needs are met, along with reduced car use and promotion of walking, cycling, public transport, and use of electric or gas vehicles. The transport strategy establishes ‘Clear Zones’ which will be ‘low emission’ areas that prioritize car-free lifestyles via walking, cycling and public transport to promote healthier living, Awareness raising - The authority celebrates the international car-free day which promotes greater understanding and awareness of the impacts of transport. It also holds other promotional campaigns and events such as “Don't Choke Camden’ day, Country: Government of Uganda Aim: Solar drying of crops without the disadvantages of leaving crop vulnerable to rain and pests, + Long-term storage of crop for home use and export, + Development of income for women Crops in Africa have traditionally been solar dried in order to preserve them. However, crops left outdoors are vulnerable to pests and need someone to guard them. Rural women's groups were more interested in solar dryers for income generation than for food. The “Fruits of the Nile” company was formed in 1992 to link rural producers with the market for dried fruit in Europe. Within three years, more than 50 women’s groups had taken up the solar drier technology, and in 1995, the company exported more than 40 tons of dried fruit. The dried fruit is produced by the women’s groups and transported to a central collection point in Kampala. Produce is then inspected for quality and exported to a marketing group in the UK, Country: Government of Canada Aim: To find a long term solution that will protect ecosystems from acid rain, ‘The Canadian Acid Rain Programme aims to solve the acid deposition problem in eastern Canada & prevent this problem in western and northern Canada. Acid deposition remains a stubbom problem, affecting humans, their environments and the economy, mainly key Canadian industries. by the GA and the RGS-IBG SsRoyal Geographical Society with Isc Country: Government of Bangladesh Aim: Provide energy to a remote community where there is no electricity * Replace kerosene lamps with more energy efficient, less fire prone, and healthier energy sources * Provide sustainable trade and income for women in the community It provides lighting and indoor air quality for rural households by replacing the traditional kerosene lamps with modern fluorescent battery-powered lamps, which have a reduced risk of fire and do not give off smoke and other emissions harmful to human health, ‘The fluorescent lamps are produced and marketed by a women in an area where an extension of the electricity grid is not likely in the next 20 years. Ifa woman makes and sells two lamps a day, she earns wages equivalent to a skilled labourer, which benefits both her family and improves her social status. The remote ‘community also benefits from the lamps, which are highly efficient and have low energy consumption. Country: Government of Brazil Promote the use of bioethanol and flexi-fuel cars + Ensure that flexi-fuel cars are affordable + Ensure that bioethanol and biofuels are available at regular petrol stations In Brazil, bioethanol has been used as a commercial liquid fuel for many years, with the Government being the first to initiate the promotion of bioethanol in the 70s, In the last two years, with rising oil prices and search for cleaner and renewable energies, the government has re-focused on bioethanol and flexi-fuel cars, which can be powered by both petrol and ethanol, ‘Country: Government of USA Aim: To convert waste methane (a greenhouse gas) at Vermont's largest landfill site into a renewable energy resource used to produce electricity for the regional power grid, In Coventry, Vermont, the Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC) successfully established a landfill gas-to-electricity generating plant. This team approach to regional planning and coordination incorporated resourcefulness and a determination to serve the community's and the waste plants’s members best interests in turning landfill methane gas into useful electricity over the next 25 years, while reducing the health risks of methane gas emissions. by the GA and the RGS-IBG SsRoyal Geographical Society with Isc Country: Government of India Aim: Promote development of renewable energy Foster new local enterprises Where local governments have encouraged the production of renewable energy, their communities have realized economic benefits and secured their energy supply, further attracting new industrial development that is not reliant on nonrenewable energy sources. In Tamil Nadu, India, a State-run programme to promote the development of renewable energy resulted in the production of over 650 turbines for wind power generation. The development of wind energy has given rise to new local enterprises, including those specializing in the design and construction of wind energy equipment. Country: Government of India Aim: Improving technical efficiency of Chinese Coal Power Plants. * Providing know-how on energy efficiency and potentials for energy savings in power plant operation + Reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in China Over the last twenty years, electricity production in China has risen at a rate of 9% per year. Given the rapid economic growth, demand for energy in China will continue to increase. By providing technical and financial assistance, the energy efficiency of Chinese coal-fired power plants has been improved. Operators were able to achieve substantial economic savings. In addition, CO, emissions have decreased. Source: UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development http://webapps0 1 un.org/dsd/caseStudy/public/Welcome.do