| The Natural Step |
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The Natural Step is an international, non-profit organization that promotes a greater understanding and commitment to sustainability as well as vast implementation of sustainable development working directly with organizations, individuals and communities. The ultimate objective is to eliminate our contribution to… 1) ...systematic increases in concentrations of substances from the Earth’s crust. 2) …systematic increases in concentrations of substances produced by society. 3) …systematic physical degradation of nature 4) …conditions that systematically undermine people’s capacity to meet their needs. The mission of The Natural Step as an organization is to develop a genuine commitment to, and competence in, sustainable development throughout society, using The Natural Step Framework as a systems approach for dialogue and decision making. The vision is of a sustainable human society.
In 2004 the Biosphere Institute brought The Natural Step to Canmore and facilitated it's formal adoption by The Town of Canmore. In partnership with the Biosphere Institute and several other organizations within the community, the Town committed to The Natural Step process to a Sustainable Canmore. After introducing TNS to all Town staff, the work of using TNS as a tool for decision making began. The Town has created a “Master Plan” that identifies completed, current, and future TNS initiatives by department. Additionally, the TNS system conditions are used in capital budget justifications. Introduction to The Natural Step How TNS Works Sustainability presents a strategic opportunity for communities and businesses. Tomorrow’s successful organizations will learn how to operate within this new paradigm to unleash these tremendous opportunities. The Natural Step offers a framework in planning toward sustainability by providing a clear, compelling, science-based definition of what sustainability is. The Natural Step is a practical strategic planning framework to help organizations that make smart economic decisions while moving toward their sustainability goal. "The perfect scale for the creation of socially and ecologically sustainable role models … is at the municipality level - close to people as it is... Municipalities hold the key to a sustainable world in their hands." Outreach If your community or organization is interested in learning more about The Natural Step Framework, go to www.naturalstep.ca For more information, see the following resources: |
The Natural Step (TNS)