Tools and Models
REAP belongs to a family of models created by the Future Sustainability team at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). These models convert the best available science into evidence that supports sustainable development. REAP supports SEI’s mission to bridge the gap between science and policy in a number of ways.
Making use of cutting edge research
REAP translates cutting edge research in the field of sustainable consumption and production into data which can be directly applied to the UK policy context. The creation and development of REAP is underpinned by SEI’s expertise in areas such as life cycle accounting and the measurement of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.
The REAP methodology tracks product groups through every stage of their lifecycle and attributes the associated environmental consequences to ‘end users’ – government or households. It uses a binary Environmental Extended Input Output Model and is based on government statistics and socio-economic modeling. This makes up the hidden side of REAP that users don’t see.
Beyond REAP
The methodology behind REAP has been used to create a suite of models all promoting sustainable development.
New Indicators
The input-output model used behind REAP can be applied to other inidcators besides Ecological and Carbon footprint. REAP version 2.0 will show Greenhouse Gas footprint measured in tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalence. In the future we hope to provide water footprint estimates.
Different sectors
REAP is unique in the way it takes a complete view of the economy and associated enviornmental impacts. This holistic view allows different sectors of the economy to be looked at in more detail. Rather assigning the impact to households and individuals, the data can be cut in a different way to look at the contribution of other sectors. The team has created models for the Education Sector which models the carbon footprint of activities asscociated with schools now and in the future. Current projects involve the creation of scenario modelling tools looking at tourism and the NHS.
Different User Groups
Whereas the REAP model disaggregates the total national footprint down to regions and local authorities, our other models consider the environmental impacts of different scales of geographies and different types of people. Footprint calculators have been created for WWF and Bioregional for interested indivuals to assess their own environmental impact and investigate ways of reducing it. REAP petite allows communities to see their collective footprint and pledge to take action to make it smaller.
How the models are used
The data generated by REAP models have been used in a number of formats, in a range of government publications and reports. These include:
- Environment in Your Pocket 2006 & 2007. Defra Statistics
- State of the Countryside Report 2007
- Regional State of the Environment Reports (Yorkshire & Humber, North East etc)
- Local authority health profile indicator set 2007
- Local authority community strategies & consultation documents
The use of REAP in Scotland has been reviewed by the EPSRC ISSUES Project who look at urban sustainability.
"The Sustainable Urban Environments Programme is an EPSRC funded portfolio of research looking at ways of improving sustainability in the urban environment." (taken from www.urbansustainabilityexchange.org.uk, July 2010)
The full report titled "The Process of Knowledge Transfer from Researcher and Policy Maker to End-User" provides an analysis of the footprinting work done in Scotland and the use of REAP by Scottish Local Authorities. It is available here.
REAP Version 2
Please contact us to get your latest copy of REAP. Read the full news article by clicking more below to find out about the updates and what the type of licence you require.
See the REAP pages for details about licence costs and training packages.
REAP Petite has been updated and improved.
To download a free copy click here
If you are a license holder, contact SEI to get your new version.
SEI have just released a policy brief on Scotland's Footprint.
Our study has shown that Scotland's carbon footprint has grown by 11 per cent since 1992.
The figure includes greenhouse gases released overseas during the production of goods later consumed in Scotland and so is the most accurate gauge of the country's emissions to date.
While emissions generated in Scotland fell by 13 percent between 1995 and 2004, when trade is taken account, greenhouse gases rose by 11 per cent over the same period.
The full policy brief can be found on SEI's website.
An article has also be published in the Sunday Herald and can be found here.