City of Nanaimo Adopts Doughnut Economics to guide City Planning
Doughnut Economics is the vision of building a thriving local economy that respects the health of all people and the planet
The 2018-2022 City of Nanaimo Councils Evolution
The current Nanaimo City Mayor and Council were elected just over two years ago on 20th October 2018. The election resulted in 7 out of 9 new council members including a new mayor. After two years in office an assessment of our election goals can be summed up as the following:
- Steadying the ship and bringing civility back to city governance – Achieved
- Goal to move the City forward with social, environmental and economic initiatives – significant work still to be done.
After two years of returning stability to civic governance it is time for Council to more fully implement our respective campaign platforms.
“change is the only constant in life.”
Since the 2018 Election COVID has impacted all of our lives and all levels of government around the world have struggled with the best approach to recover stronger and more resilient. Efforts to address the many challenges have shown both the best and exposed weaknesses in our society. This has resulted in a growing number of influential leaders starting a conversation that the COVID virus provides all of us an opportunity to re-imagine our society and economy for a new “better” normal.
Call To Action
Members of Nanaimo Council have been actively exploring the best approach to both implement the changes we ran on and address the social and environmental vulnerabilities more fully exposed by the pandemic. Inspiration has been found in the work that the City of Amsterdam has adopted to emerge from COVID using Doughnut Economics.
Doughnut Economics is a framework to guide action towards the vision of building thriving local economies that respect the health of all people and the planet. It is clear that achieving this vision is not a transient fad but the central challenge of 21st century communities.
The re-imagine Nanaimo process that is underway to update the official community plan is an excellent opportunity to begin focused work on achieving this vision in Nanaimo and developing the coordinating framework to guide our community there.
This Monday council voted in the affirmative to adapt the Doughnut Economy framework to the unique conditions of Nanaimo and create for our community a set of environmental and social targets to better guide and coordinate community efforts and track our progress. To support council in setting a strong course for success, watch this video that explains more about doughnut economics and applying it to city planning.
“Let our City Be the change we wish to see in the world.”
Downscaling the Doughnut to the City
Preview YouTube video Downscaling the Doughnut to the City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCqGf7T9ABo
