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Browsing POLIS Publications Library by Author "Ferguson, Keith"
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Item At a Watershed: Ecological Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Canada(Polis Project on Ecological Governance, University of Victoria, 2005-05-01) Brandes, Oliver M.; Ferguson, Keith; M'Gonigle, Michael; Sandborn, Calvin; Reynolds, Ellen (ed)This report focuses on the enabling environment that ensures holistic water management is institutionally embedded. Water is the strategic resource of the 21st century and Canada stands “at a watershed” in freshwater management. Attitudes, institutions, and policies are changing, but an outdated supply-oriented paradigm still dominates. Ultimately, the goal is “ecological governance,” where natural ecosystem processes are carefully considered at all levels of decision-making. The strength of this report lies in the rich mosaic of experiences and examples from around the world where theory and concept inform practice.Item Flushing the Future? Examining Urban Water Use in Canada(POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, University of Victoria, 2003-08-01) Brandes, Oliver M.; Ferguson, KeithThe majority of Canadians live in large urban and regional centres, and municipal water use represents a significant portion (12 percent) of overall water withdrawals in Canada. Urban users in Canada use more than twice as much water as their European counterparts, with significant levels of wastage and inefficiency. Such high levels of urban water use have resulted in expensive supply and disposal infrastructure expansions, ecological impacts in developed areas where environmental stresses are already high, and increasing pressure on water treatment facilities to treat all water to drinking quality standards. Demand-side management (DSM) is an alternative (or, more accurately, complementary) approach to increasing supply infrastructure. It involves decreasing the demand for water through a mix of education, technology, pricing reform, regulation and recycling. This report provides insight into water use and supply in Canadian cities and the potential for demand side management.Item The Future in Every Drop: The Benefits, Barriers and Practice of Urban Water Demand Management in Canada(POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, University of Victoria, 2004-04-01) Brandes, Oliver M.; Ferguson, KeithThis report focuses on identifying benefits as well as the barriers to water demand-side management in Canada. The interconnected and interrelated nature of barriers creates a gridlock that resists the adoption of a comprehensive approach to demand management for urban water in Canada. The report explains why a comprehensive and long-term approach to demand-side management is necessary and provides action plans for all levels of government and other stakeholders for implementation.