Rethinking urban entrepreneurialism: Bristol Green Capital – in it for good?

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary table of the referee comments for Bristol’s 2010/2011, 2014 and 2015 EGC applications.

Criteria	EGC 2010/2011 Application^13	EGC 2014 Application	EGC 2015 Application
1) Climate change	High emission per capita; low share of renewable electricity; not much effort in low carbon energy supply	Ambitious targets going beyond national requirements; good list of measures in place	Excellent indicators on climate change; excellent working in partners and citizens
2) Local transport	Extensive but limited bicycle network; high share of car mobility; accessibility of public transport medium	Good performance on local transport; extensive cycle infrastructure network to stimulate cycling	Broad range of measures adopted from infrastructure to travel cultural initiatives, campaigns, collaborations and partnerships
3) Green urban areas incorporating sustainable land use	High value of green space	Strong land use policy; statutory land use policy on Strategic Green Infrastructure Network; rehabilitation of brown field sites	Network of multifunctional, inter-connected green spaces; excellent improvement of brownfield sites
4) Nature and biodiversity		Well defined and supported ambitions for wildlife network; successful auditing and monitoring measures	Well-endowed with biodiversity; a range of targets for future; well-presented and meets all the requirements
5) Ambient air quality	Very ambitious measures and plans	Comprehensive air quality monitoring network	A long list of measures for sustainable travel modes; well-integrated future plan
6) Quality of the acoustic environment	Not clear focus on real measures; less information about future commitment	Good engagement with citizens; further actions such as education and enforcement	Very active management of noise involving the community
7) Waste production and management	Many awareness programmes but not sufficient evidence of how goals would be delivered; very ambitious plans for future but lack of energy recovery	Integrated strategy; very good progress in recycling and reduction of waste to landfill	Extensive separate collection system; clear future plans; strong community involvement
8) Water management	High consumption and leakage (though it is very successful in the UK standards); no incentive pricing, low metering	Low level of domestic water metering; per capital consumption decreased but no target has been set	Improvement in per capita consumption; improvement in the water-energy nexus; awareness raising with innovative approaches
9) Waste water management	The only city with secondary treatment but no separated rain water management; compliance with UWWTP but landfill use is allowed	High level waste water plan; references made to environmental sustainability; structured performance	Full connection to mains sewerage; one of the most efficient UWWTOs in Europe and self-sufficient with its electricity use
10) Eco-innovation and sustainable employment	Participated planning and vision; very successful conduct of the Council decisions even though some of the short and long term commitments are not specified	Has the largest emission trading scheme sectors in the UK; improved carbon efficiency	Strong partnership with a range of stakeholders; Sustainable Procurement Strategy; future funding commitments
11) Integrated environmental management	On the way towards more compactness; growing consideration of climate change impacts and cooperation with hinterlands on avoiding urban sprawl	Well supported and informative environmental management system; variety of initiatives willing to reduce carbon footprint; the first city in the UK that undertook carbon footprint assessment	Leading and disseminating activities on ‘Green Public Procurement’; environmental and social impact assessments used for major council decisions
12) Energy performance		Ambitious start of a community based on a sustainable energy economy; improvements in transport but requires a realistic forecast	Energy system transformation programme; energy efficiency programme; growth in renewable energy; ambitious energy saving programme for future