Sustainable Pathways Objective 2 - Scenario Development

Objective Leader: Dr Garry McDonald

Special emphasis will be placed on understanding the socio-economic dimensions of change and how these affect the metabolism of cities and environmental impacts. A dynamic modelling capacity will be developed particularly to assist in detailed planning of Sustainable Development pathways.

The scenarios will project changes in time frames ranging up to 30 years, using user-friendly dynamic models. The scenario development process will be evidence-based, relying on detailed and well-researched empirical data, and spatially referenced where possible.

The research focuses on 2 regional case studies (Auckland and Canterbury), but it is hoped as our approach matures and is capable of being more spatially explicit that a number of opportunities for more city/district/catchment-based studies will emerge. The scope for this has been shown with research in the Waikato and Nelson areas.

In the case of the Auckland region work, scenarios will be developed through a series of workshops undertaken in conjunction with regional and local authorities, infrastructure providers, developers, academics, and various other community stakeholder groups. These workshops will provide the basis for 'ground-truthing' the modelling work as well as
providing the scenarios to be analysed in the modelling.

For more information about this research, contact Garry McDonald

For an update on progress

Objective 3 >>