What makes a good strategy?
There are many ways to tackle an issue, but there is usually no substitute for good planning, commitment, and follow-up.

The following table highlights many of the key elements to look for in a strategy. It can be used as a starting point for documenting existing activities, or for reviewing a published strategy. Once you've added all the pieces together, the next step is to review the elements of the strategy to determine whether they are adequate and where they can be improved.

Guiding Principles

The above chart provides a means for analyzing whether all the important pieces of a strategy are in place.  But once they are, how do we determine whether the strategy will be effective in achieving meaningful results.

There have been many attempts at defining guiding principles for sustainable development, including those of the Ontario Round Table on Environment and Economy

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has a list of sustainable development principles on their website, including the Valdez Principles, the Natural Step and others.

For the purpose of environmental strategies, there are a number of guiding principles that will help us design effective and long-lasting solutions to our current environmental problems.  These principles can also be used as a means of assessing the merits of current programs and activities within an overall strategic approach.

 

Analysis
Scope: The Ecosystem Requirements Does the strategy adequately address the relevant requirements for ecological sustainability: protect nature, conserve resources, and prevent pollution?	Protect Nature	maintain and restore the health of ecosystems set aside sufficient natural areas as habitat in order to prevent the further loss of endangered spaces and species increase the overall area and quality of habitat to make up for the major losses in wetlands, woodlands, and other significant natural areas help restore healthy populations of threatened species minimize the impact of all development and human activities on habitat, ecological processes, and wildlife ensure that, where possible, economic activities enhance the ecological and social value of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems restore the ecological value of degraded areas
	Conserve Resources	promote the sustainable use of resources, so that future generations may have the options we currently enjoy seek the greatest possible reduction in the overall demand for resources through alternatives, conservation, efficiency, durability, reuse, and recycling encourage the development of renewable resources as alternatives to non-renewable ones, and use them in a manner that does not deplete the supply or harm the environment.
	Prevent Pollution	eliminate the discharge of contaminants that pose a serious threat to ecosystems and humans promote alternative, more benign technologies, techniques, products, and lifestyles where alternatives are not available or practical, promote the responsible management of chemicals from cradle to grave clean-up contaminated sites minimize all other waste and pollution promote the 3Rs hierarchy for solid waste: reduce, re-use, and recycle minimize the emissions of the major contaminants of our air, land, and water.
Commitment: An Environmental Hierarchy Does the strategy reflect a strong enough commitment to prevention?	Prevention	find alternatives to activities that cause excessive environmental damage.
	Reduction	reduce the impact of the activity as much as possible (eg. through legislated and voluntary standards).
	Stewardship	minimize environmental impacts and help restore damaged ecosystems.
Integration: Environment, Economy and Society Does the strategy address the long-term health and viability of the  economy and society as well as ensure the health of the environment?	Environment	identify the contribution of a healthy environment to our economic, social, and individual health and well-being.
	Economy	promote environmentally-sound and sustainable economic development  eliminate contradictory programs and activities that encourage environmentally-damaging development
	Society	address the environmental determinants of individual health promote environmentally-sound recreational activities integrate environmental health into community development
Coordination: Multi-Sector Involvement If the strategy is a multi-sector strategy, how well has it identified the respective roles and contributions of each sector? If the strategy is a single sector, or an internal strategy, how well has it identified a complete range of actions.	Government	provide an effective and efficient legislative framework to guide environmentally responsible economic and social development in Ontario. ensure that environmental policies, regulations, and legislation establish clear ecological standards and goals monitor and enforce such standards provide for the delivery of essential services (such as enforcement, sewage and water treatment, and the parks system) offer support programs and incentives that encourage business and individuals to go beyond the minimum standards of environmental performance required by law monitor and report on environmental conditions facilitate public involvement.
	Corporations, Business Associations, and Professional Associations	contribute to an environmentally sustainable economy, in which economic activity enhances our ability to achieve our ecological goals develop policies and codes of practice to ensure the highest level of environmental performance in companies and across industry sectors develop products and processes that will result in a healthier environment monitor and report on environmental performance.
	Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)	act as public watchdogs on issues of concern contribute to the development of government and corporate environmental policies and initiatives develop programs and services to assist in the transition to an environmentally sustainable economy and society.
	Individuals and Communities	develop "healthy communities," where environmental concerns are considered alongside questions of the social, cultural, economic, and physical health of the community and its citizens develop economic initiatives that are viable over the long term and contribute to a healthier environment live and shop responsibly -- buy green.
Constant Improvement Does the strategy provide opportunities to strengthen the commitment over time?	Recognizing that we cannot change the course of society and the economy overnight, our strategies should incorporate the principle of constant improvement, so that we are always moving toward our overall goal of a healthy and sustainable economy and society.

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