State of the Fraser Basin Report 2004: Snapshot 2
Research and writing is now underway for the State of the Fraser Basin Report 2004: Snapshot 2 . The second biennial indicator report will be available at the start of the 2004 State of the Fraser Basin Conference on November 26, 2004.
The Snapshot 2 report will feature three different types of trend analysis and a set of sustainability "stories", building on the scope of the first Snapshot :
- Indicator trend updates using new and more current data.
- New approaches including new sustainability topics, new indicators and new information sources.
- Regional profiles for each of the five regions of the Fraser Basin: Upper Fraser, Cariboo-Chilcotin, Thompson, Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver Sea to Sky.
- Sustainability stories that are intended to illustrate, or "put a face on", sustainability in a way that indicator data trends are not suited to do.
Indicators Track Our Progress toward Sustainability
A vital part of the Fraser Basin Council's mandate includes measuring progress towards sustainability in the Basin. To this end, the FBC worked for two years in partnership with government, non-government, private sector and community organizations to develop, for the first time, a series of sustainability indicators to provide insight on how well we're achieving sustainability in the Fraser Basin.
Sustainability indicators are useful tools to track progress toward sustainability goals, report on key social, economic, environmental and decision-making trends, and promote dialogue that will improve decision-making and facilitate action toward a more sustainable Basin. Indicators are not decisive measurements or solutions in and of themselves, but they can reflect certain trends and help identify areas where progress is being made, or where more change is required.
The purposes for developing the FBC sustainability indicators are to:
- Inform and/or influence the development of policies or programs to address sustainability issues.
- Identify critical issues and priority responses to improve progress towards sustainability.
- Increase public awareness and understanding about sustainability issues.
- Identify information gaps and research priorities to develop improved knowledge about sustainability over time.
2003 Sustainability Indicator Report
A major highlight of the 2003 State of the Fraser Basin Conference was the release of A Snapshot on Sustainability: State of the Fraser Basin Report. The report provides a "medical check-up" for the Fraser Basin and its communities, and gives a broad picture of where we stand today and how we can create a more sustainable future.
This groundbreaking report examines a wide range of environmental, social and economic indicators. These indicators help to measure trends in such topics as population, water and air quality, fish and wildlife, health, education, housing, aboriginal/ non-aboriginal relations, income and employment, economic diversity, corporate social responsibility, forestry, agriculture, energy and flood management.
FBC staff prepared the report with input from over 500 individuals and organizations, as well as guidance from an advisory committee regarding indicator options, data quality, availability and sources, and indicator trend analysis.
The FBC has received an overwhelmingly positive response to its sustainability report. Readers have commented on the quantity and quality of information, the sustainability analysis, the readability of the report and the collaborative process that was used to develop the document. The report has already been distributed to over 7,500 individuals, organizations and agencies.
Contact Project Manager Steve Litke for more information at 604-488-5358 or slitke@fraserbasin.bc.ca.
For a copy of A Snapshot on Sustainability: State of the Fraser Basin Report or more information on indicators, call the Fraser Basin Council at (604) 488-5350, email us at: info@fraserbasin.bc.ca or go to:
A Snapshot on Sustainability: State of the Fraser Basin Report 
- 4.2MB
Sustainability Indicators for the Fraser Basin: Consultation Report – September 2001 - 904KB
Sustainability Indicators for the Fraser Basin: Workbook – October 2000 - 1.1MB